Nearly 500k players showed up for the Wardogs beta: ‘The reaction from the FPS community has been insane’
Wardogs, a 100-player milsim FPS developed by Bulkhead, demonstrated strong community enthusiasm during its recent closed beta. The test attracted nearly 500,000 players total, peaking at over 100,000 concurrent Steam players on Sunday—exceeding simultaneous player records for established titles like Squad, Hell Let Loose, and Arma on PC.
The strong turnout reflects sustained interest in Wardogs, which has accumulated over one million wishlists on Steam while building momentum over the past year. Beta access was limited to pre-order customers of the $40 early access release.
Game director Howard Philpott acknowledged the exceptional reception in a beta debrief video published today, stating that “the reaction from the FPS community has been insane.” The impressive player engagement suggests the game has successfully connected with its target audience of tactical shooter enthusiasts seeking large-scale, squad-focused gameplay experiences.
The result represents a significant milestone for Bulkhead, signaling potential for Wardogs to establish itself as a compelling option in the competitive milsim FPS space. These beta metrics demonstrate measurable demand for the type of complex, community-driven gameplay the title offers, positioning it favorably as it advances toward wider early access release.