Dungeon Stalkers News

[p]Hello Stalkers,[/p][p][/p][p]Due to an unforeseen issue, we regrettably have to delay the test open time by 2 hours. [/p][p]The new playtest time is the following. [/p][p]June 25 1PM KST ~ July 1, 5PM KST. [/p][p]We apologize for the inconvenience and will let everyone know if there are any changes. [/p][p]Thank you.[/p]

Hello Stalkers!

The Final Test of Dungeon Stalkers is approaching on June 25, 2025.
As we prepare for this final phase, we would like to reflect on the previous issues and concerns surrounding Dungeon Stalkers, share our internal deliberations, and explain the direction we’ve taken in development.
________________________________________

[h2]1. Controversy over Genre Similarities and Lack of Originality[/h2]


After the third test in August 2024, our development team redefined the game as a "light extraction" genre to enhance its competitiveness and sustainability.
Rather than launching as a fast follower of the existing genre, we prioritized adapting to the shifting market trends. Compared to when we first began development, the current gaming landscape places significantly more value on players' time and emphasizes solo-focused gameplay. One failed escape led to a more severe punishment than ever.
We've seen many excellent games strictly follow genre norms but ultimately fail to overcome these market challenges. So we knew we had to evolve.
In our efforts to survive and stand out, we adopted the term "light extraction" as a unique identity.
An example of us taking this new direction is how we simplified the game into three main modes:

• Quick Match Mode (a casual competitive mode without equipment loss)
  
• Ranked Mode (high risk, high reward)
  
• Adventure Mode (PvE-focused co-op exploration)
  

Each mode supports different playstyles:

[h3]Quick Match (3-player / solo)[/h3]

This PvEvP mode protects equipped gear and is designed to offer a lighter, more accessible extraction experience.
There are no shrinking zones and fixed escape routes are available, reducing pressure around survival and escape. Players can focus on fast-paced, aggressive gameplay, and even if they fail to escape, it’s easy to jump into the next match.

[h3]Ranked Match (3-player)[/h3]

This PvEvP mode does not protect your equipment, embracing the intense tension unique to extraction games.
It offers higher-tier rewards, but with stronger monsters, shrinking zones, and no fixed escape routes.
This mode is deliberately designed to challenge player expectations and push their resource limits.
Survival is tough, and escape failure is common—ideal for players seeking tense, high-stakes looting and decision-making.

[h3]Adventure Mode[/h3]

A PvE-only mode with no hostile players.
It’s meant to offer satisfaction through combat with monsters and dungeon exploration, with rewards slowly accumulating in your stash.
Once players are familiar with the monsters, the stress level is minimal—making it perfect for those who want a relaxing end to the day, exploring dungeons with charming Stalkers and filling their bags with loot.
Most content is available through this mode, and PvP is never forced by the system or content.

[h2]2. Balance[/h2]

Balance encompasses many intertwined issues.
Key problems we tackled:

• Melee characters had lower survivability compared to ranged ones.
  
• Random equipment options had too much impact.
  
• Matchmaking did not account for equipment strength, often pairing under-geared players against opponents with absurdly powerful gear, leading to unfair and frustrating losses.
  

[h3]Difficulty Adjustments[/h3]
We rebalanced class skills and monster difficulty, and added armor repair items to improve melee character survivability.

[h3]Matchmaking Improvements[/h3]
We introduced MMR (matchmaking rating) and gear score, enabling tier-based matchmaking to ensure more balanced pairings.

[h3]Future Plans[/h3]
We plan to further tune Ranked Mode difficulty and add a teaming penalty system.

[h2]3. Farming and Reward Satisfaction[/h2]

Previously, item variety was lacking, and there were no "jackpot" high-value items.
Low-tier treasure items were basically dead weight in your inventory.
Through improvements, we’ve added:

• Valuable items that you would want to keep in your safe bag
  
• High-grade crafting materials
  
• Rare monster collectibles
  
• Fixed structural issues with treasure items, enhancing their relative value
  

[h3]Farming Variety[/h3]

More content = more item types: legendary crafting materials, rare resources, collectibles, treasures, etc.
We've focused on diversifying the decision-making around what to take in your limited inventory space.


