Steam News18 March 20263mo ago

Dev Update Week 2

Shrapnel Early Access – Week 2 Steam post image Thank you to everyone who joined us for Week 1 of Early Access. We had a lot a great battles, uncovered some important issues, and had loads of fun.

Full notes

Full SHRAPNEL update

Read the full published notes in a cleaner layout. The original post stays linked below.

What changed

1 fix8 additions5 changes0 removals

Maps
Gameplay
Balance
Performance

addedWe’re adding new ways to play, new ways to approach the battlefield, and more control over how your Operator develops over time.

addedIn Week 1 introduced Swan — a fast, aggressive Infiltrator built around speed, pressure, and constant movement.

addedIn Week 2, we’re expanding the roster with two new Operators that introduce new roles, new strategies, and new ways to control the match.

changedPhantom Steam post imagePhantom is a Sentinel class Operator built for survivability and resilience. Where Swan thrives on speed and disruption, Phantom is designed to hold ground, absorb pressure, and anchor the team in contested spaces. Phantoms’ ability is Blockade, allowing him to generate a protective energy barrier that intercepts incoming damage. Stonewall Steam post imageStonewall is an unrelenting warrior who drives into close-range resistance, absorbing pressure to break lines and create space through direct confrontation. Stonewall rolls with the Shockwave ability allowing him to release a volatile charge that detonates on impact, blasting enemies outward with concussive force.

addedWeek 2 also introduces a new weapon to the arsenal. We’re unleashing the CL7 MK II Assault Rifle. The classic bullpup design is refined to offer moderate damage with high rates of fire and accuracy.

changedEach addition to the weapon pool is designed to create more meaningful choices in how players approach combat — from engagement distance to pacing and pressure.

Shrapnel Early Access – Week 2 Steam post image

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Week 1 of Early Access. We had a lot a great battles, uncovered some important issues, and had loads of fun.

Week 1 established the foundation — introducing the core loop, the first Operators, and how matches are driven by Collect, Deposit, and Secure.

Week 2 is about expanding that experience.

We’re adding new ways to play, new ways to approach the battlefield, and more control over how your Operator develops over time.

Our goal remains the same: bring players closer to the heart of Shrapnel and the decisions that define every session.

The Operators

In Week 1 introduced Swan — a fast, aggressive Infiltrator built around speed, pressure, and constant movement.

In Week 2, we’re expanding the roster with two new Operators that introduce new roles, new strategies, and new ways to control the match.

Phantom Steam post imagePhantom is a Sentinel class Operator built for survivability and resilience. Where Swan thrives on speed and disruption, Phantom is designed to hold ground, absorb pressure, and anchor the team in contested spaces. Phantoms’ ability is Blockade, allowing him to generate a protective energy barrier that intercepts incoming damage. Stonewall Steam post imageStonewall is an unrelenting warrior who drives into close-range resistance, absorbing pressure to break lines and create space through direct confrontation. Stonewall rolls with the Shockwave ability allowing him to release a volatile charge that detonates on impact, blasting enemies outward with concussive force.

With each of our Operators, Index, Swan, Phantom, and Stonewall, we’re expanding the range of playstyles available to every team:

Speed and disruption

Control and survivability

Force and displacement

Each Operator changes how a team approaches Collect, Deposit, and Secure.

Remember, Operators are not just characters — they offer different ways to find victory in the Sacrifice Zone.

The CL7 MK II Steam post image

Week 2 also introduces a new weapon to the arsenal. We’re unleashing the CL7 MK II Assault Rifle. The classic bullpup design is refined to offer moderate damage with high rates of fire and accuracy.

Each addition to the weapon pool is designed to create more meaningful choices in how players approach combat — from engagement distance to pacing and pressure.

As we continue to expand the arsenal, weapons will play a larger role in defining playstyle alongside Operator choice.

Progression

We’ve expanded Operator progression in Week 2.

Players can now choose between different Perks as they level up their Operators, giving more control over how each Operator develops over time.

Progression is about more than unlocking power — it’s about shaping how you play. These choices begin to define your role within the team and how you approach each match.

This is an early step toward deeper customization, and we’ll continue building on it in future updates.

Week 1 Learnings

Week 1 gave us a clear view into how the game is playing across a wide range of sessions.

At the same time, your feedback highlighted areas where the experience needs to expand.

The core loop is landing, but training, across all features, is something we need to improve. At the same time, there are some early favorites amongst weapons and playstyles, which will be interesting to see how the Week 2 addition change the game.

We’ve already begun addressing some of the biggest friction points:

Improved navigation across the environment to support better movement and flow

Fixed a major issue causing long loading times and shader compile delays

Continued improvements to load times / late join issues.

There will be a weapon tuning pass most likely in the week 3-4 range when we see how the New Operators and weapons change the battlefield. We’ll also likely address base attribute adjustments at the same time – Health, Speed, Stamina Recovery + total amount, and Jump Height, as we come to understand how the new Operators alter the mix.

These are foundational improvements, and we’ll continue refining the experience as we move forward.

Looking Ahead

Over the coming weeks, we’ll continue expanding and refining the experience:

New Operators and evolving team compositions

Additional weapons and combat options

Squad System / Party Joins

Deeper progression and customization systems

Battlepass and Mission systems

Updates driven directly by community feedback

And of course, bug fixing and tuning and bug fixing some more.

Most importantly, we’ll keep listening to what feels exciting, what feels unclear, and what needs improvement.

Week 1 established the foundation.

Week 2 expands how you play.

We appreciate everyone who jumped in early and helped us take that first step. In week 2 we’re very excited to see how the new additions enhance the experience.

See you in the Zone.

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