Developer Hopoo Games and publisher Gearbox announced the release date today, pinning a nice bow on the game’s long-running content roadmap. The launch update will introduce a new playable Survivor, a new moon stage complete with a proper final boss, and another scattering of monsters, items, and skill variants. There’s also a server browser incoming which should make multiplayer more navigable. 

The final boss is arguably the biggest part of the update since it will turn Risk of Rain 2 into something you can actionably complete rather than a limitless endurance test. Assuming the final boss works like the one in the original game, players will still be able to play for as long as they like before finishing a run, but it’ll be nice to have a big climactic battle to finish it off. 

Then there’s the new Survivor, the Captain, who won a community poll back in April. Here’s how Hopoo describes his abilities: “The Captain controls the battlefield with utility and damage – with help from the Survivors’ orbiting dropship, the UES Safe Travels. He wields a shotgun-rifle combo that narrows the spread as it charges and can stun targets. The Captain can also leverage his high-ranking authority to request probes and beacons from orbit to either provide armor or a healing zone for him and his allies.” 

With the release of the launch update, Risk of Rain 2 will jump from $19.99 to $24.99 on PC (it will seemingly stay at $29.99 on consoles). It’s still a steal at $24.99, but hey, you might as well save the money if you can. And if you buy now, you might be able to work through half of the existing content by August 11.

As we said earlier this year, (opens in new tab) Risk of Rain 2 was already one of the best co-op games available when it launched late last year, and it’s only gotten better since thanks to exciting new characters and modes.

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The follow-up to 2013’s Risk of Rain sees a change from 2d to 3d gameplay, but otherwise carries over the same basic formula: solo players and teams explore, loot, and battle progressively more challenging enemies through the game’s lush alien environments. 

A separate announcement on PlayStation.Blog (opens in new tab) described the experience as such, “As one of a cast of sci-fi survivors, drop onto a beautiful but foreboding planet and blast your way to an escape. Enemies, loot, and mysteries abound in this multiplayer roguelike that’s absolutely stuffed to the seams with places to see, items to unlock, and baddies to blow up. Grab some friends in four player online co-op, stack up some items, and try to survive the wildlife.”

We’ve known since June that Risk of Rain 2 was making its way over to the Switch (opens in new tab), and its surprise release just barely qualifies the developer’s projected “Summer” release on Switch. What we weren’t expecting was that it would also release on PS4 and Xbox One at the same time. Hey, we’re not complaining.

It would do newcomers to Risk of Rain 2 well to check out our guides on Risk of Rain 2 items (opens in new tab) and character unlocks (opens in new tab).

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Now, Risk of Rain 2 is getting its first content update since it launched earlier this year on March 28. Scorched Acres includes a new character, Rex, that is completely different from the other playable characters, some of which were carried over from the first game.

The first Risk of Rain 2 content update, Scorched Acres, will be available on June 25th to everyone in Early Access!https://t.co/gjBpFIBo5M pic.twitter.com/ImICjMcnK4June 21, 2019

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Hopoo Games laid out a road map with four updates before Risk of Rain 2 leaves Early Access next year and Scorched Acres is the first of them. They said this June update should include a new survivor, stage, boss, items, and equipment.

If you’re new to Risk of Rain, here’s a bit from the Steam (opens in new tab) page that sums the game up well.

“The classic multiplayer roguelike, Risk of Rain, returns with an extra dimension and more challenging action. No run will ever be the same with randomized stages, enemies, bosses, and items. Play solo, or team up with up to four friends to fight your way through hordes of monsters, unlock new loot, and find a way to escape the planet.”

We don’t know much else about the expansion at this point, but Hopoo games did promise a full breakdown once the update launches next week.

Looking for some more indies to get excited about? Check out the best indie games we saw while at E3 2019. (opens in new tab)

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