[h3]Treasure Item System Overhaul[/h3]

Treasure items now stack by rarity, allowing more efficient use of inventory slots.
Even low-rarity treasures can be collected in bulk to achieve high value.


[h3]Adventure Coins[/h3]

A new universal currency earned through any form of gameplay.
They can be spent on rune systems, seasonal content rewards, and eventually to purchase Stalkers themselves.


[h3]Blueprints[/h3]

Unresetting seasonal rewards called Blueprints were added as a final seasonal goal.
We’re developing content that allows players to craft legendary items with these, especially during Early Access.
A few of these crafting experiences will be available during the Final Test.

[h2]4. Server and Technical Issues[/h2]

To address the technical issues reported in previous tests, we took several actions:

[h3]Anti-Cheat & Lag[/h3]

We enhanced our anti-cheat solution and server-side validation to reduce both lag and cheating.


[h3]Kill Cam & Reporting[/h3]

Kill cam and a connected reporting system were added to help trace and remove cheaters.
We plan to improve this with a more advanced ban/report system in the future.

[h2]5. UI/UX & New Player Accessibility[/h2]

We overhauled the entire UI and made broad UX improvements.
You’ll be able to experience the updated interface in the Final Test.

[h3]Future Plans[/h3]

Post-Final Test, we’ll update the lobby scene and in-game HUD.


[h2]6. Character Design Issue[/h2]

We remain open-minded on how to best express the appeal of our characters and are committed to not repeating past mistakes.
We are sincerely sorry to all the users who supported us, and we understand it won’t be easy to regain your trust.
We ask that you continue to watch our new Stalkers and costumes—and keep giving us feedback and criticism to help us stay on track.

[h3]Body Shape Adjustments[/h3]

Hilda has been modified, with bigger proportions to fit a bigger torso size.




[h3]Costumes[/h3]

We’ve added a variety of new costumes, with more planned.

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It’s been a long time since we last showcased the game.
Looking back, Dungeon Stalkers had many flaws and failed to carve out a competitive edge in the market.
Without refining the game over time, we would have remained just a faint star among countless outstanding titles from talented studios.
Thanks to long, dedicated efforts, Dungeon Stalkers is still far from perfect, but it has finally taken shape—enough to show itself to all of you.
Through the Final Test and Early Access, the game will continue to grow in a clearer direction, shaped by your feedback.
We hope you’ll join us on that journey.
We look forward to meeting you in the dungeon.
Thank you.

Hello, this is the Dungeon Stalkers development team.

The final test before Early Access is finally here!
In this test, we’ve significantly improved inconvenient systems and balance based on the data collected from previous tests — while preserving the fun elements of the game.
Additionally, two new Stalkers(Lian and Shinobu) will be available to play.

Final Test Schedule
KST/JST: June 25, 2025 (Wed) 11:00 AM – July 1, 2025 (Tue) 10:59 AM
PDT: June 24, 2025 (Tue) 7:00 PM – June 30, 2025 (Mon) 6:59 PM
*Please note that the schedule may change depending on internal circumstances.

This final test can be accessed through the Dungeon Stalkers Playtest app.
If you do not see the Dungeon Stalkers Playtest app:
Go to [Steam Library] → [Search] → Type "Dungeon Stalkers Playtest" → Install → [Launch]

See you all in the dungeon!

Dungeon Stalkers is currently in the final stages of development for the final testing. We are putting every effort into delivering the best possible gaming experience. Below is a gameplay video from the latest internal build being tested by our developers.

To everyone who has been waiting for Dungeon Stalkers, we extend our sincere gratitude. We apologize for the relatively quiet development period, but please know that we’ve been working hard to bring you a fun game. Please don’t worry and bear with us just a little longer. We’ll try to announce the exact dates for our final test before Early Access before the end of the month.

Sincerely, The Dungeon Stalkers Development Team

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Hello Stalkers!
In this time when the warm energy of 2025 is spreading, we are happy to meet the Stalkers again with a 7th Dev blog.
We sincerely thank you for your continued interest and support for Dungeon Stalkers.

In this developer’s note, rather than introducing specific features, we would like to share the current situation and future vision of the development team.



