HAWKED News

Welcome to HAWKED Early Access! If you’ve dabbled in the Renegade life in previous playtests, there’s a veritable treasure trove of new features, improvements, and bug fixes to get your mitts on. If you’re new to the Renegade racket, GRAIL is happy to have you and hopes you enjoy the read! 

The following changes are available in HAWKED on Windows PC as of the Early Access release on Thursday, November 30, 2023. Update your game to the latest version on MY.GAMES Launcher or Steam to play HAWKED for free in Early Access.
[h2]NEW FEATURES[/h2][h3]GAME MODES[/h3]
Two core Game Modes are now available, including a newly added Solo Mode:

• Lone Hunter (Solo): Play by yourself and put your treasure-hunting skills to the test against 29 other solo Renegades.
• Treasure Hunt (Squads): Play in teams of two or three and race to the Artifact against other Renegade squads.
  • Fancy a challenge? Toggle the “Fill Squad” option to enter Treasure Hunt as a solo player or as a duo (find this option in the “Party” interface).
  • You will receive a random special augment when you pick up a Glyph in Squads. For example, you may be able to pick up more loot during your match. You will receive a notification about your augment when you collect a Glyph.

[h3]RENEGADE PASS #1[/h3]
The Renegade Pass is a type of battle pass that allows you to earn rewards via regular gameplay. Every Issue (season-based event) comes with a Renegade Pass with Free and Premium tracks. You can purchase the Premium track to gain access to the whole pool of rewards while an Issue is active.

Rise through the Renegade ranks by completing Quests to progress the Free or Premium tracks of the Renegade Pass in Issue #1: Renegades. There are 64 rewards to unlock, including unique customizations such as Backpacks, Traversers, Color Schemes, Outfits, GRAIL+, currency, and more. 

Check out our dedicated article for more information about Issue #1: Renegades and the Renegade Pass #1.
[h3]GRAIL SHOP[/h3]
GRAIL is open for business! As a newly contracted Renegade, know that GRAIL is here to handle your hot extracted merchandise and sell you items to aid your looting or brush up your style. 
[h3]GEAR[/h3]
Gear (available as Exo Gear and Ward Gear) is a type of item used in your Renegade’s Loadout. They provide active skills that can make all the difference in battle and add variety to your standard-issue gunfights. You can equip a maximum of two pieces of Gear at any time (one Exo Gear and one Ward Gear).

Exo Gear allows you to activate a directional tactical ability, while Ward Gear provides you with a non-directional support ability. Each type of Gear is designed to support different playstyles. Certain pieces of Gear may be helpful for all playstyles.

In Early Access, you can experience streamlined Gear progression, more Gear available from the beginning of your Renegade career, simplified access to Gear, and improved presentation of your collection and options via the Loadout menu pre-match.
[h3]BOOSTERS[/h3]
Boosters are a type of consumable item. You might notice they look a lot like comic books! They’re filled with marvelous tales of heroics, documenting the careers of GRAIL’s most legendary Renegades. As such, Boosters are capable of giving Renegades a morale boost that translates to in-match buffs. The passive skills they can provide you are much simpler than those from Artifacts. In most cases, they offer a tangible buff without additional conditions (there may be exceptions with specific Boosters).

Boosters come in three types that can aid you in different ways: Survival, Utility, and Hunt.

[h3]ARTIFACTS[/h3]
Your ultimate goal on X-Isle. Once you’ve collected enough Glyphs, unlocked the Treasury, and made it out alive through an extraction point, an Artifact will be yours. Artifacts give you passive skills that trigger under certain conditions. Compared to Boosters—which also provide passive skills—Artifacts are much more effective, but you cannot use them at any time. When the effect of an Artifact is triggered, it is accompanied by sound effects and UI notifications.
[h3]COSMETICS[/h3]
Complete work for GRAIL, cash in Artifacts and Trinkets, and spend the Hawks and Wonderium you receive to raise your Loyalty. Improve your standing with GRAIL to get your hands on a lovely set of cosmetics, including:

• Archaeologist Helmet Headwear (Masculine)
• Archaeologist Chestpiece (Masculine)
• Archaeologist Legwear (Masculine)
• Traveler Hoverboard
• Traveler Backpack
• Traveler Locker
• Epic Hoverboard
• Treasureseeker Weapon Skin
• Primal Pop-Up Souvenir
• Schoolyard Backpack
• Keystone Traverser
• Origami Backpack
• Fashionista Backpack

[h3]SHOP[/h3]
GE-0 is ready to accept your GE-0 Cash at his shop downstairs in the Riftwake. GE-0 offers a wide range of services. Top up your GE-0 Cash in-game or on the official website to buy a wide range of items like Cosmetics, Renegade Passes, and GRAIL+.

