Way of the Hunter 2

Launch trailer

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Official THQ Nordic trailer for the Version 1.0 launch.

Three grounds at 1.0

New Laurentia is the original Early Access wilderness: 100 km² of Canadian and North American forest, wetland, and mountain, with the moose investigation as the story hook. Kilimaya Reserve arrived in Update 0.2 as a second 100 km² map, this time an African hunting ground with charging lion, hippo, and Cape buffalo. Headquarters is not a third trophy-class reserve in the same sense; it is a 16 km² Rocky Mountain hub with a shooting range, expandable lodge rooms, and NPC Elijah.

The 1.0 animal count is 28 hunt-able species, 15 on New Laurentia and 13 on Kilimaya. Five of the North American animals also appear around Headquarters, so a lodge session is not empty of game. Unreal Engine 5.7 with Nanite and Lumen is the renderer the studio named in the FAQ. There are no microtransactions; long-term support is premium DLC plus free updates.

Dog, shot review, and two hunters

The hunting dog searches signs, finds life zones, and blood-tracks wounded animals. Bonding improves obedience as you hunt together; extra breeds and advanced training sit on the post-launch list. Shot review still uses a bullet camera for trajectory, speed, angle, and placement. Update 0.4.0 added shotgun choke, a pellet-spread graph on the claim screen, and bird air sacs.

Co-op at 1.0 is two hunters in a free-play session. Single-player worlds stay separate from multiplayer populations, and there is no cross-play between PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Text chat, passwords, and larger sessions are listed for later. If you are choosing a first outing, start on New Laurentia for the moose story or open the species ledger if you already know which animal you want.

A first night on Version 1.0

If you launch tonight, pick a platform copy you already share with a friend or hunt alone on New Laurentia. The moose file is the story on-ramp, the dog is already in the kit, and shot review will show the first bad angle before you ever see Kilimaya water. Headquarters can wait until you want a range and a hall. Deluxe can wait until you want year-one maps that are not in the 1.0 download.

PC needs Windows 11, 16 GB RAM, an RTX 2060 or RX 5600 XT, and 38 GB. Steam Deck will boot the game without being a supported target. There is no cross-play, no mod workshop, and no cash shop. That is the 1.0 box: three grounds, 28 animals, one dog, two hunters, licensed glass, and a bullet camera.

Frequently asked questions