- Patch #7 – Slightly Unhinged, Heavily Armored - 13 September 2026
The Mech has officially been deployed. This may have been a mistake.Version 1.0.07 is now live, adding the new playable Mech to Artificial Extinction 2.Autonomous. Pilotable. Occasionally Sensible.The Mech can fight autonomously alongside you or be piloted directly from its cockpit.It may actually be most effective when placed into Attack Mode and allowed to make its own decisions. It is heavily armed, surprisingly powerful and—at least for now—probably too inexpensive to build.I may have to correct that in a future update. Enjoy this brief period of irresponsible military spending.The Mech is still not perfect. It can occasionally get stuck, requiring you to climb into the cockpit and rescue it. It is also prone to suicidal charges.But you’re not perfect either, and the Mech has never complained about you.This is only Version 1 of the Mech. I’ll continue improving its movement, behavio…
- The Mech Deploys September 13th - 9 September 2026
The Mech Update goes live September 13th.This is the first version of the Mech. It isn't finished evolving, it has a few bugs, and it can be unpredictably psychotic at times.But it's also a lot of fun.The Mech is essentially your new heavily armed wingman. It can fight autonomously alongside you, or you can send it off on its own to deal with problems while you concentrate on something else.You can order it to Follow, Attack, Guard, or Return to Base. At any time, you can also climb into the cockpit and take control yourself.Fair warning: piloting currently includes a rather enthusiastic amount of head bob. If you're prone to motion sickness, you may discover that the enemy isn't the greatest threat inside the cockpit. This will be improved in future patches.So why release it now?Tokyo Game Show is less than a week away, I'm leaving for Japan shortly, and I really wanted the Mech fighti…
- The Mech Is Real. The Update Isn’t... Yet. - 21 August 2026
A playable Mech has been one of the most popular player requests. It was also something I suspected might be slightly beyond my coding abilities.Apparently, I decided to find out.The video below shows the Mech materializing, opening its cockpit and being controlled by the player. My plan is for it to fight autonomously alongside you—or allow you to climb inside and pilot it yourself.This feature is still under development and has not yet been added to the live version of the game. It may take some time, and the first version may contain a few bugs. Possibly even some exciting new ones.But it’s working, and I now believe it will become part of the game.
- Patch #6 – The "Slightly More Organized Chaos" Update - 7 August 2026
The explosions weren't the problem. Finding what exploded was.Since launch, players have taught me two important lessons.First, large battles are exciting.Second, it's surprisingly difficult to remember where your generators used to be.Version 1.0.06 addresses both of those problems.Destroyed Equipment MarkersDestroyed turrets, miners, generators, fusion reactors, fission reactors, and quantum computers will now leave behind holographic markers for 60 seconds.During large battles, it can be easy to miss what has been destroyed while you're busy trying to survive. Instead of searching through smoke, explosions, and enemy fire, you'll now immediately know what needs to be rebuilt.This was one of the most common quality-of-life requests from players, and I hope it makes large battles much easier to manage.Reduced Generator Blast RadiiThe blast radius of generators, fusion reactors, and fis…
- 20% Off Now + New Mission: Jungle. - 23 July 2026
Dense jungle. Camouflaged infantry. Mortars falling through the trees.I was planning to take a short break after launch.Instead, I accidentally made another level.Artificial Extinction 2 is now 20% off, and everyone will receive a new free bonus mission called Jungle.Unlike the other campaign missions, Jungle challenges you with a completely different battlefield. Dense forests block many turret shots while camouflaged enemy infantry use the terrain to sneak toward your base. You'll quickly discover that trees make surprisingly effective armor.Just when things seem under control, Mortar Mechs begin bombarding your base from outside the forest. They can't drive through the trees, but their mortars certainly can. Leave them alone for too long and your air defenses will burn through your energy and metal intercepting incoming shells until your economy starts to collapse.The challenge is de…
- Patch #5 - The "Less Panic, More Bullets" Update - 17 July 2026
