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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Steel Hunters was Wargaming’s free-to-play PC mech hero shooter, announced on December 12, 2024 and launched into Early Access on April 2, 2025. Wargaming announced on July 8, 2025 that the game would be sunset, with servers expected to close around October 8, 2025. That date has now passed, but the sources available for this article confirm the announced plan rather than the exact moment the servers went dark, so treat the game as no longer offered unless Wargaming’s official channels say otherwise.
What Steel Hunters was meant to be
Wargaming pitched Steel Hunters as a mech hero shooter that mixed Battle Royale and Extraction mechanics. Players controlled Hunters, each presented with its own playstyle, ability kit, and progression system. The publisher said the game was built on Unreal Engine 5. These descriptions come from Wargaming’s own announcements of intended design, not from independent testing.
The match loop
According to the December 2024 reveal, matches were PvPvE arenas. Hunters pursued objectives to level up and acquire gear, then moved toward a final showdown at an extraction point. Wargaming also highlighted duo cooperation, tactical use of abilities and cooldowns, flanking and ambushing, and destructible environments as core parts of the experience.
The setting
The fiction placed players on a green but abandoned Earth after a catastrophic event. In Wargaming’s telling, humanity created the Hunters to gather Starfall, a rare extraterrestrial resource. Corporations and factions then turned the Hunters into combat machines as they competed for it.
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Timeline from reveal to sunset
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| December 12, 2024 | Wargaming announced the original IP and a 10-day closed playtest on PC via Steam and Wargaming Game Center | Wargaming reveal announcement |
| March 11, 2025 | A global Early Access date of April 2, 2025 was announced, with seven Hunters and three maps | Wargaming Early Access date announcement |
| April 2, 2025 | Early Access began on PC through Steam and Wargaming Game Center; a free Battle Pass was scheduled through April 29, 2025 | Wargaming Early Access launch announcement |
| July 8, 2025 | Wargaming announced the sunset, citing continued development as not sustainable, with 90 more days of server availability | Sunset notice, as preserved by GamesLantern |
| Around October 8, 2025 | Estimated shutdown date given in the sunset notice | Sunset notice (an estimate, not a confirmed closure date) |
The launch roster and maps
Wargaming’s March 2025 Early Access announcement named seven Hunters and three maps. The Hunters were:
- Razorside
- Heartbreaker
- Fenris
- Ursus
- Trenchwalker
- Prophet
- Weaver
The maps were Crimson Ridge, Maryland Heights, and Stonecutter Keep. The April 2025 launch announcement also described duo PvPvE battles, a revised Last Stand mode, and a revised skill tree.
Rank #2
- 2 Pack Fenrir Mecha Kit: Build two articulated mecha model kits from one box, ideal for squad displays, tabletop scenes, collecting, and creative model photography
- Snap Fit Assembly: Glue free parts make this robot model kit approachable for beginners and experienced modelers ages over 15 years old, with a straightforward building process
- Articulated For Dynamic Poses: Flexible joints support combat stances, tactical kneeling, and heroic poses for photos or shelf setups
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What the statements at launch said
At the April 2025 launch, Product Director Mike McDonald said the team was “starting the first season of Steel Hunters Early Access without monetization, allowing all players to fully immerse themselves in the core gameplay experience.” That was a statement of intent for the Early Access phase. The sunset notice later showed that the long-term plan did not hold.
The December 2024 reveal carried promotional language from Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi, who called the moment “massive” for the studio and described the goal as “one of the most exhilarating and compelling mech experiences ever.” These are the company’s own claims.
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Rank #3
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- Material: ABS Resin and PVC plastic material, with authentic, highly detailed design with uniforms and various accessories.
- Movable: Multiple joints are movable. Clearly visible in structure. Hand-painted with excellent pigments
- Golden ratio 13cm: The portable collectible mecha can be held in the palm of your hand, taking into account both the play feel and the display aesthetics. It is an excellent place for desks and display cabinets. You can easily pose in classic combat postures, making the feelings of the past ten years of mecha within reach.
- Need to Be Assembled:We recommend using tools like scissors, and pliers for best results. The kits come with multi‐colored parts and face parts pre‐printed with tampography, making them easy to assemble with no paint required.
Why the game was sunset
The July 8, 2025 notice said continued development was not sustainable. It promised 90 more days of server availability, support for custom games, all Hunters unlocked for players during that window, and a planned farewell tournament. Its shutdown estimate was “around October 8th.”
Is Steel Hunters still available?
No current source available for this article confirms that the servers closed on the announced date, or describes any post-sunset operation. What is established is the sequence: a planned 90-day wind-down that ended in October 2025 according to the notice’s own estimate. Players who want to check the status can look at the game’s Steam page or Wargaming’s official announcements, which are the channels that would report any change.
Rank #4
- 【Collection Mecha 】-1/25 Scale, height approximately 8.7inches (22cm)
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- 【Fully Articulated】 The action figure is highly articulated with a fully poseable head, arms, and legs. It can reach many different desirable poses.
- 【Premium Sci-fic Design】 We made the action figure with craftsman spirits to achieve a more realistic effect like vintage paint and war-damaged war effect.
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What the public record does not show
Wargaming’s announcements did not include player counts, sales figures, revenue, or independent reviews of the game’s quality. Any claim about how many people played Steel Hunters, or how it compared with other mech or extraction shooters, would go beyond what the official record supports.
When comparing it with other games, the defensible axes are its genre mix of Battle Royale and Extraction, its PvPvE and duo structure, its Hunter-specific abilities and progression, its destructible maps, and its PC distribution through Steam and Wargaming Game Center.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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