The upcoming PvEvP shooter Scavengers promises a completely new approach to the genre. Co-founder and CEO of Midwinter Entertainment, Josh Holmes, talks in an interview with MeinMMO about the strengths of the new shooter and reveals when you can try it yourself.
What is Scavengers? Scavengers is built around a gameplay model that is still relatively unexplored: PvEvP. Up to 60 players engage in rounds of about 30 minutes length in teams of three, against and with each other.
Scavengers combines elements from classic shooters, Battle Royale, survival games, and coop gameplay into a whole new type of game. While you fight against other players, you can’t win a round alone.
As part of Find Your Next Game we asked the head Josh Holmes a few questions about Scavengers. He spoke with us about what makes Scavengers so special, what you can expect in the game, and when you can play it yourself.
Battle Royale, Survival, Coop – A bit of everything
What is Scavengers about? The new shooter takes place in a post-apocalyptic scenario where the moon has been destroyed. The earth is hardly habitable and an AI named “Mother” now collects resources and data from the orbit of the earth.
You play the clone of one of the “Explorers” sent to earth to gather this data. Where this all leads has not yet been revealed.
What makes Scavengers so special? A round starts as usual in a Battle Royale, where you land and first search for weapons and supplies. However, you do not hunt other players, but NPCs.
Scavengers offers a points system for which you have to complete certain tasks, such as cleaning an area of NPC enemies and collecting crystals. Additionally, Scavengers offers:
- a cold mechanic that you must survive
- stamina that is regained through food
- crafting and leveling in a round to create special weapons and gear
- playable heroes with unique abilities and weapons to cater to every playstyle and allow for different team combinations
When I played Scavengers, it felt like a “Fortnite for older people” – slower and more strategic than the classic Battle Royale. Pleasant for players whose reflexes can no longer keep up with those of youth, but who still want to win.
Through the various mechanics, players are not only dependent on handling their weapon but also on proper planning and timing. The survival aspect adds an exciting component that requires survival against the world itself.
Scavengers in Interview – Early Access starts in 2021
MeinMMO: First of all: When will we be able to play Scavengers ourselves and on which platforms?
Josh Holmes: We recently announced a new playtest that will take place in March on PC. Our initial developer focus is on PC – which is why it was also our preferred platform for previous playtests – but Scavengers will also come to consoles: Xbox One and PlayStation 4, at a later time. We look forward to inviting console players into our world.
MeinMMO: How long will the Early Access last and how can I participate?
Josh Holmes: We do not have a fixed date yet for when Scavengers will go into Early Access or how long it will last, but we aim to start early this year [2021]. Players who have registered on playscavengers.com will get access to Early Access. Keep an eye out for more info about Early Access.
Explorers and Gameplay – What makes Scavengers special
MeinMMO: Scavengers already looks really good. From the tests to release, which mechanics and features will change the most and how?
Josh Holmes: One of the most interesting aspects is the match flow, which has developed significantly since we began testing the game. Our match structure has always been built around escalating tension, pulling players toward the endpoint. In the case of Scavengers, this endpoint is a landing ship, where PvP, PvE, and a race to victory unite into a massive, electrifying crescendo.
We’ve studied player behavior during our many tests and discovered that many of the playstyles and strategies that players show are not supported in the way we envisioned the final moments of a match.
Players were either forced to rush to the ship to secure their escape, or they had to dive into wild PvP. That seemed contrary to what we aimed to encourage players to do and how to approach the rest of the match. To remedy this, we opened up the landing ship and transformed it into a medium-sized arena, allowing PvP players to fight each other. At the same time, PvP-averse players can use their strengths to safely evacuate without unnecessarily engaging with rival groups that are fighting it out for the result.
We found that this creates a somewhat more balanced endpoint without sacrificing any of the tension or the feeling of fulfillment from those final moments. For the upcoming playtests, we will refine this and other aspects through player feedback.
MeinMMO: The unique explorers are a great feature. How many playable characters do you have planned? Can you describe one in more detail?
