WARDOGS wants you to know exactly what you’re buying

Most developers spend the weeks before launch telling you why their game deserves your money. WARDOGS has decided to do almost the exact opposite. Developer BULKHEAD recently released a video called “10 Reasons NOT to Buy WARDOGS,” openly laying out the reasons some players might want to stay away from its upcoming tactical shooter.

And somehow, that honesty makes the game even more interesting. Rather than pretending Early Access will be perfect, BULKHEAD talks directly about the rough edges players should expect. There will not be endless content drops right away, performance and balancing still need work, controller support is not the main focus, and the game comes with a fairly serious price tag for an Early Access release. The studio is even realistic about player numbers, admitting that the big launch spike will probably drop over time.

The developers also address the elephant in the room: Battalion 1944. BULKHEAD's previous multiplayer shooter had plenty of promise but eventually struggled with a shrinking community and communication problems. Instead of pretending that history never happened, the studio brings it up itself and basically tells skeptical players that waiting before buying WARDOGS is perfectly reasonable.

That mindset carries over to the upcoming August beta as well. Players who pre-order to gain access are openly encouraged to refund the game if they try it and decide it is not for them. It is a strangely refreshing message in an industry where pre-orders are normally pushed as hard as possible.

So why does WARDOGS look so interesting?

Underneath all that anti-marketing is a multiplayer FPS with some seriously fun ideas. WARDOGS supports battles with up to 100 players split across three competing teams, creating fights where the situation can change quickly depending on which faction controls the battlefield. Infantry combat is joined by tanks, helicopters, destruction, building systems and logistics, giving the whole thing a large-scale warfare feeling that should immediately catch the attention of Battlefield, Squad and Arma fans.

Its most interesting feature, however, could be the persistent economy. Players earn money by helping their team, capturing objectives, transporting soldiers and performing other useful actions. That cash is then spent on weapons, equipment and vehicles—and it carries between matches. More importantly, dying can actually hurt your wallet because replacing an expensive loadout costs money.

That changes the feeling of every fight. Charging blindly into enemy fire suddenly has consequences, while keeping a valuable vehicle alive or successfully completing a support role can genuinely matter.

The funny thing is that BULKHEAD's “10 Reasons Not to Buy” video may have ended up being one of the best advertisements WARDOGS could have received. By openly discussing the problems, risks and unfinished parts of the game, the studio has made its ambitious shooter feel a little more trustworthy—and perhaps even more worth watching as its Early Access launch approaches. 

Just for that honesty from the developer, this game is worth a try, but don’t forget to use our price comparison tool to find the best prices for WARDOGS.