[h2]Final Test and Early Access Plan[/h2]
“After the final test, Early Access to Dungeon Stalkers will proceed immediately.”


We would like to share the future plans of Dungeon Stalkers with Stalkers who have been waiting.

Currently, the development team is preparing for the final test and is making every effort to ensure a smooth Early Access.

Through several beta tests, we have collected various feedback and have been making steady improvements based on this.After the final test, which is the last inspection stage, we plan to meet the stalkers with early access right away.

The final test will not only be a simple verification but will also serve as the final gateway to Early Access.

Currently, the exact schedule for the final test and Early Access is being internally coordinated, and we are carefully reviewing the optimal timing to present it in a highly complete state.

As soon as the schedule is confirmed, we will announce it first through official channels, so we would appreciate it if you could wait a little longer.




[h2]Current Development Status[/h2]
“The core system of the game and preparations for stable live service are entering their final stage.”


Our development team is focused on content development and stabilization, aiming for the final test and subsequent Early Access. At the same time, we are also building a solid foundation for our live service and business model.

Here are some of the key things we are working on right now:

• System and Mechanics : New Passive System, Hideout, Legendary Weapon Crafting
  
• User Experience : UI/UX Revamp, Combat Improvements
  
• Business and Live Operations : Store Setup, Season Event Planning
  

We totally get why some of you might be worried about delays with all these new additions. But, these are all core features that we planned from the very beginning, and we are now putting the finishing touches on them to make sure they are top notch.

We are doing our absolute best to address any issues and make sure Dungeon Stalkers live up to your expectations, especially after you have been so patient with us.

We believe the best way to thank you for waiting is to deliver a game that is a ton of fun and super stable.



[h2]Future Plans, Extraction-Lite[/h2]
“Dungeon Stalkers is redefining the ‘Extraction-Lite’ genre with a focus on optional risks and excitement!”


Dungeon Stalkers is aiming to be an ‘Extraction-Lite’ game, where you get to choose how much tension you want to experience.

We have toned down the super harsh penalties you find in some extraction games because we know everyone’s time is super valuable these days. We still think risk is a big part of the genre, but we want that risk to be your choice, not something you have forced into.

As we have mentioned in previous notes, Dungeon Stalkers’ PVEVP mode has two main flavors:


· Quick Match (1 Player / 3 Players)
→ If you don’t escape, you will lose the items in your bag, but you get to keep your equipped gear.

· Competitive Match (3 Players)
→ If you don’t escape, you will lose everything, including your equipment. But, the dungeons are tougher, there are zone restrictions (like a shrinking circle), and you will find much better rewards and loot.


In the future, we are planning to add instance based PVP modes to Quick Matches based on what you guys like, or maybe even things like season rankings, tiers, and special rewards to Competitive Matches.

We are also constantly thinking about expanding our PVE content beyond just combat and making sure we cater to all sorts of playstyles.



[h2]A Promise About Characters[/h2]
“We're making lots of changes to how your Stalkers look and express themselves, and we're going to give you way more options!”


We have heard your feedback about Stalker appearances and costumes loud and clear, and we are having lots of serious chats and making some bold decisions to make sure everything fits the vibe of Dungeon Stalkers.

We have made some big changes to our design direction lately, and we think you're going to be really happy with the results.

Dungeon Stalkers is aiming to have its own unique style that you won't find anywhere else, and we're planning to add tons of costumes and appearance options to fit everyone's tastes. We want you to have plenty of ways to make your Stalker truly your own!




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To conclude “We'll be back soon with a polished game that's worth the wait!”

We want to say a huge thank you to all the Stalkers who've been waiting so patiently for Dungeon Stalkers. The team is working around the clock to get you a fantastic game as soon as we can.

We can't wait to see you all in the final test and Early Access. We'll announce the exact dates on our official channels as soon as they are confirmed, so please stay tuned!

And, if you have any questions or anything you want to ask, feel free to drop them in our official community, especially on Discord. We will do our best to answer everything we can.

We're going to do everything in our power to deliver a game that's worthy of your excitement. Thanks again from the bottom of our hearts!


Sincerely,

The Dungeon Stalkers Development Team