Artificial Extinction 2 News

[p]It’s the final day of Steam Next Fest.[/p][p]
Thank you for the incredible competition this week. The leaderboard battles have been intense.

Here is how tonight will work:
[/p][h2]Schedule – Sunday[/h2][p]
8:00 PM EST – Next Fest Survival Competition locks
8:00 PM EST – Steam Build Update goes live
9:00 PM EST – Top 3 Winners announced in a new Steam Announcement

Important:
You do not need to post your score anywhere. All scores are tracked automatically in-game via the leaderboard.

At 8PM EST:

• The Next Fest Competition period ends
• The updated balance build goes live
• The game begins transitioning toward the Tower Defense Festival competition (March 9 – 16)
[/p][h2]Balance Update – Live at 8PM EST[/h2][p]
This update includes major tuning improvements based directly on your feedback:

• All Turrets Armor increased by 25%
• All Turret Ammo Damage increased by 25%
• Dropship Flare effectiveness reduced from 66% to 25%
• Sniper Turret reload time reduced by 25%
• Replicator Drone Speed Boost cost reduced from 50 to 10 Tech Points
• Anti-Missile Turret improved target detection and faster rotation speed
• Enemy missiles now maintain a minimum targeting distance of 50m

Many players mentioned difficulty spikes and late-game pressure. This update increases defensive strength while maintaining strategic tension.
[/p][h2]Looking Ahead – Tower Defense Festival (March 9 – 16)[/h2][p]
The Tower Defense Festival competition will use the same Contact Rear map — but on this updated and evolving build.

Balancing will continue leading into the festival. The next step will likely be increasing the number of enemy Mechs to scale pressure appropriately against stronger defenses.

That means the meta will shift.

See you at 8PM.

— Chris
Solo Developer, Artificial Extinction 2[/p]

[p]Next Fest Survival Challenge – Day 6 Update

It’s Day 6 of 7… and the leaderboard has officially gone global.

[/p][h2]Asia Has Moved Into Second Place[/h2][p]
Asia has stormed into 2nd place and is now putting serious pressure on the top spot. This has turned into a full international survival showdown — and apparently I am one of the casualties.

[/p][h2]Current Top 15 Scores:[/h2][p]
1) GasMaskedPolon – 25,872
2) 晓枫酱 – 24,760
3) dasoer – 24,704
4) GOLANX – 24,614
5) fjo2570 – 22,376
6) chearfullgnome98 – 19,048
7) Genjator – 18,820
8) 100HrGames – 18,232
9) Fab – 18,346
10) 李俊唐 – 13,106
11) roo – 11,130
12) 黄hih141 – 10,284
13) Lykro – 10,048
14) 穿越热菜 – 8,456
15) NapoleonBlownaparte – 7,632

Yes… I’ve officially been knocked down to 8th place. I would like to formally blame my slow CPU. It is absolutely a hardware limitation. Definitely not a skill issue. I refuse to investigate further.

With only ONE day left, things just got serious.

The Top 3 scores will be permanently added to the game credits — surviving for eternity.

Right now, GasMaskedPolon, 晓枫酱, and dasoer are on track for digital immortality.

But there is still time to rewrite history.

One more day. One final push.

Let’s see who survives Next Fest.[/p]

[h2]CONTACT REAR – NEXT FEST MAP[/h2]

• [p]Enemy forces attack from multiple directions.[/p]
• [p]Your base is exposed.[/p]
• [p]Resources are limited.[/p]

[p]Switch between RTS command and FPS combat. Survive as long as possible.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h2]NEXT FEST SURVIVAL CHALLENGE [/h2][h2]February 23 – March 2[/h2][p]Contact Rear features a dedicated global leaderboard for Next Fest.[/p][p]Your survival time determines your score.[/p][p]When decryption completes, the mission enters Endless Mode. The battle continues until you summon the Mothership.[/p][p]To maximize your score, remain in Endless Mode to accumulate bonus time. Summon the Mothership at the last possible moment to lock in your highest score.[/p][p]The leaderboard resets when Next Fest ends.[/p][h3]REWARD[/h3][p]The top 3 players at the end of Next Fest will have their names permanently added to the Artificial Extinction 2 credits.[/p][p]Survive long enough, and your name lives forever.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h2]PLAY NOW[/h2]