The Featured section shows sets and items available for a limited time, along with new items that have entered the Shop. Here are a few of the new Featured items:

• Rainforest Set (includes the Rainforest Headwear, Rainforest Chestpiece, and Rainforest Legwear)

• Gatorfolk Avatar
• Carved Perfection GARR 21 (SMG) Weapon Skin
• Ribbit Backpack
• Carnival Traverser

All items within the Shop will be available until the end of Issue #1 unless stated otherwise. New items will enter rotation on a regular basis. Individual items available as of the Early Access launch include:

• Rainforest Headwear
• Rainforest Body
• Rainforest Legwear
• Aztec Hoverboard Set (includes the Aztec Gold Hoverboard, Aztec Jade Hoverboard, and Aztec Stone Hoverboard)
• Merry-Go-Round Locker
• Knockout Weapon Pattern
• Half-Blood Color Scheme

[h3]GRAIL+[/h3]
GRAIL+ is a subscription service that lets you maximize your looting. Benefits of GRAIL+ include:

• Colorful Name: Your name becomes orange with a lovely sheen.
• Daily Boosters: Boosters give you passive Skills. A maximum of five Boosters can be equipped at a time (you can also buy Boosters with HAWKS in the GRAIL Shop).
• Lockbox Slot: Allows you to carry one extra Trinket, which you can save between matches even if you don’t make it to extraction.
• Extra Quests: Unlock one additional Weekly Quest and two additional Daily Quests.
• 20% Experience: Experience lets you level up your Renegade for access to special cosmetic rewards.
• Three Emotes: Access additional Emotes in your Loadout, including Finger Shooting, Frustration, and Satisfaction. 

[h2]THE RIFTWAKE & YOUR PERSONAL QUARTERS[/h2]
Your Quarters are your own personal space aboard the Riftwake. Get familiar with them to enjoy fun asides and a place of respite, with other distractions available elsewhere on GRAIL’s submarine:

• Shooting Range: Test your sharpshooting in this arcade-style shooting minigame.
• Personal Quarters: Gaze at your hard-earned treasures while your guitar gently weeps.
• Main Lobby: It’s time to face the music! Find musical plates behind Bodhi, and shoot at them to make sweet, sweet melodies.

[h2]IMPROVEMENTS & ADJUSTMENTS[/h2]
[h3]CHARACTER CREATION[/h3]
Renegades can now adjust their body size with new sliders for Masculine and Feminine Avatars.
[h3]SPLASH SCREENS[/h3]
We’ve added splash screens that appear when you start up the game. They should help Renegades stay up to date with all the latest and greatest HAWKED news. The first batch includes:

• Renegade Rally
• Raider Packs
• Renegade Pass #1
• Twitch Drops
• Newsletter

Keep an eye out for new splash screens—they’re a great way to hear about the latest news, events, sales, and other special notifications!
[h3]SERVER SELECTION[/h3]
Don’t know which server to pick? Don’t stress! We’ve added a new server selection screen that displays your ping relative to the available servers so you can make an informed choice before you choose which one to play on. Choose from:

• NA-West
• NA-Central
• NA-East
• Europe
• Brazil
• Asia
• Middle East

[h3]LOCALIZATION[/h3]
GRAIL is expanding! Four new languages have been added to HAWKED in Early Access to make the game more accessible to players worldwide. Full localization is now available in:

• Polish
• Korean
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Chinese (Traditional)

These new languages join English, French, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Turkish, and Arabic as available language options.

Additionally, all GRAIL characters now have full voiceovers in the following languages:

• English
• French
• German
• Spanish
• Brazilian Portuguese
• Polish
• Korean
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Chinese (Traditional)

[h3]PINGS[/h3]
The Ping system allows for more efficient communication between you and your squad. 

