Rogue Company is a free shooter published by Hi-Rez, the publisher of Paladins and SMITE. During the “Hi-Rez Showcase” events, details about the future were presented. And they sound exciting and ambitious.
This is Rogue Company: The third-person shooter started an open beta in October 2020 and focuses on fast-paced action combined with tactical gameplay. You can actively use dodge rolls and seek cover while trying to take out your enemies with your weapons and abilities.
You engage in battles with a so-called rogue. These are the heroes of the game, each with different abilities.
The shooter features various game modes in 4v4:
- Extraction: As attackers, hack the objective or prevent your opponents from doing so as defenders. If the objective is hacked or all players of a team are defeated, the round is over.
- Strikeout: Like Extraction, but each team has a specific number of tickets to revive fallen rogues. Strikeout mixes Extraction with a kind of deathmatch.
- Demolition: Classic bomb mode. One team must plant a bomb within a set time, while the other team must prevent it.
You can find an overview of the game in our detailed presentation of Rogue Company. If you only want to see gameplay, this video gives you a good insight:
How did the launch of Rogue Company go? The shooter launched directly for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC in the Epic Game Store. It can also now be played on next-gen consoles. Rogue Company offers crossplay between all platforms.
The launch of the game went without much fanfare, but it seemed to be well received. On Metacritic, the shooter scored 75 on PC, 76 on Xbox, and 80 on PS4. However, there were only 8 reviews across all platforms, which skews the value somewhat.
According to the developers, there were over 15 million players who checked out Rogue Company in 2020.
In the meantime, there is some criticism in the subreddit for the game because there have been hardly any updates and information about the future of the game so far. But that has now changed.
New 2v2 mode and launch of Season 1 with new rogues
At the “Hi-Rez Showcase,” new details regarding the future of Rogue Company were revealed. This included both the upcoming weeks and the general vision for the future.
What will happen in the coming weeks? Next week, from January 11 to 15, a new 2v2 Wingman mode will be released. This is a classic deathmatch on a small map.
At the beginning of February, the first season of the game is set to start. It brings:
- The new rogue Kestrel
- A reset for ranked
- A battle pass with 50 levels and free as well as premium content. The latter is available for real money, and is said to only include cosmetic content.
In the middle of the first season, there will be another update. Another rogue and the new map Hollows are expected to be released then.
This is the new rogue Kestrel
Kestrel will be a duelist. She is a bit older and had actually left her career as a rogue behind. Instead, she has recently focused on her own fashion company.
But now she has been called back by the company and is once again fully involved in the action.
Her special ability consists of drones that are located on her shoulders. These can also fire missiles, assisting her in combat.
Those who want to play Kestrel can earn her through in-game currency or buy her directly for real money, similar to how it works in the MOBA LoL.
Hi-Rez is also offering a Year 1 Pass, which includes Kestrel, the other rogues of the year, special skins, and real money currency. The pass costs 25 dollars.
Rankings will be reset and recalculated
Another major innovation with Season 1 is the reset of the rankings. In the new season, everyone can rank up after 10 placement matches:
- Bronze
- Silver
- Gold
- Platinum
- Diamond
- Master
- Rogue
All ranks have 5 divisions, from Bronze 5 to Bronze 1, before you rank up to the new rank. The only exception here is Rogue. This rank is expected to be achievable by only a few percent of players in a season.
Additionally, those who wish to participate in the ranked matches must reach level 30 in Rogue Company first.
8 new characters and regular seasons
What does the general future of Rogue Company look like? Overall, the developers plan to hold a new season every 3 months. This will bring balance adjustments and new content, including new maps, events, and rogues.
With each season, 2 new characters are set to release – one at the start, one in a mid-season patch. Therefore, 8 new heroes are planned for the shooter in 2021.
What do you think of Rogue Company so far? Have you tried it, or has this article piqued your interest? Let us know in the comments.
If you’re also looking for more multiplayer shooters, you’ll find a list of the best free shooters in 2021 here.
