- Early Access Week 4-5 - 9 April 2026
Shrapnel Early Access – Week 4–5 Thank you to everyone who has continued to jump into Early Access each week. With a full Operator roster now in play and an expanding arsenal, we’re seeing more defined playstyles, stronger team coordination, and a clearer picture of how matches are evolving. We’re tuning based on your feedback and addressing issues as they surface. Before we jump in — a quick note. This update is arriving later than planned. We took additional time to address an issue where skins were not consistently displaying correctly in-game. Getting that right was important, especially as we begin introducing progression-based rewards. We have two focus areas for this update: The Battle Pass and Combat Improvements. Our goal remains the same: bring players closer to the heart of Shrapnel and the decisions that define every session. Battle Pass Integration This week, we’re introduc…
- April 9th Shrapnel Update - 9 April 2026
Added the first Free Battle Pass! Please see the release notes for full details and other fixes.
- Play With The Devs - 7 April 2026
Operators,The Zone is evolving. This week, we're dropping the Free Battle Pass, everyone gets in on the rewards! And if you've been waiting to bring your crew into Shrapnel, the wait is over: team matchmaking is now live.Join us for Play With The Devs on Wednesday, April 8, at 1:00 PM PT and drop into live matches alongside the team building Shrapnel. Test the latest updates, run contracts with your squad, and deliver feedback directly where it counts.Collect. Deposit. Complete your contract.Event DetailsWhen: Wednesday, April 8Time: 1:00 PM –3:00 PM PT (Devs may stay longer if the zone stays hot.)Where: Discord & jump into queue right at 1:00 PM PT for the best chance to match with the team.Team Giveaway — $10 Steam Gift CardsYou and your whole squad could walk away with $10 Steam gift cards. Here's how to enter:Screenshot your team queued up in the lobby menuPost it on X with #PlayWit…
- Play With The Devs - 1 April 2026
Operators,The Zone is evolving. This week, we're dropping the Free Battle Pass, everyone gets in on the rewards! And if you've been waiting to bring your crew into Shrapnel, the wait is over: team matchmaking is now live.Join us for Play With The Devs on Friday, April 3, at 11:00 AM PT and drop into live matches alongside the team building Shrapnel. Test the latest updates, run contracts with your squad, and deliver feedback directly where it counts. Collect. Deposit. Complete your contract. Event DetailsWhen: Friday, April 3Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT (Devs may stay longer if the zone stays hot.)Where: Discord & jump into queue right at 11:00 AM PT for the best chance to match with the team.Team Giveaway — $10 Steam Gift CardsYou and your whole squad could walk away with $10 Steam gift cards. Here's how to enter:Screenshot your team queued up in the lobby menuPost it on X with #PlayWi…
- Hotfix - 26 March 2026
Hotfix Updates to Phantom remove camera shake Weapon tuning on DMR Bug fixes to shader loading and performance
- PATCH NOTES — Week 3 | 03/25/26 - 25 March 2026
Thanks to 420, Tony and Apogee who were our hotfix test subjects in the Zone for the latest hotfix. Hotfix Update 3/25/26: We have shipped targeted hot fixes to improve combat readability, correct unintended mitigation, and refine weapon pacing. Reduced Phantom default max health from 400 to 350.Increased the body shot damage of the DMR.Removed camera shakes during Sigma storms.Removed camera shakes from grenades.Reduced AR2 magazine ammo from 33 to 30.Removed the teamplay effect on Phantom’s Sigma Shield (Blockade) that was causing allies to gain increased damage resistance while the ability was active.Fixed an issue with the PSO and skybox that caused VFX flickering.PATCH NOTES — Week 3 | 03/18/26 BUG FIXESFixed an issue where Phantom's Sigma Ability (Shield and Power Boost) FPV effects were not displaying Fixed an issue where Phantom's Sigma Shield VFX would incorrectly appear active…
- Dev Update Week 3 - 25 March 2026
Shrapnel Early Access – Week 3 Thank you to everyone who jumped into Week 2 of Early Access. With new Operators, a new weapon, and expanded progression, we saw a wider range of playstyles begin to take shape across matches. It’s hard to believe we’re entering our third week of Early Access already. We’ve had a lot of battles and quite a few discord conversations about the game. We’ve been listening to the feedback and if you want to check out the survey results from Week 1. Week 1 established the foundation. Week 2 expanded how you play. Week 3 is about completing that foundation and refining how it all comes together. Our goal remains the same: bring players closer to the heart of Shrapnel and the decisions that define every session. Kicking off Week 3, we’re adding an initial version of Team Matchmaking, a new Operator, a new long-range weapon and a host of fixes Let’s dive in! Team M…
- Play With The Devs - 24 March 2026
Operators, Valdacha continues to recruit and deploy new Operators, weapons and perks into the Sacrifice zone. After another hard-fought week of Early Access, we are back in the Sacrifice Zone for two more Play With The Devs sessions: Wednesday, March 25, at 1:00 PM PT and Friday, March 27, at 11:00 AM PT.This week, Mother enters the zone as a new playable Operator. Deploy his Sigma Ability, Overdrive, to force the objective and break stalemates. You will also gain access to new tools built for disciplined execution: the DMR for long-range control, plus a new Disruptor Grenade to deny space and disrupt enemy plans. This is your chance to drop into live matches with the team building Shrapnel, test the latest stability improvements, and deliver feedback directly. Collect, Deposit, Complete your contract. Event DetailsWhen: Wednesday, March 25Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM PT (Devs may stay longe…
