2026 Player Feedback and Arcade Update

Happy New Year!

This update adds a new game mode, changes to difficulty, a new scenario and new player tactics for Campaign / Weekly Challenge along with various other tweaks.

It is the first of several updates we are planning to release this year and it focuses on addressing player feedback, adding new content and helping to support new players. Thanks for all your input!

Note: Mac will get the update early next week!

Arcade Mode

Some players said they find the insurgency a bit too realistic! Arcade Mode lets you enjoy the main game in a more manageable way without those pesky insurgents always striking where you are weakest. It’s fun to play in its own right and also a great way for players to prepare themselves for the original Realistic mode.

Arcade Mode can be chosen when starting a new game (Main Game only).

The key changes are:

• Insurgents can't flee to stable/secured zones

• Insurgents find it hard to infiltrate your front line

• Defeated Insurgents regroup slowly

Activate it when you play Main Game!

Difficulty Balancing

We’ve been keeping an eye on win rates and player feedback and felt that some tweaks to difficulty were needed. In particular, we have been inspired by the positive reaction to some of our difficulty tweaks to After Inc. and are applying the learnings here.

Casual and Normal are going to become significantly more forgiving and Brutal gets a few tweaks. But don’t worry, Mega Brutal is unchanged for players who want the ultimate challenge!

As a developer, its scary making changes like this (and Arcade mode) to a game that has been out for so many years with tens of millions of players - very hard to balance and judge how it will work out. Especially when it targets newer players who we can't easily reach to beta test the game!

So please note that we will be keeping a very close eye on things over the coming weeks and months and will adjust things accordingly. Comments on reddit / discord / steam forums are all seen and considered.

New Scenario: Insurgent Tide

A constant stream of foreign recruits are coming to fight for the Insurgency. As a result, extreme force has been authorised to make sure that defeated insurgents can’t rejoin the fight later. Control the number of Insurgents in the region or else be overwhelmed.

New Player Tactics for Campaign Mode and Weekly Challenge

The best bits of Arcade Mode are coming to Campaign and Weekly Challenges as Player Tactics.

Keep an eye out for Border Guards and Lost Cause!

Border Guards: Insurgents cannot flee into stable zones

Lost Cause: Defeating insurgents slows future insurgent recruitment speed

Poll

We're adding a poll that'll appear for experienced players to give their feedback directly to us and vote on what we should work on next.

Help us keep Rebel Inc. alive! Leave a Review!

Reviews are incredibly important to the long-term success of the game and allow us to keep working on new updates. If you want to, you can leave a review on Steam here:

rebelincescalation.com/steam

And you'd like to talk tactics, be sure to join our Discord:

https://discord.gg/ndemic

Changelog

New Features

• AddedArcade ModeA new way to play with more forgiving Insurgents

• New Scenario: Insurgent Tide

• New Player Tactics: Border Guards and Lost Cause can now appear in Campaign Mode and Weekly Challenge

• Player Poll: A poll will appear for experienced players to vote on what we do next

Balance

• Regions

  • AdjustedOpium TrailSlightly increased Starting Budget
  • AdjustedGolden SandsSlightly increased Starting Budget

• Governors

  • AdjustedTank CommanderReduced Civilian initiative cost increases

  • Warlord: Longer delay before losing Reputation to Lack of Stability

• Difficulty

  • Reduced the impact of Lack of Stability on Reputation and it is no longer possible to lose from Lack of Stability (Casual / Normal / Brutal)

• Insurgents

  • Reduced the maximum Reputation damage when Insurgents capture a Zone (Casual / Normal / Brutal)

  • Reduced the impact of Lack of Stability on Reputation and it is no longer possible to lose from Lack of Stability (Casual / Normal / Brutal)

• VS Multiplayer

  • Regions (VS Multiplayer Only)

    • AdjustedSaffron FieldsIncome Penalty slightly reduced
    • AdjustedSouthern DesertIncome Penalty increased
    • AdjustedPistachio ForestIncome Bonus slightly reduced
    • AdjustedDistant SteppeIncome Bonus slightly reduced
    • AdjustedBlack CavesIncome Bonus increased

  • Governors (VS Multiplayer Only)

    • AdjustedSmugglerIncome Penalty slightly reduced
    • AddedBankerIncome Bonus added
    • AddedGeneralSlight income penalty added
    • AddedDevelopment DirectorSlight income penalty added
    • AdjustedTank CommanderIncome Bonus slightly increased

Quality of Life

• Reduced chance of Insurgent camps spawning in Zones with recent military activity

• Unity Update - Backend code fix for a security issue

Bug Fixes

• Fixed bug which made Insurgent spawn noise even if no insurgents could spawn in

• Fixed bug where "Insurgents escape to {zone}" Tip Popup didn't point to the correct Zone.

• Fixed bug where "Insurgents escape to {zone}" Tip Popup could appear even if no one survived to flee

• Updated Billionaire Peace decision, Player can now choose to Increase Insurgent Capability if they cannot afford the bribe - Slight error last time we fixed it but should work this time!