Ready or Not News

Welcome the the 86th volume of our Ready or Not Development Briefing, May 30th, 2025.

Today we're going into more depth on the changes and content coming in the free Los Sueños Stories update; new weapon gameplay videos, teasers of the two new missions, and details about how NPC behaviors will change with the new difficulty system. It's been a week longer than the normal 4 week dev brief schedule, but we're back.

Our new lore series "Down The Rabbit Hole" recently launched too, see the first episode on our VOID Interactive YouTube channel!

Speaking of launches, the Ready or Not console release date announcement draws ever nearer. More to come on our socials.

Note: These development briefings serve to keep you in the loop about parts of our ongoing support for Ready or Not, however the briefings do not encompass everything that we’re working on at a given moment. Please keep in mind that the content in our development briefings may still be a work in progress and subject to change.

[h2]Down the Rabbit Hole: Episode One [/h2]

The first episode of "Down the Rabbit Hole," a Ready or Not lore series on the VOID Interactive YouTube channel is now released! Hosted by our community's venerable RoN lore detectives/content creators, "Isaac Morgan" and "Shayne, Please Shut Up." Settle in and listen to their deep lore dive on the RoN mission "Thank You, Come Again." Make sure you like and comment on the episode if you want to see more episodes covering other missions!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Initial Mission Reveals [/h2]

[h3]Hunger Strike[/h3]

Hunger Strike is best known as 'Fast Food' from its previous existence in our early access phase. A fan favorite even in its untextured blockout days, it’s now included in a polished state as part of the base game, benefiting from years of additional level design experience.

Pull up with your squad and bring order to chaos in this quick active shooter scenario.

(Image below: This restaurant will definitely pose a health and safety risk to your team)

[h3]Stolen Valor[/h3]

LSPD SWAT responds to a search and rescue mission deep in 213 Hillside Rollers territory. This early mission is little known, just as the threats that lurk inside each level of this compact apartment building. The central staircase serves as an expedient means to traverse the floors as well as a flanking route for occupants.

(image below: This dilapidated building could qualify as a high rise, as far as the Rollers and decaying city of Los Sueños are concerned)


[h2]New Weapon Gameplay Videos [/h2]

[h3]M32A1 Multi-shot Grenade Launcher[/h3]

We're spinning things off with the M32A1 rotary grenade launcher. In this video you can also see the new magazine-check UI element for weapons with a rotary ammo cylinder (e.g. the .357 magnum revolver). Missions like Greased Palms will be a tad bit more manageable with this bad boy.

(Video below: M32A1 in action)
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
The M32A1 uses the primary weapon slot on your officer's loadout, capable of firing either CS or Flash rounds. The primary weapon slot is a large commitment for this highly powerful piece of kit, but also means you can take something other than a grenade launcher in your long tactical equipment section. Still.. if you're feeling on a roll you can opt to carry two grenade launchers, the M32A1 as primary and a M320 as long tactical.

Considering the capacity, bulk, and gameplay balance of the six-shot M32A1, you can only carry a couple drums of ammo for this launcher.

[h3]MKV .50AE Pistol[/h3]

Overkill, maybe, but with escalating threats and funds low, LPSD D-Platoon will take what it can get. Confiscated from a weapons shipment in a raid, this oversized 1911 platform can return to sender with the hulking .50AE caliber. Consider attaching the massive custom laser sight that came with this setup to bewilder your opponents further. No, it is not a scope. Yes, there is also a low-profile trigger guard mounted laser sight if you’re feeling plain.

(Video below: Better square up if you're going to be firing the MKV)
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]TRPL Less-Lethal Pepperball Pistol[/h3]

Fire your pepper-based munitions from this sidearm-sized package. Keep in mind how many magazines you may want to carry, though.

(Video below: The TRPL Pepperball pistol in action)
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]590M Mag-fed Shotgun[/h3]

Pump to chamber another round, swap to a fresh magazine for more. The 590M shotgun combines reliable pump action with easy reloading.

(Video below: The 590M feeds a full tube of 12 gauge shells when you need it most)
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Extended Suspect AI Behaviors [/h2]

With the introduction of our difficulty system we are introducing a substantial amount of changes to Suspect AI. After in-depth playtesting and tweaking, including controlled playtesting that was accompanied with internal surveys and focus groups, we made many tit-for-tat suspect AI changes aimed at addressing feedback directly especially across difficulty levels.

An internal quality assurance team has been attached to our design department, spending months dedicated to testing through all of the Suspect AI behaviors that are currently in the game. This focused effort for the difficulty system has helped us uncover a lot of legacy code and inconsistencies with Suspect AI behavior.