• [p]Download the updated demo.[/p]
• [p]Refine your strategy.[/p]
• [p]Climb the leaderboard.[/p]

[p]If you enjoy the experience, please consider wishlisting Artificial Extinction 2.[/p][p]How long can you hold?[/p]

[p]A new optimized build of the Artificial Extinction 2 Demo is live now — and on some PCs, framerate has doubled. [/p][p][/p][h2]Extensive CPU Optimization[/h2][p]
This update focuses heavily on CPU performance improvements, with the largest gains expected on lower-end processors.

Optimization work includes:

• Physics processing refinements
• Character collision optimization
• Navigation and AI pathing improvements
• Animation simplification and efficiency upgrades

The objective was clear: preserve the scale, intensity, and visuals of the battlefield while significantly reducing CPU cost.

Large engagements now run smoother, especially during peak combat moments. If performance previously limited your experience, this is the build to try.

[/p][h2]Steam Next Fest Competition – New Map: Contact Rear[/h2][p]
When Steam Next Fest begins, a new demo build will be released featuring a brand-new challenge map:

Contact Rear

This map is designed around constant pressure, aggressive repositioning, and fast tactical decision-making.

During Next Fest, players will compete for the highest survival score on Contact Rear.

The top 3 players will be permanently added to the game credits.

Your name.
Your achievement.
Preserved in Artificial Extinction 2.

If you want your mark on the battlefield to live forever, this is your opportunity.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h2]Download the Updated Demo Now[/h2][p]
The performance update is live.
The competition build arrives with Next Fest.

Prepare your strategy.
Sharpen your reflexes.
Get ready to compete.

Wishlist Artificial Extinction 2 to be notified at launch and help support the game’s visibility during Next Fest.

The battlefield is evolving — and this is just the beginning.[/p]

[p]A new battlefield. A new leaderboard. A chance to enter the credits forever. [/p][p][/p][h2]Steam Next Fest Community Challenge - New Map Incoming[/h2][p]
Artificial Extinction 2 is joining Steam Next Fest with a brand-new competitive map and a community challenge.

If you've already played the demo, now is the perfect time to jump back in.

Starting February 23rd, a new map called Contact Rear will be added to the demo and featured as a special leaderboard competition running throughout Steam Next Fest until March 2nd.

[/p][h2]New Map: Contact Rear[/h2][p]
This map is built for intense survival gameplay with two simultaneous attack routes:

- One enemy force advances from the high ground
- Another pushes in from the low ground

The longer you survive, the harder the battle becomes. Enemy pressure ramps continuously as the level shifts into endless mode, rewarding players who can adapt and hold the line under extreme conditions.

[/p][h2]How the Competition Works[/h2][p]
Your goal is simple: survive as long as possible and earn the highest score on the leaderboard.

To maximize your score:

- Do not call the Mothership as soon as it becomes available
- Stay in endless mode and rack up bonus survival time
- Difficulty increases the longer you survive
- Calling in the Mothership at the last possible moment before your base is destroyed grants an extra 500 bonus points

Risk more. Survive longer. Score higher.
[/p][p] [/p][h2]Hall of Fame Reward[/h2][p]
The top three players on the leaderboard at the end of Steam Next Fest (March 2nd) will have their names permanently added to the game credits.

Your victory will be preserved in Artificial Extinction 2 forever.

[/p][h2]When It Starts[/h2][p]
- New map released: February 23rd - Competition runs: February 23rd - March 2nd - Open to all demo players Whether you're returning to improve your skills or trying the game for the first time, this is the best time to play. [/p][p]Download the demo, survive the Contact Rear battlefield, and fight for a place in the credits. [/p][p]Add Artificial Extinction 2 to your wishlist to stay updated on new maps, features, and future events.[/p]