• Ping markers (such as encounters extraction points) to highlight goals to your squad.
• Spectators can Ping the map.
• Players can confirm other players’ Pings. 
• Characters use dynamic dialogue for different types of Ping. 
• Added the contextual action button ‘Revive Me,’ which can be used to attract teammates’ attention.

[h3]MOVEMENT[/h3]
Enjoy improved movement and traversal around X-Isle:

• Reworked camera behavior while sprinting and sliding.
• Improved Traverser visualization when traversing across X-Isle.
• Improved the camera display with regard to speed perception when using the Hoverboard.
• Added auto-disembark feature when using the Hoverboard.
• Fixed sliding visualization.
• Fixed a visual issue when jumping while aiming down sights (ADS).

[h3]CONTROLS & GAMEPAD SUPPORT[/h3]
Play with new and improved control schemes:

• Reworked the default control scheme.
• Added different control schemes.
• Added Dualshock and Xbox Controller vibration support.
• Added support for DualSense Adaptive Triggers.
• Rebalanced aim assist when using a controller.

[h2]OTHER CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS[/h2]

• Added a way to preview Gear during character creation.
• Added the option to “Sell All Loot” in the Trinkets interface at the GRAIL Shop.
• Inactive (AFK) players will not receive shared rewards when in a squad.
• Adjusted the functionality of the “Collector Coil”:
  • Previously: Collector Coil gains a charge that increases your maximum shield for each treasure (Artifacts/Trinkets) you carry in your Backpack.
  • Now: Collector Coil gains up to 2 charges that increase your maximum shield by 9-15 points for each Trinket carried in your Backpack. Collector Coil becomes fully charged if you hold an Artifact.
• Adjusted the visuals of the resurrection point within X-Isle.
• Added ultra-wide monitor support.
• Improved the visualization of the quest interface.
• Improved the display of in-game surveys so we can gather feedback and make adjustments based on community sentiment.
• Updated the way the in-session shop currency CRED (formerly called HYPE) works. It is now persistent between sessions.
• Improved the visual display of the CRED Store on X-Isle.
• Updated the introduction comic sequence that plays when you first start the game.
• Added a way to replay the Tutorial from your Personal Quarters.
• Updated the HUD to include clearer statuses for teammates in the Squad interface (Disconnected, Left, Dead, and Knocked Down).
• Updated settings algorithm to better auto-detect setting options upon first startup.
• Improved the minimum graphics preset.
• Added more input binding options.
• Added more camera and sensitivity options.
• Updated the dynamic difficulty scaling of encounters on X-Isle.

[h2]BUG FIXES[/h2]

• Improved client stability and optimization by resolving reported issues of crashing, freezing, and low performance.
• Fixed an issue with lip-syncing. Previously, some characters' mouths did not move correctly with their dialogue.
• Fixed an issue where the Caravan did not spawn correctly under certain conditions.
• Fixed issues with gameplay on the island where terrain was unable to be traversed correctly, and objects and item locations caused some players to get stuck.
• Fixed the display of character levels within the Party interface.
• Fixed an issue where the screen would freeze when opening the Loadout interface.
• Fixed an issue where quest markets were not displayed correctly within specific interfaces.
• Fixed an issue where players could fall through the floor when spawning in the Riftwake.
• Improved UX bugs in many interfaces.
• Fixed an issue when equipping cosmetics, where they would not display correctly after character creation.
• Fixed an issue where certain keys couldn’t be rebound when using a keyboard.
• Fixed an issue where tips would not display based on the relevant experience for users in the loading screen. 
• Fixed an issue where buff timers for the Inner Power Booster were incorrectly displayed.
• Fixed display of Gear not scaling correctly on debriefing screens such as the Tutorial and Renegade Pass.
• Improved the behavior and movement of bots.
• Improved the lighting in the final phase, night, and evening on X-Isle.
• Fixed collision issues that caused players to get stuck on objects.
• Fixed collision and hit registration issues that led to players having trouble hitting enemies.

