Hunt: Showdown 1896 is officially out for players on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. This version of the game will replace Hunt: Showdown, with those who originally owned Hunt: Showdown being eligible for a free upgrade to Hunt: Showdown 1896. With this update comes many new features that Crytek has implemented to keep the game fresh, including their CRYENGINE 5.11, the latest engine version dedicated to making this game as visually stunning and immersive as possible.
As promised a while ago, on PC, the game now takes advantage of DirectX 12 and the addition of upscalers like NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR. The graphics were also improved with a new light cache system and specular tracing for multi-bounce global illumination, and support for HDR displays was added, too. Moreover, a full 3D audio pipeline was implemented.
Along with the use of the CRYENGINE 5.11, players can expect to see a new Wild Target for them to hunt and the addition of the Scorched Earth Event, all taking place in the brand-new Colorado biome. In this new update, the story takes the player forward in time and takes everyone west of the bayou. Players will get to find new weapons and get to use Pacts that can help or hinder them.
Those curious about Hunt: Showdown 1896 can jump into the brand-new action for free on PC, with Steam's Free Weekend running from August 15 through August 19. Players can visit the new Colorado map, Mammon's Gulch, where there are 16 unique compounds for players to explore, spread across the peaks of the mountains and down in the mines.
As previously announced, players will get to take on the latest Wild Target: The Hellborn. It's an amalgam of fire and flesh and can be tracked audibly by listening in Dark Sight. The new Wild Target is highly aggressive and moves frantically while throwing slag at nearby Hunters, scorching everything within its grasp.
However, there comes a huge risk with the Hellborn, as its screeches will draw the attention of the other Hunters, adding another level of threat.
Staying on trend with the Hellborn is the Scorched Earth event, from August 15 through October 7. Players can explore more of the Mammon's Gulch story by participating in the event to earn new equipment, ammo, and weapons. This includes the 1865 Carbine, the Infantry 73L base rifle with a sniper variant, Bear Traps, and many more.
In addition, Crytek has also added a Weekly Challenge system to Hunt: Showdown 1896 to support players joining mid-event, as well as a Battle Pass with a free and premium track, allowing players to unlock rewards throughout the event.
On the Steam community page, you can read all about the changes made in Hunt: Showdown, including the full stats list of the new weapon variants made available in the event.
