Dev Diary // One Year Later
Hello explorers!
This day marks one full year of Into the Radius 2 in Early Access. In this diary, we’d like to look back on everything we’ve achieved in the past year, tell you what we’re working on now, and share our future plans.
[h2]A Retrospective: One Year in Early Access[/h2]
At launch, there were very few settings, and no difficulty presets at all. These, along with numerous quality-of-life and accessibility improvements, were added over time. This also includes new gear options and settings tailored for content creators.
Initially, there was only one body turning mode. Now there are three. Major issues with height calibration were fixed, interaction with the world became more intuitive, and ladders and bars stopped being death traps.
[video][/video]
We’ve added tons of new firearms (e.g. AKM, M4A1, SVD, G36), and most weapons now have 2–3 variants instead of one. This allows you to discover new guns in the Radius or upgrade from basic to modified versions.
[video][/video]
The base weapon set was expanded with dozens of new attachments, wear-and-tear mechanics, and cleaning tools. Aiming mode was added, and ammo can now be purchased and stored in larger boxes.
[video][/video]
At launch, loadout options were limited to three chest rigs in a single color. Since then, we’ve added 2 vests, 3 types of armor plates, 3 ballistic helmets, and 2 types of Distortion-Proof headgear, as well as multiple color variants for most gear. A custom loadout system was also introduced, allowing you to freely place and arrange pouches as you see fit.
[video][/video]
Artifact detectors were initially locked to your right forearm. Based on your feedback, they were turned into regular items you can lose, drop, and buy. Other gear upgrades followed, such as the headlamp. Hunger and fatigue systems were introduced, along with food to manage them.
[video][/video]
Progression, missions, game balance, and mechanics have been revisited, polished, and rebalanced repeatedly. The same goes for nearly every UI and text element.
The base originally felt too clean and empty. Over time, it became more lived-in and believable, and proved that its structure is actually very convenient. The largest and most complex map, Pechorsk Outskirts, was added in our latest major update. All original locations received significant visual and gameplay upgrades across multiple iterations. The day-night cycle was balanced, making time of day more noticeable. Anomalies became more visually distinct, enemies more grounded, and their behavior more natural. Distortion Zones, ash structures, and breakable human figures were added to many areas.
[video][/video]
Three Fragment variants, an additional Creep, and a new “Hedgehog” anomaly version were introduced after the initial EA launch.
[video][/video]
Co-op mode spent some time in beta and was initially rough for many players. Later, it became much more stable and now includes a proximity voice chat that’s gradually factoring in the environments of both players.
Overall, the game became more stable, user-friendly, and better optimized, with noticeable performance gains. Of course more work is yet to be done.
We’re proud of how the game has evolved this past year, and we’re not slowing down…
[h2]What We’re Working On Now[/h2]
We believe the core gameplay of ITR2 is now strong enough to deliver dozens of hours of playtime. Our next big goal is expanding and improving on these systems and features, setting the stage for a proper 1.0 version. One with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Right after wrapping up the loadout customization system, we began designing a similar system for weapon customization. We’ve wanted to do this for a while, but struggled to find a solution that was both well-designed and feasible. Now, with the loadout system in place, we have a technical base to build from. The vision is clear, the design documentation is done, and implementation is underway.
In parallel, we’re working on several new guns, including the long-awaited Mosin-Nagant rifle.
A new, advanced artifact detector is also in development. It will let you reveal invisible artifact nests, bringing back the full functionality of the ITR1 detector. This opens up room for future iterations.
We’re also creating new Committee equipment to diversify mission objectives, as well as a batch of new anomalous items to collect in the Radius.
Work continues on polishing and optimizing Pechorsk Outskirts. These improvements benefit both the PC VR version and the ongoing Meta Quest port of this massive location. We’re also revisiting key points of other maps to improve gameplay flow and visual quality, adding more props and environmental details along the way.
At the same time, we’ve started working on the game’s narrative. This includes systems and elements not found in ITR1. It’s too early to say whether any of these will be included in the next update, some story content just doesn’t make sense to release in small pieces.
The next major update is scheduled for September~October. As usual, we hope to release a beta version beforehand, but no sooner than mid-August.
[h2]What’s Next[/h2]
While current development continues, we’ve also started planning and prototyping the remaining features and content for the full 1.0 release.
Here’s what we currently expect to include in version 1.0:
We’ll share more about these features in future dev diaries. Of course, keep in mind that these are our current plans and they can change.
[h2]What We’re Not Doing Before 1.0[/h2]
To be clear, here’s what we definitely won’t start working on until the full release:
We’re aiming to release version 1.0 around the middle of next year and will share more precise dates ahead of time.
Thank you for supporting us and being a part of this journey through Early Access. See you in the Radius!
[h3]Latest Diary Entries[/h3]
🔸 The Ghost Town Update and more
🔸 The Tips & Tricks
🔸 The End of the Year
[h3]Socials[/h3]
🔹 Follow on X
🔹 Join our Discord
🔹 Join our Subreddit
This day marks one full year of Into the Radius 2 in Early Access. In this diary, we’d like to look back on everything we’ve achieved in the past year, tell you what we’re working on now, and share our future plans.