[h2]KNOWN ISSUES[/h2]
HAWKED is now available in Early Access. That means that development is still ongoing and is reliant on your feedback to help improve and polish the overall game experience before the full launch in 2024. As such, you may encounter gameplay and technical issues while playing. We are aware of several issues as of the launch of Early Access, and are closely monitoring gameplay sessions and your feedback to find and take action against them. 

HAWKED will undergo regular maintenance to deploy patches and hotfixes to resolve issues. Please keep an eye on Discord and future patch notes for more updates. 

If you need troubleshooting for common technical problems or account-related queries, or if you can’t find a solution to your issue, please visit our Support page.
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Play HAWKED for free now on PC via MY.GAMES Launcher and Steam!

Follow HAWKED on Discord, TikTok, Reddit, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos, and sign up for the official newsletter to stay on top of the latest news, updates, special offers, and more via email.

All details in this article are accurate as of the time of publication. Follow HAWKED on Discord and via social channels for up-to-date information.

Gear up, Renegade! Time to show GRAIL you’ve got what it takes in HAWKED’s first seasonal chapter: Issue #1: Renegades.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]FLIP THE PAGE ON ISSUE #1: RENEGADES![/h3]
Buckle up for the first Issue of HAWKED, our first-ever content arc full of seasonal events, unique Quests, and storylines, complete with its own Renegade Pass! 

Board the Riftwake, grab your Traverser from Cynthia, and meet Bodhi, Nellie, and Bjorn, GRAIL’s ragtag bunch of resident Renegades. They’ll be showing you the ropes, and enlisting your looting and shooting talents to get to the heart of X-Isle’s mysteries.

Loot will be taken, Disciples disrupted, spoils snatched, and traps triggered as you hunt, steal, and outwit your way to infamy!
[h3]RENEGADE PASS #1[/h3]
Hunt well, and you’ll be rewarded—GRAIL always cuts the spoils. Rise through the Renegade ranks by completing Quests to progress the Free or Premium tracks of the Renegade Pass throughout Issue #1: Renegades. 

There are over 60 rewards to unlock, including unique customizations such as Backpacks, Traversers, Color Schemes, Outfits, GRAIL+, currency, and more. 


[h3]COMPLETE THE AZTEC SPIRIT AVATAR![/h3]
Embrace your inner warrior by completing the Aztec Spirit Avatar! Get the base Avatar at Lvl 1 (Premium), and push to Lvl 50 to unlock the whole range of variant Outfits for it. Choose your hue from blazing customization options like Aztec Fury, Aztec Copper, Aztec Jade, Aztec Gold,and Aztec Blaze.



Renegade Pass #1 also includes:

• Outfits: Dress to kill with the Reptile Slayer Outfit, or dive into the hunt as a Sky Captain.
• Weapon Skins: Put a personal mark on your favorite weapons with the Jungle Gods (Zed 92), Poison Dart (Hasta Luego), Temple Trigger (Peller SR17), and Kittyhawk (Goodfella) styles. Also, switch up your entire armory with the Lizard Skin, Sanguine, Jaguar Lava, and Turquoise skins.
• Veteran’s Blade: New base Exo Gear to make your mark on X-Isle with—currently available only via the Free track of the Renegade Pass.
• Gear Skins: Send out your Aztec Raptor for recon, and whack whatever it finds with a Spiked Club by collecting these Gear Skins.
• Color Schemes: Splash some Tea Time, Nova Remnant, and Spruce Sky Silver colors on your Outfits.
• Backpack: Don’t forget your Aztec Gold or Parachute Backpacks.
• Decorations: Check out the Aero Champion Locker, Biplane Toy, Temple Raider Locker, and Dreamcatcher, they really tie your Quarters together.
• Traversers: Show a Renegade’s best friend some TLC with the Lavascale, Mossyscale, and Greenscale customizations.
• Hoverboards: Soar in Wing Racer or Aztec Gold style.
• Emotes: Express yourself with the Victorious and Air Kiss Emotes.

Play for fun to claim rewards from the Free track, or purchase the optional Renegade Pass in-game with GE-0 Cash to unlock access to the full Premium track. There’s loads more loot to claim, so join the hunt from November 30 and see what other treasures lie in store across X-Isle.