Below are just a few highlights of the general changes, you will find a full list of fixes and changes when the LSS/ronsole update releases :)

[h3]Extended Suspect Squad Behaviors[/h3]

Suspect Squad behaviors like Rally, Support, Attack, and Retreat were previously on seen on Dark Waters DLC levels. Squad behaviors will only be implemented on levels where it makes sense for them to be there according to the factions and mission details, and depending on the faction only some but not all of the Squad behaviors may be present. Professional suspects like those on Sins of the Father will utilize the full suite of Squad Behaviors.

The full suite of these squad behaviors are: Rally on leader, Support, Attack, regroup on ally/location, and Retreat.

On Standard difficulty mode, about half of the missions in the game (including all base game and DLC missions) will have Squad Behaviors newly implemented to some degree depending on suspect type. On Hard, every level except “Thank You, Come Again” will have the entire suite of squad behaviors present. On Casual mode, however, there will be no Squad behaviors present.

[h3]Extended Weapons Cache Presence[/h3]

Weapons caches are now present across many more missions in the game where it may make sense. For those of you unfamiliar, these caches are placed around missions and allow suspects to arm themselves with weapons if they are unarmed. You can secure these caches to prevent them from being used.

[h3]Countless Tweaks, Fixes, and Quality of Life Improvements[/h3]

Ever notice a suspect running at you with a melee weapon as if driven by an other-worldly trance? That may have been caused by their stress level raising continuously because the suspect stress system wasn't properly recognizing their melee as a weapon, instead treating them like an unarmed suspect who are more susceptible to stress gain. That weird hidden discrepancy and many others are gone now.

Suspects of experienced backgrounds with a capable weapon will now intelligently switch between semi-auto and full auto depending on their distance to the player. On harder difficulties this results on professional suspects delivering accurate fire that is hard for the player to pinpoint, as opposed to the long range spray-like behavior currently in the game. On certain levels like Sins of the Father, suspects may be even more deadly at distance than they are up close, encouraging the player to close the gap.

Suspects now have a more granular chance to exit their surrender state and pick up their weapon. On harder difficulties you may need more officers coordinating to watch surrendering suspects in order to keep them in check. The possibility, countdown time, and chance to occur is way more challenging on hard. Securing your downed teammates weapons becomes paramount, since with increased surrender exit behavior you may find your partner's Mk17 being used against you more often.



We know you're patiently waiting for the ronsole release date announcement to drop. Still, we're continuing to cook up some extra polish and fixes for the update. Not to mention a whole bunch other cool stuff. This summer is a big one for Ready or Not.

This concludes our 86th development briefing, thank you for joining us. Be sure to fall in next time for more development news!



Follow Ready or Not on Steam here.
Our other links: Discord, X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify.

[h3]Stack up and clear out.
VOID Interactive [/h3]

Ready or Not and its DLC is now on a 40% sale until May 26th!

Get your squad in and trained to take on Hard mode in our upcoming difficulty system update this summer.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1144200/Ready_or_Not/

Welcome to our expanded iteration of our community newsletters! Just as with the legacy editions of the community newsletters, we’ll look at a variety of mods from newsletter to newsletter, but we will also include a deeper look into community content including streamers, videos, shorts, and art!

Today we're going to be talking about the winners of the mapping competition and give a little bit of a background on why they were rated the way they were, giving some insight into our judging process as for this one the judging was done entirely by the development team.

But before that, we'd like to announce the full launch of our new Merch line!
Currently the new store primarily serves North America, but our partners are quickly expanding and will be able to offer more affordable shipping later in the year.

Link here: https://na.merch.voidinteractive.net/


We've taken the feedback from the test run and we've improved everything across the board. What is here as well isn't it, we will be launching more and more merch in stages as production and development finishes. We've also included something a little special for our oldest and most dedicated supporters, you know where to find more information about that.
[hr][/hr]

The running for maps were tight, with only two outliers that had incredible concepts and backend features but unfortunately fell a little short in the department of presentation. We'll start our analysis from third place and work our way towards first.

Third Place: Neon Tomb Remastered by Vegriv

The front end being taken directly from the front end of the original belies the amount of work that went into entirely transforming the vibe of Neon from a contemporary club feel to something that wouldn't feel out of place in 1990s Vegas.

The map almost spreads out like a spider, with the central semi-circle of the pool and bar-island surrounded with the splayed out spokes of the rest of the map, a majority of the upper and lower floors instead laid out across one spectacular maze of danger and death.

Taking the main path brings you into a vast, wonderfully designed, and decidedly incredibly dangerous new main pool area. In many testers first times on the map they'd find themselves surrounded on all sides by well armed and armored Hand members and quickly torn to shreds. Taking alternate routes in the bowels of the Tomb only further shows off Vegrivs' care taken in the redesign and the rigid adherence to the spirit of Neon while still changing the entire look of the map.

Of particular note is that hallway, of which I won't share for fear of spoiling it, but it was the aesthetic highlight for many of the Judges. In particular our entire art team.