[h2]A Retrospective: One Year in Early Access[/h2]
At launch, there were very few settings, and no difficulty presets at all. These, along with numerous quality-of-life and accessibility improvements, were added over time. This also includes new gear options and settings tailored for content creators.
Initially, there was only one body turning mode. Now there are three. Major issues with height calibration were fixed, interaction with the world became more intuitive, and ladders and bars stopped being death traps.
[video][/video]
We’ve added tons of new firearms (e.g. AKM, M4A1, SVD, G36), and most weapons now have 2–3 variants instead of one. This allows you to discover new guns in the Radius or upgrade from basic to modified versions.
[video][/video]
The base weapon set was expanded with dozens of new attachments, wear-and-tear mechanics, and cleaning tools. Aiming mode was added, and ammo can now be purchased and stored in larger boxes.
[video][/video]
At launch, loadout options were limited to three chest rigs in a single color. Since then, we’ve added 2 vests, 3 types of armor plates, 3 ballistic helmets, and 2 types of Distortion-Proof headgear, as well as multiple color variants for most gear. A custom loadout system was also introduced, allowing you to freely place and arrange pouches as you see fit.
[video][/video]
Artifact detectors were initially locked to your right forearm. Based on your feedback, they were turned into regular items you can lose, drop, and buy. Other gear upgrades followed, such as the headlamp. Hunger and fatigue systems were introduced, along with food to manage them.
[video][/video]
Progression, missions, game balance, and mechanics have been revisited, polished, and rebalanced repeatedly. The same goes for nearly every UI and text element.
The base originally felt too clean and empty. Over time, it became more lived-in and believable, and proved that its structure is actually very convenient. The largest and most complex map, Pechorsk Outskirts, was added in our latest major update. All original locations received significant visual and gameplay upgrades across multiple iterations. The day-night cycle was balanced, making time of day more noticeable. Anomalies became more visually distinct, enemies more grounded, and their behavior more natural. Distortion Zones, ash structures, and breakable human figures were added to many areas.
[video][/video]
Three Fragment variants, an additional Creep, and a new “Hedgehog” anomaly version were introduced after the initial EA launch.
[video][/video]
Co-op mode spent some time in beta and was initially rough for many players. Later, it became much more stable and now includes a proximity voice chat that’s gradually factoring in the environments of both players.
Overall, the game became more stable, user-friendly, and better optimized, with noticeable performance gains. Of course more work is yet to be done.
We’re proud of how the game has evolved this past year, and we’re not slowing down…
[h2]What We’re Working On Now[/h2]
We believe the core gameplay of ITR2 is now strong enough to deliver dozens of hours of playtime. Our next big goal is expanding and improving on these systems and features, setting the stage for a proper 1.0 version. One with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Right after wrapping up the loadout customization system, we began designing a similar system for weapon customization. We’ve wanted to do this for a while, but struggled to find a solution that was both well-designed and feasible. Now, with the loadout system in place, we have a technical base to build from. The vision is clear, the design documentation is done, and implementation is underway.
In parallel, we’re working on several new guns, including the long-awaited Mosin-Nagant rifle.
A new, advanced artifact detector is also in development. It will let you reveal invisible artifact nests, bringing back the full functionality of the ITR1 detector. This opens up room for future iterations.
We’re also creating new Committee equipment to diversify mission objectives, as well as a batch of new anomalous items to collect in the Radius.
Work continues on polishing and optimizing Pechorsk Outskirts. These improvements benefit both the PC VR version and the ongoing Meta Quest port of this massive location. We’re also revisiting key points of other maps to improve gameplay flow and visual quality, adding more props and environmental details along the way.
At the same time, we’ve started working on the game’s narrative. This includes systems and elements not found in ITR1. It’s too early to say whether any of these will be included in the next update, some story content just doesn’t make sense to release in small pieces.
The next major update is scheduled for September~October. As usual, we hope to release a beta version beforehand, but no sooner than mid-August.
[h2]What’s Next[/h2]
While current development continues, we’ve also started planning and prototyping the remaining features and content for the full 1.0 release.
Here’s what we currently expect to include in version 1.0:
- Expanded mission system
- A small final location
- Lore materials
- A full story with a beginning and end, including unique missions
- New firearms
- More anomalies and enemy types
- Improved destructible figures
- Reworked artifact system
- Interactive props and openable doors, hatches, and drawers
- Higher overall optimization
- More stable co-op mode
We’ll share more about these features in future dev diaries. Of course, keep in mind that these are our current plans and they can change.
[h2]What We’re Not Doing Before 1.0[/h2]
To be clear, here’s what we definitely won’t start working on until the full release:
- Localization. Not worth doing until the story is finalized.
- 4-player co-op. Might be possible for PC VR, but won’t happen on Quest due to technical limitations.
- Ports for other platforms. Maintaining two major VR platforms during Early Access is already a full workload for our team.
- Mod support. This isn’t viable while the game is still in active development (updates, system changes, etc).
We’re aiming to release version 1.0 around the middle of next year and will share more precise dates ahead of time.
Thank you for supporting us and being a part of this journey through Early Access. See you in the Radius!
[h3]Latest Diary Entries[/h3]
🔸 The Ghost Town Update and more
🔸 The Tips & Tricks
🔸 The End of the Year
[h3]Socials[/h3]
🔹 Follow on X
🔹 Join our Discord
🔹 Join our Subreddit