Board the Riftwake and report to Cynthia Keene to start your treasure-hunting career with GRAIL. It's high time we got plundering… for good!

Hey, Renegades! I’m Andy Duthie, Executive Producer for HAWKED. We’re releasing HAWKED in Early Access on November 30—it’s the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance from the whole team at MY.GAMES, and we couldn’t be prouder to finally put it in your hands.

Today, we want to share more about our journey to Early Access, the new and reworked features we’ve implemented, and how your playtime and feedback from Open Beta helped us get here.
[h3]A BRIEF HISTORY OF HAWKED[/h3]
HAWKED’s inception began several years ago. Our goal was to develop a fresh, colorful new game for the MY.GAMES portfolio, in a different genre than our players might otherwise be used to. We set out to make what was originally known as Project D1: an extraction shooter with a treasure-hunting theme.

Although the extraction shooter genre has risen in popularity in recent years, these games tend to not be too welcoming to more casual gamers. So once we settled on our direction, we wanted to make sure the game was as approachable as possible to newcomers. All the same, we wanted extraction shooter veterans to experience a challenge, with a smattering of deeper nuances to master. 

The developers united the heroes, humor, and world of pulp action stories with vivid, comic book-style visuals, and defined a simple game loop that anyone could grasp. 

The pieces began to fall into place, and thus, our anti-heroic Renegades (the player characters), the adventurers guild GRAIL, the Riftwake, the monstrous Disciples, and the mysterious island known as X-Isle—and all its treasures—came into being.
[h3]THE ROAD TO EARLY ACCESS[/h3]
Lots of iteration, internal feedback, and testing brought us to our first Closed Alpha Tests in 2022 and early 2023. Feedback from players at this stage gave the developers a lot to work with, a challenge they met head-on. It was also at this point that we renamed Project D1 to HAWKED.


In the summer of 2023, we followed up with an Open Beta and Crossplay Open Beta for PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. Though not without a few road bumps, we were heartened to see the beginnings of our Renegade community kindling. Your passion for what the game was—and everything it could be—was reflected in your feedback and crucial in shaping our path forward. 

We took several direct approaches to gathering feedback:

• Community reports: The community team gathered your feedback from Discord, social media, and Steam to give us a vibe-check on your sentiment towards HAWKED, including likes, dislikes, and requests.
• In-game surveys: Players were given short, five-question surveys after the tutorial, the first match, and after a quest. These surveys gave us plenty of quantitative feedback about the main gameplay features from a large number of players.
• Exit surveys: Sent to players after they closed the game during Open Beta, these surveys were more detailed and gave us an idea of what you liked, disliked, and what you wanted to see.
• Player interviews: Select players agreed to tell us more about their experiences with HAWKED. Supporting our quantitative data from surveys with qualitative interview feedback really helped us zero in on specific problem areas, as well as well-liked features.

After taking stock of the current state of the game and collating all your feedback, we wasted no time in acting on it.

Right now, we truly believe we’ve made HAWKED the fun and approachable extraction shooter experience we wanted it to be. We’re making Early Access on PC the next chapter because we want to battle-test it together with you, get your feedback in a live environment, and make sure we’re really heading in the right direction on the technical and gameplay front before we launch the game in full next year.

And that pretty much brings you up to speed with where we’re at now! On the eve of Early Access, let’s review what we’ve been working on, how we acted on your feedback, and the changes you can expect to see in Early Access and Issue #1: Renegades, our first seasonal chapter.
[h3]TUTORIAL & ONBOARDING NEW RENEGADES[/h3]
85% of players completed the tutorial in Open Beta, which gave us a great dataset and feedback to work with. The most common complaint we heard was that the tutorial was missing key information about basics like movement types, revival mechanics, Artifacts, Gears, and generally preparing players for PvP gameplay. With this, a key goal for Early Access was to make sure players knew what they were doing as early and as easily as possible, with no barriers to entry or unclear mechanics post-tutorial. 



We reshaped and improved the tutorial by showing off more of these features sooner, from traversal mechanics such as sliding, to using Ping to communicate with your squad. The tutorial is now also replayable from your Personal Quarters aboard the Riftwake in case you need to brush up. The post-tutorial transition to the Hideout is now smoother, too.