- Early Access Feedback Report - 24 March 2026
SHRAPNEL Early Access Feedback Survey Report March 2026 — 147 Responses 147 Responses Launch window 7.5/10 Overall Score Mean · Median 8 3.93/5 Combat Feel Positive lean 3.69/5 Match Pace Lowest rated Valdacha Intel: Your reports were clear, consistent, and actionable. We reviewed the feedback as a development team and deployed targeted fixes. This is the cycle: you report, we correct, you validate in the Sacrifice Zone. Technical / Performance and Matchmaking You reported instability, long waits, and performance degradation across matches. Dev response: We fixed an issue that caused shaders to compile multiple times, reducing performance for all players in a match. This issue also affected matchmaking times. Movement Felt Off You reported inconsistent movement flow, snagging, and interruptions in traversal. Dev response: We are actively improving vaulting and mantling. We also made mul…
- Dev Update Week 2 - 18 March 2026
Shrapnel Early Access – Week 2 Thank you to everyone who joined us for Week 1 of Early Access. We had a lot a great battles, uncovered some important issues, and had loads of fun. Week 1 established the foundation — introducing the core loop, the first Operators, and how matches are driven by Collect, Deposit, and Secure. Week 2 is about expanding that experience. We’re adding new ways to play, new ways to approach the battlefield, and more control over how your Operator develops over time. Our goal remains the same: bring players closer to the heart of Shrapnel and the decisions that define every session. The Operators In Week 1 introduced Swan — a fast, aggressive Infiltrator built around speed, pressure, and constant movement. In Week 2, we’re expanding the roster with two new Operators that introduce new roles, new strategies, and new ways to control the match. Phantom Phantom is a…
- PATCH NOTES — Week 2 | 03/18/26 - 18 March 2026
PATCH NOTES — Week 2 | 03/18/26 BUG FIXES Fixed an issue where textures and VFX would late load when deploying into a match Fixed a delay when attempting to pick up Sigma Fixed an issue preventing players from changing Operators on the death screen PERFORMANCE Improved navigation across the environment to better support movement and flow Fixed a major issue causing long load times and shader compile delays Continued improvements to load times and late-join issues UPCOMING (Weeks 3–4) Weapon tuning pass once we see how the new Operators and weapons affect the battlefield Base attribute adjustments (Health, Speed, Stamina Recovery, Stamina Total, Jump Height) to be addressed alongside weapon tuning as the new Operator mix becomes clearer
- Play With The Devs - 17 March 2026
Operators,The battle for Sigma continues. After an incredible first week of Early Access, we’re back in the Sacrifice Zone this Wednesday, March 18, at 1:00 PM PT and Friday, March 20, at 11:00 AM PT for our next Play With The Devs sessions. This week we have 2 new playable Operators and Sigma Abilities entering the zone. Be sure to also check out the new assault rife! This is your chance to drop into live matches with the team building Shrapnel, test the latest stability improvements, and share your feedback directly with us. Whether you’re hunting for Sigma or hunting the devs, we want to see you there.Event DetailsWhen: Wednesday, March 18Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM PT (Devs may stay longer if the zone is hot!)Where: Jump into the solo queue right at 1:00 PM PT for the best chance to match with the team.Jeff (Head of Game) and Joshua (Chief Experience Officer) will be joining us this Wed…
- Game Dev Update — March 2026 - 14 March 2026
Shrapnel Early Access – Week 1 Update: Day 1 & 2 of Shrapnel Early Access is officially in the books — and what a start it’s been. Thanks to player reports and feedback from the community, the team was able to quickly identify the match loading issue where some players were experiencing long initial load times. We’ve already implemented a fix, and match loading times should now be significantly improved. We are continuing to optimize overall performance of the game and fix issues. Welcome to Early Access Week 1. We’re excited to begin playing and building Shrapnel with you. This marks the start of a more open process for our team — one where we share what we’re testing, what we’re learning, and how your feedback helps shape the game. Week by week, we want to bring the community closer to the decisions that define Shrapnel and the systems that drive each match. Our goal is simple: bring…
- Play With The Devs - 13 March 2026
Operators,This Friday March 13 we’re hosting our first Play With The Devs session — and the Shrapnel team will be jumping into matches with the community.Developers — including the Head of Game Design — will be playing live matches while the community team streams the session in Discord. This is your chance to jump into the Sacrifice Zone with the people building the game, ask questions, and share your feedback directly with the team.Because matches are solo queue, you may find yourself in a match with — or against — the devs.And if you do…There’s a bounty.Sigma ChallengeTwo Shrapnel team members will be designated as Sigma Targets:McKenna AdamIf play with one of them during a match and deposit 38 Sigma, you can enter the giveaway.To enter:Play with McKenna or McKenna in a match and deposit 38 sigmaTake a screenshot of the scoreboardPost the screenshot in the Play With The Devs channel…
- Improve Performance of Game Loading Screen - 13 March 2026
We submitted a fix to imrove game loading screen experience.
