Is Way of the Hunter 2 Worth It at Launch? The Numbers
Reception checked:
What players like
- ✅ The two reserves look and sound far better than the first game; console players on Reddit call base-PS5 performance impressive
- ✅ Animals can be stalked rather than spooking at the first step, a common comparison with the first game
- ✅ Herd management, habitat repairs and procedurally generated antlers give a long-term goal beyond single kills
- ✅ Two-player co-op, thermal optics, suppressors and a tracking dog are all in at 1.0
- ✅ No microtransactions; the studio has supported the first game for years
What players report
- ❌ The most-voted Steam review says penetration and ballistics feel unrealistic, a complaint repeated in several others
- ❌ Reviews report animals coming back to life, losing consciousness in water and binocular/scope FPS drops
- ❌ A $34.99 Season Pass at launch with only statues so far drew the second most-voted review
- ❌ Non-typical trophies and two promised species did not make 1.0
- ❌ No crossplay, and co-op is capped at two players
Why there is no score here
We cannot play-test every system ourselves, so we do not give a score. The verdict above is built from Steam review counts, the most-voted reviews, two Reddit threads from launch week and the studio's own list of what did not make 1.0.
Sources: Steam review summary for app 2543830 (checked October 4, 2026), the 100 most helpful English reviews, r/WayOfTheHunter launch threads, Nine Rocks Games' Road Ahead post.
The numbers, with sources
| Signal | Value | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews, all languages | Mostly Positive, 1,320 / 1,811 positive (73%) | 2026-10-04 | Steam review API |
| Steam reviews, English | 679 / 968 positive (70%) | 2026-10-04 | Steam review API |
| Players online on Steam | 1,077 at the time of checking; 1,455 peak in the first week | 2026-10-04 | Steam API / SteamDB |
| Early Access length | March 26 to September 29, 2026 (about six months) | 2026-09-29 | Nine Rocks FAQ |
| Next Fest demo | #47 most played demo of the festival | 2026-03-05 | Steam announcement |
Before you buy, check the system requirements.