WARDOGS releases into Steam Early Access on 10 September 2026, developed by BULKHEAD and published by Team17. It is a paid game at $39.99, PC only at launch, and it needs a GTX 1660 or better.
Release date
10 September 2026, into Steam Early Access. That last part matters: this is not the finished 1.0 release. BULKHEAD have said they intend to develop the game alongside its community before moving to a full version, so expect the build to change frequently and the feature set to grow.
Early Access also sets expectations for stability and balance. Systems get reworked, and anything built against a specific build — including third-party tooling of any kind — breaks more often than it would on a finished game.
Price and editions
The standard edition is $39.99. A supporter pack of cosmetics is listed at $49.99.
WARDOGS is not free-to-play, which has a knock-on effect worth noting for anyone worried about the cheating question: a paid entry price is historically the most effective anti-cheat measure any shooter has, because a ban costs actual money rather than the two minutes it takes to make another account.
PC system requirements
Minimum, targeting 1080p on low at 60fps: Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3500, 16GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GTX 1660 or Radeon RX 590, and 50GB of storage.
Recommended, targeting 1440p on medium at 70fps or 4K medium at 60fps: Windows 11 64-bit, an Intel Core i7-12700K or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, 16GB of RAM, an NVIDIA RTX 3070 or Radeon RX 6700 XT, and the same 50GB of storage.
16GB of RAM on both tiers is the line to watch. With 100 players, 2x2km maps and destructible buildings, this is not a game where 8GB will quietly get by.
Platforms — is WARDOGS on console?
No console version has been confirmed. The announced release is PC via Steam, and no PlayStation, Xbox or Mac version has been dated.
Steam Deck and Linux players should treat it as unsupported for now — Proton support has been described as in progress rather than done, and kernel-level anti-cheat is historically the sticking point for exactly that combination.
What you are actually buying
WARDOGS is a tactical all-out warfare FPS rather than a battle royale or an extraction shooter, which is the assumption a lot of coverage makes by default. Up to 100 players are split across three teams contesting randomised control zones, and the first team to 100 points wins.
You start each match with $10,000 and buy loadouts with it. Teamplay pays: reviving squadmates, transporting friendlies to the zone and holding the objective all earn cash, and that cash carries between matches so you can invest in better gear or vehicles over time.
Vehicles are a core part of it rather than a garnish — tanks and helicopters both feature, buildings are destructible, and on 2x2km maps armour frequently decides who holds an objective.
Frequently asked questions
When does WARDOGS come out?
10 September 2026, into Steam Early Access. It is developed by BULKHEAD and published by Team17.
How much does WARDOGS cost?
$39.99 for the standard edition, with a $49.99 supporter pack containing cosmetics.
Is WARDOGS free to play?
No. It is a paid game at $39.99.
What are the WARDOGS system requirements?
Minimum is Windows 10 64-bit, i5-8600 or Ryzen 5 3500, 16GB RAM, GTX 1660 or RX 590, and 50GB storage. Recommended is Windows 11, i7-12700K or Ryzen 7 5700X, 16GB RAM and an RTX 3070 or RX 6700 XT.
Is WARDOGS coming to PS5 or Xbox?
No console version has been announced or dated. The confirmed release is PC via Steam.
Does WARDOGS work on Steam Deck?
Treat it as unsupported for now. Proton support has been described as in progress, and kernel-level anti-cheat is usually what blocks Deck compatibility.
Check before you buy
Live detection status for every product is on the status page, updated automatically from our supplier feed rather than by hand.
The current lineup is on the wardogs cheats page, and every product page shows its own status.
Read next
WARDOGS Anti-Cheat Explained: EAC, Elytra and the Match-Cancel Rule — WARDOGS runs Easy Anti-Cheat at kernel level and Elytra for behaviour. What each one actually detects, why a detection ends the match for all 100 players, and what that means for ban risk.
Are There Cheaters in WARDOGS? What the Beta Actually Showed — Cheaters were visible in the WARDOGS beta and players noticed. What was actually happening, why a 100-player three-team format makes cheating obvious, and what BULKHEAD did about it.
Can You Get Banned in WARDOGS? How Bans Actually Work — What gets you banned in WARDOGS, how the match-cancellation rule changes the risk, whether bans reach hardware, and what a ban actually costs on a game where cash carries between matches.
