A Battleground with 400,000 Concurrent Players: 100-Player Tactical Shooter Wardogs Explodes in Early Access, Selling 1.25 Million Copies in 24 Hours

 The 100-player large-scale tactical shooter Wardogs has recently taken Steam by storm following its early access launch, with concurrent player numbers surpassing 400,000—making it one of the biggest game launches on Steam in 2026. The game sold over 1.25 million copies globally within just 24 hours of release.

From 337,000 to 400,000: A Rapid Surge in Just Two Days

Developed by UK-based studio Bulkhead, Wardogs entered Steam Early Access on September 10. The game debuted with approximately 337,000 concurrent players and, just two days later, broke through the 400,000-player milestone .

According to relevant Steam rankings, Wardogs briefly became the fourth most-played game on the platform, trailing only behind blockbuster titles including Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2. For a brand-new IP just entering early access, this ranking surpassed the vast majority of titles released during the same period.

Server Overload and a Rollercoaster of Reviews

The surge in player numbers exceeded the development team's expectations. The massive influx of players overwhelmed the servers, with many players waiting in queues for hours only to be unable to play properly due to connection issues—and some even experiencing game crashes. Affected by these server problems, Wardogs' Steam review score temporarily dropped to around 57%, falling into the "Mixed" category .

However, the situation gradually improved over the following days, with the Steam positive review ratio climbing back to approximately 78%, once again earning a "Mostly Positive" rating. This review curve reflects a common pattern in early access: players are willing to forgive technical issues as long as the development team can resolve them within a reasonable timeframe.

Coming to Consoles in 2028

Bulkhead also announced that this large-scale first-person shooter supporting up to 100 players sold 1.25 million copies within just 24 hours of launch. The game is currently still in early access and is planned to arrive on console platforms—including the PS5—in 2028 .

For a tactical shooter whose selling point is its 100-player scale, the two-year gap between PC early access and official console release means the development team will have ample time for balance adjustments, content expansion, and performance optimization. For players who prefer shooting games on consoles, the 2028 console version will mark their first opportunity to experience this title.