Way of the Hunter
Released Aug 2022
Become the new owner of a hunting lodge nestled among gorgeous habitats and rich animal populations. Explore vast open world environments and hunt with a premium selection of firearms. Enjoy the perfect hunt on your own or with friends in co-op.
81% positive · 11K reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to buy
Steam $29.99 Green Man Gaming Steam key $29.99
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Evaluation
Way of the Hunter launched on August 16, 2022 and received a substantial run of post-launch content over more than three years: five paid map DLCs, multiple weapon and gear packs, a free UTV, a soundtrack, and regular feature and bug-fix patches. On December 17, 2025, Nine Rocks Games released Elkcrest Island — a free map DLC — and explicitly stated in the same announcement that it was "the fifth and final map DLC for Way of the Hunter," calling it "a celebratory close to the Way of the Hunter journey before the studio turns its full focus to the next title in the franchise." This is a clear, direct developer statement that content development for the game is finished. The studio has since launched Way of the Hunter 2 in Early Access on March 26, 2026, and that sequel reached its full 1.0 release on September 29, 2026, confirming the team's complete transition to the new game. Following the closure announcement, the developers issued maintenance patches — including an April 23, 2026 fix for a herd genetics bug, with a note that one final bug-fix patch was still planned — but these are purely maintenance updates with no new content. All 19 DLC items in the store listing are released. The game is complete as of December 17, 2025.
Evidence
Way of the Hunter 2 officially launched its full 1.0 release on September 29, 2026, confirming Nine Rocks Games has fully transitioned to the sequel.
Developer explicitly called Elkcrest Island 'the fifth and final map DLC for Way of the Hunter,' describing its release as 'a celebratory close to the Way of the Hunter journey' before turning full focus to the next title.
Content
19 of 19 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
THQ Nordic
Achievements
42
Platform
Windows
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player · Multiplayer · Co-op
About this game
This authentic hunting experience lets you explore and hunt in large open-world environments in the USA and Europe . Discover true to life animals in beautiful natural habitats and handle various detailed and highly realistic weapons.
Way of the Hunter provides a highly immersive, completely integrated experience amongst stunning wildlife with true to live animal group behavior. Witness the changing of complex ecosystems that react and adapt to your input. Learn what it means to be a true hunter and put your skills to the test.
Face the challenges of ethical hunting, supported by a compelling story, or simply enjoy hunting the rich environments freely.
Way of the Hunter provides a highly immersive, completely integrated experience amongst stunning wildlife with true to live animal group behavior. Witness the changing of complex ecosystems that react and adapt to your input. Learn what it means to be a true hunter and put your skills to the test.
Face the challenges of ethical hunting, supported by a compelling story, or simply enjoy hunting the rich environments freely.
- Dozens of strikingly detailed animal species with realistic behavior models for a truly immersive hunting experience
- Hunt like a pro with features that highlight animal signs, blood splatter analysis, and shot review with the rewindable bullet camera
- Hunt your way through two unique and rich locations by car or by foot. Both the Pacific Northwest and Transylvania cover a terrain of 144 square km/55 square miles each
- Use Hunter Sense to highlight important details and info, or disable it and customize your HUD for a hardcore experience
- Complex Trophy system generates unique antlers and horns based on multiple factors like fitness and age
- Sophisticated natural animal animations and reactions when sensing the players presence
- 24-hour day/night cycle with changing wind and weather
- Realistic ballistics and bullet physics simulation
- A broad selection of firearms and equipment, including licensed gear from Bushnell, Federal, Leupold, Primos, Remington and Steyr Arms
- An in-game economy that lets you hunt game and sell the meat to purchase new gear, hunting passes, and taxidermy for your trophy stands
- A compelling story about the struggles of a family hunting business, and the rivalry and friendships that surround it
- Enjoy your perfect hunting adventure among friends in co-op mode
- Intuitive photo mode for capturing and sharing your favorite moments
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Sep 29, 2026
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