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BULKHEAD’s Pre-Launch Warning: “Ten Reasons Not to Buy WARDOGS”

On August 12, 2026, UK developer BULKHEAD released an unusual promotional video, “Ten Reasons Not to Buy WARDOGS,” that lays out the current flaws in its upcoming 100-player military FPS. The studio is putting the warning front and center: WARDOGS enters Steam Early Access on September 11, 2026, with Simplified Chinese support, and pre-order players can join testing on August 21, 2026. The Early Access period is expected to last 24 months, and the video has already set off plenty of discussion among players.

At launch, the content is limited. The game will ship with 3 maps, 37 weapons, and 21 vehicles. It supports 100 players split into 3 teams, fighting across a derelict Eastern European industrial zone with tanks and helicopters. BULKHEAD says the first post-launch updates will focus on bug fixes, and there is no fixed content roadmap yet.

The studio is also telling players unhappy with the test build’s content or value to ask for a refund. Pricing is set in stages: the final version is expected to cost $55.99, the price will be $49.99 until all features are in place, and the first year of Early Access will accept pre-orders at $39.99. That early price converts to roughly 269.76 yuan, while the $55.99 target is about 377.69 yuan.

BULKHEAD is not pretending it has a clean record. It cites the troubled development of Battalion 1944 and the full crowdfunding refund, and it explicitly tells players who do not trust the team to wait. That kind of candor is unusual, and it suggests the studio knows reputation repair will take more than a press release.

It goes further. It admits that once launch hype fades, player counts will drop, and its long-term goal is a stable population of 3,000 to 5,000. It also says the game will not hit 4K 240fps, that close-range voice chat could spark arguments, and that the final version may include additional paid content. Those are painful admissions for any shooter, but they read as more credible than the usual Early Access marketing.

Putting the risks up front is unusual. It could help narrow the expectation gap that often hurts Early Access releases, and it gives BULKHEAD a way to rebuild trust before players commit.

If you usually wait until a shooter’s content and reputation have settled, WARDOGS is a clear wait-and-see release. $39.99 for 3 maps, 37 guns, and 21 vehicles is only a bargain if the build itself holds up. BULKHEAD has already laid out the risks. Now it has to prove the game can justify them.

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