Team17 and developer BULKHEAD have officially unveiled WARDOGS, a new first-person shooter aiming to shake up the large-scale warfare space with a heavier focus on tactics, player choice, and persistent decision-making. The game is set to launch in Early Access on PC via Steam in 2026.

Positioned as a “tactical all-out warfare” experience, WARDOGS blends traditional FPS gunplay with combined arms combat, large-scale destruction, and base-building systems, all inside a fully player-driven sandbox that supports up to 100 players per match.

At the core of WARDOGS is a unique objective-based mode inspired by King of the Hill. Three teams battle for control of a randomized 2x2km Control Zone that sits within a much larger 256km² map. Teams score points by maintaining a presence inside the zone, and the first to reach 100 points wins. Because the Control Zone shifts and player strategies constantly evolve, no two matches are designed to play out the same way.

One of WARDOGS’ standout systems is its persistent cash metagame, which carries over between matches. Every player begins with $10,000 and must purchase a custom loadout each life, choosing from a wide range of weapons, equipment, utilities, and vehicles. Cash is earned through team-focused actions such as reviving squadmates, transporting allies, securing objectives, or providing logistical support.

Teamwork isn’t just encouraged it’s financially rewarded. Smart decisions and well-timed investments can dramatically change the course of a match, especially when players choose to spend big on vehicles or high-end gear that can swing momentum in their team’s favour. Because cash persists across matches, every purchase comes with risk, adding long-term consequences to short-term gains.

WARDOGS is built around the idea that players should be free to approach the battlefield however they want. Whether you prefer lone-wolf reconnaissance, long-range sniping in a ghillie suit, piloting helicopters to move supplies, or charging the front lines in heavy armor, the game is designed to support all playstyles. Players can even chase a high-risk “Hot Zone” for double cash rewards, offering an added layer of tension and strategy.

Environmental interaction plays a major role as well. Buildings can be reduced to rubble with rocket launchers, tanks can level entire blocks, and towns can be reshaped by sustained combat. On the flip side, teams can construct and fortify forward operating bases, turning key locations into defensible strongholds that influence the flow of battle.

Everything in WARDOGS is described as 100 percent player-driven, with local voice chat tying the experience together whether that’s coordinating tactics with your squad or engaging in psychological warfare with the enemy. The developers are clear about what the game is not: it’s not a battle royale, and it’s not an extraction shooter. Instead, WARDOGS aims to carve out its own space as a modern, tactical take on large-scale FPS combat where communication, decision-making, and adaptability matter as much as raw aim.

WARDOGS is currently slated for Early Access in 2026 on PC, with more details expected as development progresses.