Steam News20 April 20262mo ago

Major Update – Battle Arena, Auto-Shoot & Dominance System

Hellrifters Demo v0.20.2 Alpha This is one of the biggest updates to the Hellrifters demo yet — a brand new game mode, a new way to play, and a deep new risk/reward system that reshapes every run.

In this update6

Full notes

Full Hellrifters update

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What changed

0 fixes6 additions9 changes0 removals

Events
Gameplay
Maps
Balance
UI and audio
Performance

addedHellrifters Demo v0.20.2 AlphaThis is one of the biggest updates to the Hellrifters demo yet — a brand new game mode, a new way to play, and a deep new risk/reward system that reshapes every run. If you played the demo earlier, it's worth another look.

changedNew Game Mode: Battle ArenaSurvive enemy waves, level up your squad between rounds, and see how far you can push before the horde breaks through. Battle Arena is built for fast, replayable runs and it shares full meta-progression with Rift Campaign . Every unlock, every upgrade, every bit of progress carries over between modes. Two game modes. One squad. One path forward.

addedAuto-Shoot ModeA new optional playstyle. Your squad fires automatically at targets while you focus on positioning, movement, and tactics, a more relaxed, horde-shooter-style experience popular in the genre. You can still override with manual aim at any moment. Manual-Shoot remains available for players who want the classic precision experience. Pick the style that fits your run.

changedDominance SystemThe game watches how hard you're steamrolling the battlefield and when you've truly taken control, the Arch-Devil himself takes notice. Reach a Dominance state and he'll offer you a deal: push for Dominance Stars , permanent marks of mastery earned only by those who finish the run.

addedDominance SystemEvery Star you earn is permanent , and completing a run at a higher difficulty automatically marks the lower ones too. Dominance is a new layer of endgame objectives — built for players who break the game with their upgrades and want something to prove it was earned.

addedSignature Special AbilitiesEvery squad member now has a unique Signature Ability , upgradeable through the Perk menu. These abilities are exclusive to each character and can't be transferred or destroyed — every member of your squad gets a role only they can fill.

Hellrifters changes

addedThis is one of the biggest updates to the Hellrifters demo yet — a brand new game mode, a new way to play, and a deep new risk/reward system that reshapes every run. If you played the demo earlier, it's worth another look.

changedSurvive enemy waves, level up your squad between rounds, and see how far you can push before the horde breaks through. Battle Arena is built for fast, replayable runs and it shares full meta-progression with Rift Campaign . Every unlock, every upgrade, every bit of progress carries over between modes. Two game modes. One squad. One path forward.

addedA new optional playstyle. Your squad fires automatically at targets while you focus on positioning, movement, and tactics, a more relaxed, horde-shooter-style experience popular in the genre. You can still override with manual aim at any moment. Manual-Shoot remains available for players who want the classic precision experience. Pick the style that fits your run.

changedThe game watches how hard you're steamrolling the battlefield and when you've truly taken control, the Arch-Devil himself takes notice. Reach a Dominance state and he'll offer you a deal: push for Dominance Stars , permanent marks of mastery earned only by those who finish the run.

addedEvery Star you earn is permanent , and completing a run at a higher difficulty automatically marks the lower ones too. Dominance is a new layer of endgame objectives — built for players who break the game with their upgrades and want something to prove it was earned.

Hellrifters Demo v0.20.2 Alpha

This is one of the biggest updates to the Hellrifters demo yet — a brand new game mode, a new way to play, and a deep new risk/reward system that reshapes every run. If you played the demo earlier, it's worth another look.

New Game Mode: Battle Arena

Survive enemy waves, level up your squad between rounds, and see how far you can push before the horde breaks through. Battle Arena is built for fast, replayable runs and it shares full meta-progression with Rift Campaign. Every unlock, every upgrade, every bit of progress carries over between modes. Two game modes. One squad. One path forward.

Auto-Shoot Mode

A new optional playstyle. Your squad fires automatically at targets while you focus on positioning, movement, and tactics, a more relaxed, horde-shooter-style experience popular in the genre. You can still override with manual aim at any moment. Manual-Shoot remains available for players who want the classic precision experience. Pick the style that fits your run.

Dominance System

The game watches how hard you're steamrolling the battlefield and when you've truly taken control, the Arch-Devil himself takes notice. Reach a Dominance state and he'll offer you a deal: push for Dominance Stars, permanent marks of mastery earned only by those who finish the run.

Your first offer is free — you've already dominated, so attempting 1 Dominance Star costs you nothing. But the Devil always wants more. Keep dominating and he'll raise the stakes: offers of 2–3 Stars, and for the truly unstoppable, 4–5 Stars. The higher you push, the tougher the enemies become in return.

Every Star you earn is permanent, and completing a run at a higher difficulty automatically marks the lower ones too. Dominance is a new layer of endgame objectives — built for players who break the game with their upgrades and want something to prove it was earned.

How far will you push before you fall?

Signature Special Abilities

Every squad member now has a unique Signature Ability, upgradeable through the Perk menu. These abilities are exclusive to each character and can't be transferred or destroyed — every member of your squad gets a role only they can fill.

As rewards, you can also earn Universal Modules that fit into any signature slot, letting you swap a character's signature out for a more general-purpose effect when the build calls for it. Your choice: lean into what makes each character unique, or mix and match for flexibility.

Also in this update

Upgrade Reroll — reroll your options during Level Up
Solo-test locked characters before committing to unlock them
Combo system rework — new inflation, decay timers, and cooldowns for a tighter economy
Options menu additions — camera shake and gamepad sensitivity sliders
New HUD elements including an Arena wave counter
Refreshed meta UI, portal effects, and unlock/upgrade popup visuals
Rebalanced ammo drops, Fire Rate upgrades, and Super Magnet behavior
A long list of bug fixes and stability improvements

Thank you to everyone who's played the demo and shared feedback — a huge amount of this update was shaped by what you reported. More coming soon.

Wishlist Hellrifters to stay updated on the full release.

Source

Steam News / 20 April 2026

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