Warhammer 40K: Darktide "fell short", so the devs are delaying cosmetics and Xbox ports while they fix the game

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Darktide content's on pause while big fixes get underway

Warhammer 40k: Darktide
(Image credit: Fatshark)

After a disappointing launch, the Warhammer 40,000: Darktide devs are delaying seasonal content, new premium cosmetics, and Xbox ports while they work on more fundamental improvements to the game.

"We take enormous pride in our ability at Fatshark to deliver a game that millions can enjoy," CEO Martin Wahlund says in a statement to fans. "This was what we set out to do with Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - to create a highly engaging and stable game with a level of depth that keeps you playing for weeks, not hours. We fell short of meeting those expectations."

When Fatshark announced that it was working on a 40k follow-up to its popular Warhammer: Vermintide games, it seemed like a surefire success. But when Darktide launched late in 2022, players were soon disappointed by a raft of technical issues, overly drawn-out progression systems, and egregious monetization.

Now, Wahlund says the team will spend the next few months addressing player feedback. The devs say they "will focus on delivering a complete crafting system, a more rewarding progression loop, and continue to work on game stability and performance optimization."

For now, that means seasonal content has been delayed and the pending release of more premium cosmetics has been suspended. The Xbox Series X|S port, which did not yet have a concrete release date, has also been delayed.

Our Darktide review gave the game a 3.5 out of 5, praising its world and combat but saying that it "currently feels more foundational than comprehensive, with the emphasis on repetition and lackluster progression systems undermining its grisly joys."

While you're awaiting Darktide updates, dig into our guide to the best co-op games out there.

Dustin Bailey
Dustin Bailey
Staff Writer

Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.