Second Place: Shattered Nerve by Delta and StenTheAwesome

Certainly the smallest of the maps submitted, more reminiscent of Sullivans Slope in both size and suspect count, but that very much belies the care and attention paid to every nook and cranny of the map.

Opening with something that is rare, even in the custom map sphere, you're presented with not only fellow officers armed and already engaging the suspects but the ability to send team members to the other spawn point from in-map. Allowing a flexible two-pronged approach on some of the most dangerous criminal archtypes that the game has to offer.

Moving up on the house from the primary start point, we're treated with another first. The application of the Bearcat in one of its' intended use cases as a breach assistance vehicle, doing so by ripping a gate off the hinges and allowing D-Platoon to approach the home in question. The house itself is dangerous before you even set foot on its' lawn, with possible fire from the upper windows and traps set up outside on the deck and porch approaches, hidden amongst the gnomes and planters.

Inside, even more traps and a killbox set up with a custom AI script to hold their position with a machinegun at the top of the first set of stairs, which may also be trapped after the suspect is dealt with. The explorative player will find the ladder prompts, allowing officers to climb up behind the machine gun nest and incapacitate the machine gun wielding suspect.

As you approach the secondary shooting position, where a suspect had been firing down onto your fellow officers you find both the iconography of the Left Behind and their grievances as well as a somber and touching tribute to a soldier who tragically lost their life in the line of duty.

At the primary shooting position, players are treated to both an overview of the carnage that necessitated the response of D-platoon and the beautiful vista of Los Suenos in all of its' underappreciated glory.

First Place: Homeland by Lumoize and MrEman

Bringing back the old station in general wins a lot of points in the map design sense, but what was done to it brings the whole thing to a entirely different level. Lumoize and MrEman took the entire level that used to be a safe haven and hangout for many officers pre-1.0 and turned it into a lethal labyrinth.

Dripping with detail that Transends the first, second, and even third glances Homeland is absolutely dripping with details that elevated the make from just 'good' to first place material. From the proper direction of the prayer mats around the map, to the custom interactable easter eggs, to the training courses built to directly reference all of the actions that The Hand has taken.

Homeland certainly ranks among the greats of Ready or Not mapping alongside Sanctums Deciet, and just so that we don't reveal too much and end up adding another thousand words to this newsletter, we'll keep this review short.

Lumoize and Mreman hit it out of the park with every ounce of care and attention they put into this map.

[hr][/hr]
Going forward, we can’t wait to see what else the community brings to the table as we update the game to give modders more functionality to play with and as they improve their own work.

Outside of our drops, you can find more of this wonderful content here:

https://discord.gg/TjyfbXTU28 or https://www.nexusmods.com/readyornot/


Keep your feet on the ground.
VOID Interactive

Welcome to the 85th edition of our Ready or Not Development Briefing, April 25th, 2025.

Ready or Not’s console release is on the way this summer, as you may have seen on our YouTube channel or during the Twitch Galaxies stream! We’ll be releasing on PS5 as well as Xbox Series X | S with full crossplay across all platforms. This briefing will answer some of your burning questions about ronsole.

A free update (not a form of DLC) we're calling “Los Sueños Stories” (LSS) is simultaneously launching alongside ronsole. This will bring y’all four new weapons, three difficulty modes to choose from, and two re-designed maps which existed only as grey blockouts during Early Access. In this briefing you’ll get a look at the TRPL pepper ball pistol, M32A1 rotary grenade launcher, 590M magazine-fed shotgun, and MK-V .50 AE pistol.

Note: These development briefings serve to keep you in the loop about parts of our ongoing support for Ready or Not, however the briefings do not encompass everything that we’re working on at a given moment. Please keep in mind that the content in our development briefings may still be a work in progress and subject to change.

[h2]Ronsole Release/Los Sueños Stories FAQ:[/h2]

Here’s a list of some of the most frequently asked questions we saw asked following our console release announcement:

1) Q: Will there be crossplay?
A: Yes! All platforms across PC and console will be able to play with eachother.

2) Q: Can I turn off crossplay?
A: Yes, you are able to turn off crossplay if you’d rather play with others on your platform only.

3) Q: Will there be modding on console?
A: No, there will not be mods on the console version of the game.

4) Q: Will there be keyboard and mouse support on console?
A: Not at this time, no. We have a comprehensive controller support scheme and UI for each platforms’ gamepad.

5) Q: Will there be official controller support on PC?
A: You're in luck, there already is! Official controller support was added to base game with the Dark Waters Release, have fun!

6) Q: When is the exact LSS update/ronsole release date?
A: Summer 2025, exact date to be determined :)

7) Q: Is “Los Sueños Stories” a DLC?
A: No, it is a free base game update.

8) Q: Will there be a bundle that includes all currently released DLC on console?
A: Yes, there will be! It is called the “Digital Deluxe Edition.”

