Hunt: Showdown 1896 – Everything We Know

It’s been a little over six years since Crytek launched Hunt: Shutdown. Crytek now welcomes you to venture deep into Hunt: Showdown 1896, a Colorado-themed map running on the new CryEngine 5.11. The map goes with the official name Mammon’s Gulch. It introduces Hunt: Showdown fans to a whole new era of Hunt in the rocky mountain biome set in Colorado. Mammon’s Gulch will, for the first time, move you out of the swamps in Louisiana and take you to the sprawling mountains of Colorado. The game has yet to be released, but here’s everything we know about Hunt: Showdown 1896. 

What is Hunt: Showdown 1896 

Hunt: Showdown 1896 is the new upgrade to the current Hunt: Showdown, a first-person PvP bounty hunter game by Crytek. While players were aware of its release, Crytek had yet to reveal its name. This free upgrade is called Mammon’s Gulch. It features a new map set in an alt-reality Colorado Mountains. The upgrade will give players up to 16 unique compounds, providing you with a new playthrough experience. It’s upgraded to CryEngine 5.11 to offer stunning graphics and performance. 

Story

In the base game, players assume the role of a bounty hunter. It’s in 1895 in an alternate history of our world where paranormal events happen frequently. As the Hunter, you must combat supernatural entities, otherwise known to regular people as ghosts or demons. In this game, the Louisiana Event is among the most paranormal occurrences. It’s distinct from others because it involves multiple entities over its course. 

In that case, several secret organizations, such as the American Hunters Association (AHA), are dedicated to eliminating such supernatural threats . They are also trying to keep the general public oblivious to their existence. So, during the Louisiana Event, all Hunters take an inoculation serum. The serum is designed to protect them from the influence of a powerful entity called The Sculptor. 

Over time, AHA disbands, resulting in the creation of multiple factions or Pacts that battle against each other in the Bayou. Each Pact has its own objective and perspective of the event. The game’s lore is told through different manuscripts, documents, and letters dating back to the Louisiana Event. While these documents tell stories of events in the Bayou, not all are reliable. Several unreliable narratives offer different perspectives on the corruption and the Hunters’ attempt to combat that corruption. 

The Book of Monsters and Book of Weapons, combined by a modern-day researcher, aim to understand the 1895 Lousian events. As such, some lore entries include notes and commentary from the modern-day researcher. They offer theories, judgments, and interpretations about the contents of these documents. So, as the Hunter, you’ll be hunting down one of the five bosses to claim the bounty. Successfully expel these creatures from our world, and you’ll be rewarded handsomely. 

Gameplay

Just like in the base game, the upcoming map is a first-person shooter with two distinct modes of play. Hunt: Shutdown 1896 features a competitive gameplay that combines player vs. player (PvP) and player environment (PvE) elements. In Hunt: Showdown 1896, your life and character are always at risk. 

Each match starts with five teams of two players per team. So, each team embarks on a mission to hunt down monstrous targets. Once your team defeats a target, you earn a bounty. This bounty will make you a visible target to all other Hunters left on the map. In that case, you must stay vigilant because other teams will try to ambush and kill you and walk away with your bounty. While higher risks come with high rewards in this game, a single mistake can be fatal. 

Development 

Hunt: Shutdown 1896 is the same size as all the previous maps. However, it’s more enhanced in terms of level design and depth. Crytek designed it based on players’ feedback. It features steep mountains with paths that are higher than those in the base game’s first three maps. 

Below the Mammon’s Gluch are two bat-infested mineshafts. These mineshafts have winding tunnels that link various compounds, creating excellent opportunities for strategic gameplay and ambushes. As stated earlier, the maps feature 16 unique compounds upgraded by CryEngine 5.11. 

So, you will enjoy enhanced visual quality, animations, lighting, texture, and audio quality. The upgrade will allow players on the current-generation consoles to enjoy Hunt: Shutdown game in 4K resolution and 60FPS support. According to its director, Mammon’s Gulch feels completely different from any of their previous maps. It’s the most polished map ever shipped by Crytek. 

Trailer 

The official cinematic trailer for Mammon’s Gulch map is available on YouTube. From the video, you can see the upgrades announced by Crytek. The trailer begins by showing rich woodlands, untouched mountain peaks, and riches that could define a generation. It appears everything has been taken from this land. The wells are dry, and rot and corruption bloom in this land. Mines yield darkness and suffering. So, Hunters or killers like you keep coming, as shown in the trailer. 

The video ends by welcoming you to Mammon’s Gulch, a once verdant landscape of green forests that now mimics its monstrous inhabitants. This landscape will soon become the newest battlefield for you. 

Release and Platforms 

Crytek will release Hunt: Shutdown 1896 on 15th August 2024. The game will be available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. The upgrade will not be available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. However, the good news is that all console players will automatically receive an upgrade at no extra cost. 

Moreover, all purchases and progress will carry over to the current-generation consoles. The upgrade will feature all the best elements from the previous maps. It comes with stunning waterfalls, farms, “new threats,” a mining town to explore, and a Hunting lodge.

So, what’s your take on the upcoming Hunt: Shutdown 1896? Do you think the new installment will perform better than the base game? Let us know your thoughts here on our socials or down in the comments.