In addition, while HAWKED’s lore was deliberately thin on the ground in Open Beta, we’ve been ramping it up to give you a proper introduction to the incredible world our Narrative Team has created. The introductory comic has been reworked, and as Issue #1: Renegades progresses, you’ll experience new story quests (through a revised UI), discover a mysterious relic called the Glyphstone, and be able to take part in limited-time story events (the first one is launching in December). 
[h3]METAGAME FEATURES[/h3]
We want to encourage players to really delve into HAWKED on a meta-level and find the weapons, Artifacts, Gears, and other loadout-related options that let them feel like they’re mastering the game in their own way. The limited time players had with Open Beta didn’t give them a great impression of the meta potential of HAWKED. Also, the small amount of session currency players could collect would expire from match to match, so didn’t incentivize much use during Open Beta.

We made a lot of changes to get players familiar with meta mechanics early on. Gear progression is now more streamlined, with more Gears available from the get-go that are easier to access and view from a menu. 

Additionally, the currency you can shop with in-game—renamed from HYPE to CRED—is now persistent between sessions. This should give you more time to earn and save it before spending it on new loadout options at extraction point shops. Just do your best to survive or extract with your CRED every match!



[h3]RIDIN’ SOLO[/h3]
While Open Beta focused on squad gameplay, a whopping 77% of you asked for a solo mode. Well, we’re thrilled to say it’s ready for Early Access! Go lone wolf in the newly-added Solo Treasure Hunt to bring home the treasure on your own. 

Alternatively, if you want to enjoy quicker matchmaking with the added challenge of competing against teams, you can also now choose ‘No Fill’ when matching into Duos and Squads.



[h3]TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS[/h3]
Naturally, we’ve put a lot of work in on the technical front. Since issues related to movement and shooting ranked high on your list of bugbears, we’ve worked to ensure a smoother flow within sessions. 

Many issues that can impact combat flow, including crashes, collision issues related to hitreg, and instances where players might become stuck, have been resolved.
[h3]ADVERSITY[/h3]
Many players told us they wanted a more adrenaline-pumping extraction shooter experience. With more players expected to join Early Access, we expect the competition to ramp up considerably. 

To help this along, Early Access introduces skill-based matchmaking. That means you’ll be facing more players that are on your level. If you’re still learning the Renegade ropes, you’ll get a fair match-up and won’t be pitted against the Indiana Joneses of the HAWKED world.

We’ve also tinkered with the enemies you’ll find on X-Isle. To keep sessions competitive and give you a greater sense of progression, enemy encounters will now scale dynamically in difficulty. The closer you get to your goals, the harder the Disciples try to stop you. If you encounter bots (used to fill matchmaking slots during quieter hours), you should notice their AI and behavior have improved since Open Beta.
[h3]TEAM COMMUNICATION[/h3]
Good communication is the cornerstone of team play in HAWKED. We noted some frustration with the lack of communication options in Open Beta, so we added more ways to help you coordinate with your squad.

You can now Ping on markers (such as encounters extraction points) to highlight goals to your squad, Ping the map while spectating, as well as confirm other players’ Pings. Characters will use dynamic dialogue for different types of Ping. The contextual action button ‘Revive Me’ can be used to attract teammates’ attention if you’re struggling.



[h3]TRAVERSAL[/h3]
Character movement was admittedly not very smooth in Open Beta, so we put some work into the simple act of getting around. Animations are now smoother, with improved transitions between different types of movement, a fix for jumping while aiming down sights (ADS), and a reworked camera while sprinting and sliding. 

Your Renegade tools—the Hoverboard and Traverser—are also more intuitive to use. It’s easier to find traversal points, and you can now auto-disembark from the Hoverboard when it’s not effective to use it.



[h3]CONTROLS & GAMEPAD SUPPORT[/h3]
We want you to play in the way that’s most natural and intuitive for you—whether that’s keyboard and mouse controls or a gamepad. While many players found the controls in Open Beta comfortable and effective, there were a few issues and complaints that arose related to limited keybinds, some uncomfortable options, and several actions being mapped to the same key or button.

Early Access introduces a few new control schemes and improvements to existing ones. There’s a reworked default control scheme on keyboard and mouse, different control schemes available straight off the bat, better input binding options, plus additional camera and control sensitivity options.