Josh Holmes: The design of our explorers is another aspect that has evolved significantly over the last few years, both in terms of appearance and gameplay. We are a small studio, and our team embodies a wide range of different backgrounds, interests, and preferred playstyles. We try to reflect that in how we create each of the explorers – not only to be distinguishable and have their own personality on the battlefield, but also to represent a more global perspective.
As for new explorers, these details are currently a closely guarded secret. But we will have new explorers that we will periodically introduce. In fact, observant viewers may have already spotted a significant hint that we showcased in the past.
MeinMMO: Will you continue to expand the explorer feature, perhaps by giving them additional unique abilities?
Josh Holmes: We developed Scavengers as a strategic survival sandbox. Staying true to that vision means giving players the tools to adopt a variety of different approaches when facing the challenges of the frozen wasteland.
In addition to the variety of weapons and items you find through looting, each explorer comes with their own weapon, abilities, and talents. These differences are key to unlocking more strategic depth in gameplay, both for individual players and teams.
“Everything is unlockable without spending money”
MeinMMO: You mentioned earlier that you would have a season model. What content will be in the season pass and how much will it cost?
Josh Holmes: We are still working on monetization, but we have made it very clear that Scavengers will be Free2Play and that everything in the game is unlockable without spending money. We want all players to have the opportunity to achieve everything that Scavengers offers.
The secret to success: “Substance and depth”
MeinMMO: What game modes do you have planned? Are there different group or lobby sizes, different maps or quests?
Josh Holmes: We are very focused on our core mode that we have been testing for over a year now. However, we are always discussing how different team compositions and player modes can contribute interesting dynamics to the experience. But we know that a selection of different modes does not guarantee longevity in an online multiplayer environment.
It is important that we ensure substance and depth in our gameplay so that we can engage players for more than just a few matches. We will build on that. That is why our tests – with gradually increasing player counts – have been so vital over the past year in helping us refine our vision for Scavengers.
MeinMMO: Will there be skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) or even a ranked mode?
Josh Holmes: We want to provide players with a variety of ways to measure, track, and show their skill and ability with the game. We will soon share more information about this with the community, so stay tuned.
MeinMMO: How will the weapon balancing look? Battle Royales like Warzone are currently struggling with OP weapons – what will you do about it?
Josh Holmes: Well, we have the advantage of not having to pack multiple game titles and their unique weapons with their balancing into one multiplayer experience. But that is a serious issue and something we pay constant attention to. Playtests have also been key here. We analyze player data, take community feedback into account, and we iterate and adjust to deliver a balanced player experience. We will continue to do this as we introduce new characters, weapons, and abilities in the future to ensure that our community is never caught off guard by changes to their experience.
MeinMMO: What kind of anti-cheat mechanics will you have?
Josh Holmes: We use many approaches in Scavengers to detect and prevent cheating. There is no magic bullet or easy solution. This is an ongoing battle that requires continuous effort to identify new patterns and exploits. As developers, we will respond quickly and patch any known vulnerabilities. We will take every opportunity to remove cheaters from our community.
MeinMMO: Thank you for the conversation.
Promising, but still unpolished
As I already mentioned in my first playtest of Scavengers, I believe that the game has strong potential. The gameplay is unique and fun, but it will probably only appeal to a certain group of players, not the general masses.
Explorers, crafting, and survival are cool elements that enhance the basic battle royale framework and make it more exciting for me than most competitors.
What Josh Holmes has planned for the future sounds good already, but also suggests a lot of work. Apparently, Scavengers is not as finished as it looks, and a lot could still change – hopefully for the better.
If the monetization goes well and the developers build on the strengths of the game, I see strong chances that Scavengers will hold its ground for a long time, even with a smaller player base (compared to titans like Warzone). Overall: an interesting alternative to established shooters with charming quirks.
Benedict Grothaus
Freelance author at MeinMMO
The developers released a summary of the last beta on January 19 (via playscavengers). They mention that Scavengers has been very well received by testers and announce the next beta for March 2021.
If you like the setting and are looking for other games with a similar setting, you can find a selection of other post-apocalyptic games in our list of the best post-apocalyptic games 2021 for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox that can satisfy your hunger until the release of Scavengers.