Since launch I've been reading your reviews, watching gameplay videos, and paying close attention to how people actually play the game.Version 1.0.05 is all about making battles easier to understand while giving Kinetic Turrets a serious boost in firepower.More Time To ThinkTime Dilation has been increased from 15 seconds to 30 seconds.Several players wanted more time to assess the battlefield, catch up, and plan their next move when things became overwhelming. You now have twice as long to do that.Smarter BuildingBuilding equipment now automatically displays nearby blast radii, making it much harder to accidentally place structures where they'll destroy each other.When building a Turret, all existing Turrets of that same type now highlight and display their firing ranges. If you're placing a Sniper Turret, you'll immediately see where your other Sniper Turrets are already covering, mak…
- Apparently I'm Going to Tokyo. - 10 July 2026
This is a huge honor for me. Indie 80 showcases games that stand out for their creativity, originality, and potential, making this selection especially meaningful.Games from around the world are submitted for consideration, with only a small number selected to exhibit. To have Artificial Extinction 2 chosen is an incredible compliment and a milestone I'll never forget.This September I'll be flying to Tokyo to exhibit the game, meet players, and hopefully convince a few people that combining first-person shooters, tower defense, and real-time strategy wasn't completely insane.Tokyo Game Show is one of the world's largest gaming events, with more than 260,000 visitors attending last year's show. It's an amazing opportunity for a solo developer to introduce the game to players and industry professionals from around the world.If you're attending TGS this year, I'd love for you to stop by th…
- Experimental Branch Now Available - 2 July 2026
Experimental Branch Now Available One of the biggest challenges in balancing Artificial Extinction 2 is finding the right relationship between turret strength, turret cost, and enemy wave intensity. Rather than making those decisions in isolation, I would like to involve the community. The new Experimental Branch allows you to adjust core gameplay variables and discover what settings create the most enjoyable experience. This is not intended to simply make the game easier or harder. It exists to help find the best balance. How to Join the Experimental BranchOpen your Steam LibraryRight-click Artificial Extinction 2Select PropertiesOpen the Betas tabSelect Experimental Branch Steam will automatically download the Experimental build. New Experimental Settings A new menu has been added: Settings → Experimental Version You can adjust five gameplay variables before starting a mission: Turret…
- Coming Soon: The Experimental Branch - 26 June 2026
The Next Experiment First, I'd like to thank everyone who has purchased Artificial Extinction 2, left a positive review, shared feedback, and continued helping me improve the game. I've been reading your comments and thinking carefully about where to take the game next. I've learned that players enjoy different styles of gameplay. Some enjoy careful planning, while others want to spend less time building and more time fighting. Rather than trying to guess the perfect balance, I'd like to experiment together.Experimental Branch Over the next week, I plan to release a new Experimental Branch on Steam. The goal isn't simply to make the game easier or harder. Instead, I want to give players more control over certain gameplay settings and explore how different combinations affect the overall experience. Your feedback during this process will help identify which ideas are worth developing fur…
- Your Feedback Has Been Deployed - 19 June 2026
Beta Test Complete A few days ago I released the Dropship Canceller™ on the beta branch in response to player feedback. The feedback was clear: Players wanted a more effective and satisfying way to deal with enemy Dropships. After testing, discussion, and a lot of exploding aircraft, I'm happy to say that the beta test has been a success. The Dropship Canceller™ will now become part of the main game. Mission Accomplished The goal of the weapon was simple: Make shooting down enemy Dropships fun. Based on player feedback, I believe we've achieved that. The Dropship Canceller™ provides: Fast reload speedLong engagement rangeTracking missilesA valuable FPS role supporting your RTS defenses Instead of waiting for SAM Sites or Emergency Drone missiles to solve the problem, players now have a direct and satisfying way to contribute to air defense. Thank You Thank you to everyone who tested the…
- Open Beta: Dropship Canceller™ - 17 June 2026