- Early Access Notice – Loading & Match Entry Issues - 12 March 2026
Update Operators: We've identified a fix for the stuck at 75% loading issue! Match loading time should be much better now. Day 1 is a wrap for Early Access. We're trilled with the turn out from the community, across Twitch and in Discord. We've receved a ton of great feedback that is only able to be surfaced by having real players get into game. Early Access isn't the finish line, it's just the beginning. Please continue to surface feedback in the comments and in our discord so the devs can continue to prioritize optimizing Shrapnel to be the best game it can be. Again thank you for an amazing day 1, and joining us on this journey as we build Shrapnel together! Operators, Some players may experience longer loading screens while shaders compile when entering a match. During this process the loading bar may appear to pause around ~75%. If this happens, please do not back out. The game is…
- Shrapnel Early Access Roadmap - 12 March 2026
Operators,Early Access is just the beginning. Over the first four weeks, we’ll be rolling out new Operators, abilities, weapons, and systems while gathering feedback from the community to help shape the future of Shrapnel.Here’s what’s coming to the Sacrifice Zone.Week One — DeploymentMapTokyo 2043 (Dusk)OperatorsSwanIndexOperator AbilitiesSkipspaceKinetic PulseWeaponsAR1ShotgunSMGPistolRevolverThrowableGrenadeSystemsOperator weapon loadoutsWeapon skin equipsSkill-based matchmakingProgression testing (Cap: Rank 1, Level 20)Sigma Deposited LeaderboardWeek Two — Reinforcements ArriveEverything from Week One, plus:New OperatorsStonewallPhantomNew AbilitiesShockwaveBlockadeNew WeaponAR2SystemsProgression testing continues (Cap: Rank 1, Level 20)Leaderboard resetNew Game Features\Week Three — EscalationEverything from Week Two, plus:New OperatorMotherNew AbilityOverdriveNew WeaponDMRLMGNew T…
- Shrapnel Early Access launches March 12 - 9 March 2026
This marks a new beginning for Shrapnel: new content released weekly, feedback gathered weekly, and gameplay refined in real time based on how it performs in your hands. This is Early Access. And we’re building it with you. Week 1: Deploy to Tokyo Map: Tokyo (Dusk) Mode: Stockpile — 4v4 objective-based combat Collect and deposit 300 grav-kilos of Sigma to your Grav-Sync before the opposing team. Complete the contract. Operators (Week 1) Two playable Operators at launch: SWAN A precision operative shaped by post-Soviet deniable security programs. Built for close engagements and rapid elimination. Sigma Ability: SKIPSPACE Chain short-range dashes (3 charges, scaling to 5 during match). Collisions deal damage and apply force. INDEX A frontline endurance specialist in the Sacrifice Zone. Anchors fights and creates space through survivability. Sigma Ability: Kinetic Pulse Release a blast of…
- Recon One Debrief - 24 February 2026
Recon One Debrief: What We Heard, What We Fixed, and What's NextHey Operators,Recon One was our first community playtest with Stockpile — and we want to give you a proper debrief.You were the first group to go hands-on with a major content drop all at once: new Operators and abilities, a new map, and our new 4v4 objective mode, Stockpile. That's a lot of new ground to cover in a single session, which is exactly why your feedback was so valuable. We read every submission. We took notes. And a lot of what you called out is already fixed.Here's what the data told us — and what we've been doing about it.What Landed WellThe foundations came through clearly. Across submissions, here's where you scored us:Visuals & Atmosphere Stockpile Mode Fun & Team-Oriented Sigma Abilities Feeling ImpactfulMap layout, traversal options, and Operator variety all got consistent love. The consensus: Stockpile…
- Shrapnel Early Access coming to Steam - 20 February 2026
Shrapnel Early Access coming to Steam! This is more than a milestone — it marks the beginning of a new chapter for Shrapnel. Over the past year, a small and dedicated team of developers and lifelong FPS players has taken the reins and rebuilt the game with a clear, focused vision. Shrapnel 2.0 represents the culmination of that work — a reset grounded in accountability, passion, and gameplay-first development. Shrapnel is built around tight, objective-based FPS gameplay, meaningful character builds, and team-based strategy. Early Access is how we refine that foundation with the people who matter most: the players. To everyone who has stuck with Shrapnel through every phase — thank you. Your support is the reason we’re here, and your voice will help define what comes next. Why Early Access? The core of Shrapnel is already fun and playable. But shooters are shaped through real player feed…
