WARDOGS: Steam Launch Today and Console Release in 2028 - BULKHEAD's Bold Gamble
It is an unconventional rollout, to say the least, in today's competitive shooter landscape. This Thursday, September 10 at 12:00 PM ET (6:00 PM CET), WARDOGS, the new large-scale tactical military FPS from British developer BULKHEAD, officially opens its doors on PC via Steam Early Access. But rather than just reveling in a launch anticipated by hundreds of thousands of beta participants, the studio stunned the community by pulling back the curtain on its console roadmap: the game is indeed heading to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, but not until 2028.
Two Years of PC Early Access and Zero Microtransactions
In an industry where Early Access too often serves as an excuse to sell buggy pre-alpha builds crammed with microtransaction stores, BULKHEAD is taking a drastically different stand. Priced at a flat $39.99 (39.99 EUR), WARDOGS makes a firm commitment: zero microtransactions throughout its entire Early Access journey.
Studio CEO Joe Brammer is fully embracing the long-term timeline:
"WARDOGS is an ambitious project that is rough around the edges and still has a long way to go, but that is precisely what Early Access is meant for. We want to get the game into players' hands, listen to their feedback, and take the risks necessary to build a shooter built to stand the test of time." - Joe Brammer
The stated goal is to dedicate two full years to polishing netcode, refining weapon ballistics, and balancing large-scale squad dynamics before shipping a definitive 1.0 release.
The Long Wait: Console Wishlists Go Live Today for 2028
The unusual twist in this announcement lies in how console wishlisting is being handled. While PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series owners will have to wait two full years to set foot on the battlefield, official store pages have gone live simultaneously on both the PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store, allowing console players to wishlist the game starting today.
This long-term roadmap signals that BULKHEAD has learned hard lessons from its history. Back when Battalion 1944 released in 2018, the studio hastily promised console ports before abruptly canceling them due to overwhelming technical hurdles. This time around, transparency comes first: the team is laying its cards on the table two years early instead of making rushed, hollow promises.
Two Years on the Sidelines: Why BULKHEAD's Strategy Deserves Respect
From a console player's perspective, watching a promising tactical military shooter pass you by for two solid years is undeniably frustrating. Stumbling upon a PlayStation Store listing in 2026 for a title targeting 2028 almost feels like an April Fools' gag delivered months late.
As a primarily PC-focused player, I'll admit that aiming with thumbsticks on an uncompromising tactical shooter often gives me a tough time, so I tend to stick to mouse and keyboard for competitive play, even though I love the console ecosystem and deeply respect that player base. Yet on player-first ethics alone, BULKHEAD's approach commands respect. In an era where genre titans like Call of Duty bury their core gunplay under aggressive battle passes and $25 neon glow-in-the-dark skins, seeing an indie studio commit to an upfront $40 model free of predatory monetization is a breath of fresh air for the shooter community.
Taking two years to solidify technical foundations on PC before delivering a rock-solid console port, rather than rushing out a half-baked build with sluggish controller tuning, is a brave call that deserves applause.
As for our squad, our plans are locked in: the team will be dropping into the servers right as they go live at 12:00 PM ET on Steam. Mouse and keyboard ready, we are geared up for our baptism by fire! If you are hopping on tonight to test out the tactical firefights, keep your head on a swivel: we'll see you through the smoke grenades. And for the console community, hang in there: 2028 is a long road, but this tactical shooter might just be worth every minute of the wait.