Playing on a controller? Aim assist, which was a little strong in Open Beta, has been rebalanced in the interest of maintaining a fairer competitive landscape in crossplay matches. We’ve also added vibration support for DualShock 4 and Xbox controllers, and adaptive trigger support for DualSense controllers.
[h3]VISUALS & USER INTERFACE (UI)[/h3]
Visual communication is important to us. When the chips are down, you’ll want to get the information you’re looking for at a glance. That’s why we added new types of reticules (or crosshairs) that change dynamically depending on what you’re pointing at. You’ll also be able to check your teammates’ statuses while in a Squad (whether they’ve died, been knocked down, disconnected, or left the game).

Environments and characters are now easier to parse thanks to added outlines and brushstroke effects.

New lighting presets have been implemented for the final phase, evening, and night for greater session immersion, while visual improvements have been made to the in-match Shop and Resurrection Points.



[h3]GRAPHICS[/h3]
Want to take in more of X-Isle’s horizon? We’ve added ultrawide monitor support, available with Early Access. 

On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re playing on low specs, the game will look even better on the improved preset for Minimum graphics settings.
[h3]CUSTOMIZATION AND IN-GAME PURCHASES[/h3]
As you may know, HAWKED will be completely free to play in Early Access on PC. As a live service title, HAWKED will include optional paid content that supports continued development and regular updates. Gamers are rightfully wary of predatory practices, so we wanted to reaffirm our commitment to making HAWKED a fair competitive experience for all players. In short, the game is not pay-to-win. You can’t buy an advantage over your enemies and peers!

The in-game Shop—run by GRAIL’s resident robot quartermaster GE-0—allows you to spend our soft currency “Hawks” (acquired through regular gameplay and not purchases) and premium currency GE-0 Cash (purchased with real-world cash) on optional content like cosmetics, a premium status known as GRAIL+ (which grants speed boosts, but not power bonuses), and a type of battle pass known as the Renegade Pass.



Through events, the Renegade Pass, optional purchases, and other special campaigns like Twitch Drops, you’ll be able to customize your character, gear, and Quarters. Dress up your Renegade in Outfits, switch up your Traverser, Hoverboard, and weapons with new skins, perform Emotes, and so much more. There are plenty of options already unlocked—and more premium and free options to come—so please mix, match, and carve out your own personal Renegade style!
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Are we missing anything? That’s what Early Access is for! Let us know your thoughts on Discord once you get some hands-on time with the new build.

We’ll have more to share in future Dev Diaries as we progress with Issue #1: Renegades and move towards the launch of HAWKED on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One in early 2024, so stay tuned.

Thanks for reading—see you all on X-Isle!

Tune in to Drop-enabled Twitch streams as the first Renegades rush X-Isle to earn some exclusive cosmetics! Watch and earn to claim new Twitch Drops from November 30 at 16:00 CET until December 7 at 16:00 CET.

Try the royal violet dye on for size with the Tyrian Color Scheme by watching Drop-enabled HAWKED Twitch streams. Also, swing like a prince with the Purple Reign Traverser by watching the streams of partnered content creators. Simply tune into HAWKED streams on Twitch, rack up enough viewing time, and the spoils are yours!

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[h2]How to link your account and claim Twitch Drops[/h2]

To claim your items, you must first link your HAWKED account with your Twitch account:

• Log in here using your Steam, MY.GAMES Launcher, PlayStation, or Xbox account.
• Make sure to log in with your correct account depending on the platform you use. If you register a new account, rewards will automatically be assigned to that account.
• Select ‘Link with Twitch’, and make sure you confirm the connection.

When you’ve racked up enough viewing time, claim your loot from your Twitch Drops Inventory to receive it in-game.

Tune into HAWKED streams on Twitch from November 30. Don’t forget to follow or subscribe to the streamers you enjoy!

Look alive, Renegades! We’ll be showing an exclusive first look at the next major HAWKED update coming in 2024 at the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted next week.

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Follow PC Gamer on Twitch and YouTube and set your alarms for November 30 at 19:00 CET / 18:00 GMT / 10:00 PST. You don’t wanna miss it!