Mil-Sim Shooter ‘Onward’ Unveils First Significant Update Following Year-Long Anticipation

The tactical mil-sim shooter Onward, developed by Downpour Interactive and owned by Meta, is on the verge of a significant transformation with its much-anticipated 2.0 update. Fans have been waiting quite a while for this, as the last major update came nearly a year ago.

Despite the quiet period since the studio’s substantial ‘Mercenary’ update in February 2024—which rolled out a new PVE mode and some graphic tweaks—it’s clear Onward is far from forgotten. Downpour Interactive is now gearing up to release the 2.0 update, and according to Meta’s recent blog post, it’s shaping up to be “the biggest update ever” for the game, loaded with a wealth of new content.

Players can look forward to a “massive graphical overhaul” that will refresh the appearance of weapons and utilities. There’s also an exciting addition of an Operator system featuring 20 new characters, along with fresh map content. Although more details on the update are still under wraps, Meta assures enthusiasts that more information will be available “very soon.”

This update comes in the wake of challenging times for the gaming industry, including widespread layoffs at Downpour Interactive in 2023. The company also saw the departure of its founder and CEO, Dante Buckley, who established the studio in 2015, just a month before these layoffs occurred.

First launched in Early Access on Steam in 2016 and later making its debut on the original Oculus Quest in 2020, Onward has always been recognized for its dedication to realistic, squad-based gameplay and its meticulous attention to detail in replicating real-world firearms.

For those eager to dive into Onward, it’s available on the Horizon Store for Quest 2 and newer models, as well as on Steam for PC VR headsets, where it consistently holds a price tag of $25.