The new beta branch is now available for testing on Steam and includes the new Dropship Canceller™ anti-air missile launcher.To access the beta:Right-click Artificial Extinction 2 in your Steam Library.Select Properties.Click Game Versions and Betas.Select the beta branch.Steam will automatically update the game.The new anti-air missile launcher is unlocked by default in the beta build and can be tested in the Test Range, Campaign, or any Challenge Mode.The weapon is designed specifically to counter enemy air units and can lock onto:DronesDropshipsAttack ShipsIt has a 5-second reload time, allowing for rapid follow-up shots when multiple air targets are present.Keep in mind that the launcher has a limited lock-on range. If it isn't acquiring a target, the aircraft may simply be too far away.I'm interested in hearing your feedback on how effective it feels, whether the range seems approp…
- Patch #3 - The "My Therapist Suggested This" Update - 16 June 2026
First, Thank YouThank you to everyone who has purchased the game, posted a postive review, shared feedback, and continued helping me improve Artificial Extinction 2. I've been reading a lot of your comments and watching gameplay videos. A common theme continues to emerge: players want more time to react, more reliable defenses, and fewer moments where the game feels unfair. So naturally, I booked an appointment with a therapist. The result is Patch 1.0.03. What's Changed Level 4 - Additional Difficulty Balancing Level 4 continues to receive adjustments based on player feedback. The goal is to make the mission challenging without feeling overwhelming. Turret Range Increased +10% All turrets now have a 10% increase in range. This should help defensive networks engage enemies earlier, improve overlap between structures, and give players a little more breathing room before enemies reach cri…
- Your Feedback Is Being Weaponized - 14 June 2026
First, Thank You Thank you to everyone who has purchased the game, posted feedback, reported bugs, participated in discussions, and especially to everyone who has taken the time to leave a positive review. As a solo developer, positive reviews genuinely mean the world to me. They help more players discover the game and greatly improve the long-term visibility and survivability of the game on Steam. I've been reading every review, discussion, and piece of feedback I can find. One message has come through loud and clear: Players don't feel they have an effective and satisfying way to deal with incoming Dropships. Fair enough. Introducing the Dropship Canceller™Your feedback has been weaponized. I'm currently working on a new FPS weapon dedicated to destroying enemy Dropships. The Dropship Canceller™ is designed to make anti-air defense feel like a valuable and satisfying FPS side-mission…
- Patch #2 - The "Apparently Fun Is Important" Update - 12 June 2026
First of all, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave a positive review. As a solo developer, those reviews mean far more than you might realize. They help new players discover the game, help Steam understand that people are enjoying it, and ultimately help the long-term future of Artificial Extinction 2. Seriously, thank you. Many of you have made one thing very clear: Apparently, fun is important! After years of developing the game, it turns out that thousands of players are very effective at finding places where I may have been slightly... overly enthusiastic with the difficulty settings. So today I'm releasing another balance update based directly on player feedback. Changes Level 3 Balancing • Added additional time before enemy waves begin Level 4 Balancing • Reduced the number of enemy Dropships • Added an additional SAM Site Emergency Drone Improvement • Emergency D…
- Patch #1 - The "Okay, Fair Point" Update - 11 June 2026
First of all: thank you to everyone who has been playing Artificial Extinction 2 since launch.I've been reading reviews, forum posts, comments, and watching gameplay videos. One piece of feedback has been coming through loud and clear:"This game is kicking my butt."Fair enough.Artificial Extinction 2 was designed to be challenging, but challenge should feel rewarding—not frustrating. So I'm rolling out the first of what will likely be several balance updates based on community feedback.ChangesTurret Armor IncreasedDefault turret armor increased by 20%Miner Armor IncreasedMiner armor increased by 20%These changes should make early defenses more forgiving, reduce situations where your economy gets wiped out too quickly, and help players establish a foothold before the battlefield turns into complete chaos.As an added side effect, the increased survivability of structures means the Repair…