9) Q: Will be there cross-progression, so if I play on console and then PC my progress carries over?
A: No, there will not be cross-progression between platforms.

[h2]VOID Event Presence [/h2]

Our dev team is making entry into all sorts of events throughout this spring and summer, and we may have some goodies in the form of convention-exclusive merch to share along the way if we run into you.

You can identify us by the slick new Ready or Not backpacks that we’ll be carrying. These bags won't ever be produced for mass-sale, worn only by members of the VOID team and a limited number of content creators for an upcoming event.

The first convention presence of this sort will be PAX East! While we don’t plan to have a booth there, you might see us as we patrol around.

(Image below: RoN dev team backpack)

What sort of exclusive con merch might you be able to receive from us? An official LSPD badge, of course. Congratulations, officer, you’ve earned it.

(Image below: Our convention merch exclusive LSPD badge)

[h2]New Weapons First Look [/h2]

Each of the 4 new weapons added with the LSS update are intended to fill in niches that currently are empty in the game.

[h3]TRPL pepper ball pistol: [/h3]

The TRPL pepper ball pistol is a less-lethal multi-shot sidearm capable of suppressing enemies with clouds of OC gas. With a further range than a taser, and 7 shots in each magazine, the TRPL is a suitable choice for shield users or those looking to take a fully less-lethal loadout.

However, with less immediate impact compared to a taser and still relatively limited mag capacity, officers must be strategic in its usage and avoid one-on-one engagements.

Consider the spicy loadout: VPL-25, TRPL, pepperspray, CS gas grenades, and a CS launcher. Don’t forget your gas mask for this run.

(Image/GIF below: Cinematic angles of the in-game TRPL pistol model)

[h3]590M Shotgun: [/h3]

This shotgun is a magazine-fed pump action with a 10 round detachable box magazine, whereas all of the other existing shotguns in RoN are manually loaded one shell at a time. This allows a 590M user to perform a rapid reload of 10 shells at once; it is though somewhat more difficult to swap between shell types on an individual basis and tactical reloads can result in an inventory of partially loaded mags.

(Image/GIF below: Cinematic angles of the in-game 590M shotgun model)

[h3]M32A1 Rotary 40mm Launcher: [/h3]

This grenade launcher is a six-shot 40mm launcher that fires flashbang and CS gas rounds. No need to reload after each shot, the revolving cylinder will simply cycle the next round into the chamber.

(Image below: Cinematic shot of the in-game M32A1 model)

[h3]MK-V .50 AE pistol: [/h3]

No, this is not a Desert Eagle. It is perhaps mildly more insane, a 1911 pistol frame that is heavily modified to chamber the massive .50 AE ammo cartridge. A stash of these eccentric yet powerful semi-automatic pistols was seized by court order and later re-possessed to the LSPD.

Control your recoil and time your shots, or the next one might end up making a hole in the floor above you. You may find more practicality with the existing .357 magnum, but with the MK-V you will benefit from fast magazine swaps.

(Image/GIF: Cinematic angles of the in-game MK-V .50 AE pistol)

[h2]Difficulty Mode System Continued Development [/h2]

A primary goal of our new difficulty system is to offer players opportunities to engage with behaviors and opportunities they might not otherwise see when playing on Standard mode. Thorough playtesting of the difficulty system has given us immense insights into ways that we can refine the system to continue towards this goal. One example we will use concerns trap usage.

On Casual, the player should feel more agency and less pressure from suspects. For example: On levels with traps there may be less traps, or less lethal instead of lethal traps, and the SWAT AI should give the player more time to engage with suspects directly.

It is on Hard however where this philosophy of increased possibilities truly shines. The player is confronted with a broader spectrum of suspect behaviors and challenges. For example: levels that did not have traps before may now have traps, and suspects will act in more unpredictable and intelligent ways; some less lethal traps may change to lethal ones. What once may have been a familiar level is now one where the player must constantly be ready for anything, and complacency kills.



Ronsole is on the way and with it comes the Los Sueños Stories update! If you have more questions please put them in our comments here or on our socials. Huge shout out to the PS5 playerbase for their warm reception of our trailer on the PlayStation YouTube channel. Maybe we'll see some of you (and any of our fans) at PAX East where you can get a badge as part of your official induction!

This concludes our 85th development briefing, thank you for joining us. Be sure to fall in next time for more development news!



Follow Ready or Not on Steam here.
Our other links: Discord, X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, TikTok.

[h3]Stack up and clear out.
VOID Interactive [/h3]

Attention Aussies!

After a short vacation from the steam store, we're back and ready to welcome more Australian Officers to Los Suenos!

In short, the ACB needed verification of Ready or Nots IARC certifications via our game existing on larger recognized storefronts [PSN, XboX, etc.]. The length of the removal was not in any way punitive and it was not a ban of any sort.