With a million copies sold, realistic tactical FPS Gray Zone Warfare unveils its three-year plan

If you’re looking for a tactical FPS that you can keep coming back to for years, Gray Zone Warfare has big plans in store. Offering a more persistent-world experience than rivals such as Escape From Tarkov, Delta Force, and Arena Breakout Infinite, the team at GZW developer Madfinger Games has been dramatically bolstered by early access launch sales of more than a million copies. With that momentum at its back and hot off the news of its night combat update, Madfinger unveils a three-year roadmap for the hardcore shooter.

“We’re here for years; we’re not going anywhere,” Madfinger PR director Rick Lagnese told me at Gamescom 2024, where I had an early look at the upcoming night update. As if to reassure its player base even further, the team has now revealed its major update roadmap for the FPS game, which outlines plans through 2027. The dev notes that, while it has “heavily focused” on designing the Gray Zone Warfare roadmap, it remains a work in progress “and may be subject to change as development and community feedback evolves.”

First on the cards, then, is the aforementioned Gray Zone Warfare night update. Set for fall 2024, it dramatically shifts the tone of combat with the introduction of a dynamic day and night cycle. You can read my full preview for the in-depth details, but expect the likes of flashlights, laser sights, and realistically modeled night vision goggles. There’s even more coming to Lamang at the same time, including a wealth of quality-of-life improvements, night quests, high-tier loot drops, and improved enemy AI that should feel less like an unfair aimbot.

Next up is ‘Dark Revelations’ in spring 2025. This focuses on even deeper immersion with weather shifts including rain and storms that help bring further life to the Southeast Asian-inspired setting. It will also invite you to dig into “the island’s dark revelations and the events that shaped its current state,” promising more clues into the mystery of life in Lamang prior to the arrival of the PMCs.

Planned for fall 2025, ‘Elite Operator’ is all about “skill, precision, and the pursuit of mastery.” It will look to reward your proficiency in combat with certifications reflecting your skills. Lagnese tells me these won’t simply be earned by using weapons a lot, but being good with them, allowing other players to see when they’re dealing with a true professional at work. You’ll also be able to seize and hold camps, but will have to defend them against rival factions.

In spring 2026, ‘Battle Forge’ will bring more involved crafting, allowing you to gather resources and hone your techniques to “forge the tools essential for overcoming challenges.” After that comes ‘Shadow Strike’ in fall 2026, which as the name suggests will focus on undercover warfare, stealth tactics, and covert operations. ‘Rising Tensions’ is planned for spring 2027, and will see the faction system amplified. Can you influence and control the groups that span Lamang to turn the balance of power in your favor?

Ultimately, this all leads to the big mystery of Gray Zone Warfare – Lamang’s Ground Zero. Currently, this large region is essentially inaccessible due to the high radiation levels, but it promises to be the home for the shooter’s endgame when version 1.0 arrives. “This epic finale is the culmination of all lore and PMC activities, where every strategy, battle, and secret converges,” Madfinger writes. “Ground Zero isn’t just a destination—it’s the climax of a journey shaped by every faction’s efforts and the mysteries you’ve uncovered along the way.”

There’s certainly plenty to look forward to, then. Madfinger estimates that it has “only 20% of the design complete” in the current iteration of Gray Zone Warfare. During our Gamescom talk, Lagnese notes that there are no plans for paid DLC, but says that the game might increase in price eventually as more content rolls out. For now, you can get Gray Zone Warfare for $34.99 / £29.50 on Steam. Just head here to do so.

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