- Artificial Extinction 2 is Available Now! - 10 June 2026
Le grand jour est arrivé.Après plus de 5 ans de développement en solo, Artificial Extinction 2 est officiellement disponible sur Steam.L'idée derrière le jeu était simple : combiner la profondeur stratégique d'un RTS, l'action d'un FPS et la planification d'un jeu de Tower Defense dans une expérience unique où les joueurs peuvent passer librement du commandement d'une armée au combat sur la ligne de front.Ce projet a représenté un travail colossal pour un développeur seul, et le voir enfin sortir est à la fois passionnant et un peu surréaliste.Regardez la bande-annonce de lancementÀ tous ceux qui ont ajouté le jeu à leur liste de souhaits, joué à la démo, participé aux discussions, testé les différentes versions, signalé des problèmes ou simplement suivi son développement : merci. Votre soutien a permis à ce projet d'atteindre la ligne d'arrivée.J'espère que vous apprécierez le jeu et j…
- Artificial Extinction Owners Get an Additional 15% Off AE2! - 7 June 2026
Artificial Extinction 2 launches June 10th!As a thank you to everyone who supported the original Artificial Extinction, I've created a Complete The Set bundle on Steam. Existing owners of Artificial Extinction will receive an additional 15% discount on Artificial Extinction 2 through the bundle.The sequel has been a five-year journey filled with challenges, setbacks, and more than a few moments where I questioned whether I would ever reach the finish line. Thanks to the support of players who believed in the original game, I'm excited to finally share the finished sequel with you.Thank you for your support, and I hope you'll join me on June 10th for the launch of Artificial Extinction 2.— ChrisWatch the latest gameplay trailer:
- Artificial Extinction 2 Launches June 10th! - 20 May 2026
Artificial Extinction 2 officially launches on Steam June 10th!After 5 years of solo development, the battle for Earth is almost here.But launch is only the beginning.My goal is to continue supporting Artificial Extinction 2 with free bonus content, new combat scenarios, gameplay improvements, and additional features after release to keep expanding the game closer toward its full potential over time.One idea I've been thinking about is a dense forest battlefield focused entirely on infantry combat and aerial drones with no Mechs at all.Short lines of sight. Heavy camouflage. Constant drone pressure above the trees. Limited visibility. Defensive positions hidden throughout the terrain.But what should the battlefield itself look like?A narrow canyon with choke points and ambush opportunities?A valley vulnerable to attacks from the surrounding hills?Dense forest with multiple attack routes…
- Demo Updated — Launch Date Coming Soon - 22 April 2026
We’re getting very close to launch.First — thank you. The support, feedback, and wishlists have made a huge difference in getting the game to this point. Here’s what’s new and what’s coming: Full Game Almost Ready The full game is now in QA testing. Every system, level, and feature is being finalized and polished for release. The entire game is fully translated into 12 languages, including voice and subtitles — ready for a global launch. Up To 2x Performance Boost Since the original demo, performance has been significantly improved. In many cases, framerates are up to 2x higher — especially on lower-end CPUs. Difficulty Modes Added You can now choose how you want to play:Set your difficulty in the Settings menu and tailor the challenge to your playstyle.EasyNormalHardDemo Updated — Play It Now The demo has been updated with the new performance improvements and difficulty system. If you…
- Tower Defense Festival Ends — Meet the Champions - 16 March 2026
The Steam Tower Defense Festival competition has ended — and players pushed the Contact Rear map further than ever.One strategy clearly dominated: building a massive resource economy to support huge fields of explosive mines. In particular, Anti-Matter mines were able to wipe out entire waves of enemies.Watching players discover strategies like this has been fascinating. It also revealed some balance issues — especially with Anti-Matter mines — which I’ll be adjusting in future updates.These competitions have been incredibly valuable for exposing strategies, flaws, and unexpected metas that only appear when thousands of players start experimenting.Tower Defense Festival Champions#1 – fjo2570 — 61,260 #2 – GOLANX — 33,520 #3 – 黄hih141 — 17,338 These three players will earn a permanent place in the game credits as Tower Defense Champions 2026. Their names will survive in the game for eter…
