Look, let us be honest: WARDOGS has announced the early termination of Season 2 just three days after its launch. Having re-entered the upper echelons of Steam global top sellers on October 15 alongside its first major update, the developer communicated the early introduction of Season 3 via official social media on the 17th.

The WARDOGS Season 2 update included the addition of weapons and vehicles, alongside a massive balance overhaul. First, four new firearms, a Molotov cocktail, four new main battle vehicles including anti-aircraft vehicles, and three structures were added. In addition, adjustments were made to reduce early-level experience requirements, increase penalties for level 4 helmets, and balance factions. Furthermore, weather systems such as rain and thunder, along with wager vendors allowing players to bet personal currency on individual objectives, were freshly introduced to build anticipation, yet an early termination was declared as things played out quite differently from what the developer expected.

The root cause of the early termination decision is the broken balance triggered by eased early progression. The developer announced that reducing the level-up experience requirement by roughly 55% resulted in players unlocking endgame gear like level 4 armor and main battle vehicles merely days into the season. With the core wipe mechanic of a seasonal game failing to function properly and rendering its purpose meaningless, fierce protests erupted across the community.

Recent Steam reviews registered following the new season currently sit at Mixed (11,082 reviews, 48% positive). The reviews poured out criticisms regarding unreasonable gear balancing, such as certain players exploiting bugs to secure top-tier equipment early and create growth gaps, alongside a lack of counterplay options against level disparities. Alongside this, issues were raised regarding faction bonuses driving player concentration to the blue team, reward structures favoring solo farming over teamplay elements like scouting, resupply, or medical roles, and the neglect of cheats and ungentlemanly behavior. While the fundamental structure of WARDOGS still receives praise, trust in the developer seems to have dipped due to the unforeseen hiccups of Season 2.

Rather than immediately wiping the Season 2 data, the developer decided to significantly accelerate the release schedule of Season 3. Specific transition timings for Season 3 and future directions are scheduled to be revealed next week.

Elsewhere, Final Fantasy Resonance, gearing up for its release on the 23rd, squeezed into the rankings at number 10. Dead by Daylight claimed the number 7 spot ahead of its announced collaboration with Diablo.

In the top 20 daily peak concurrent players, Enshrouded posted 90,443 players, showing that the upward momentum maintained since its official launch transition has cooled down somewhat. Call of Duty dropped below the rankings, while EA Sports FC 27 claimed the 20th spot with 76,315 players.