Hunt Showdown 1896 Sees New Player High While Being Criticized for New UI

Hunt Showdown has undergone its most extensive and transformative update yet, introducing a range of changes from a new engine to an entirely new map, and more. The overhaul was so significant that the developers decided to rename the game to Hunt Showdown 1896. The update was well-received by fans, leading to a significant surge in the game’s all-time high player count.

However, as with any major update, there have been some growing pains. Fans have raised several concerns, with the most prominent being issues with the new UI. This has led to a mixed reception, with some negative reviews focused on the UI changes, though overall, the update has been positively received. Let's dive into the details below.

Hunt Showdown 1896 Sees New Player High While Being Criticized for New UI

Hunt Showdown, now rebranded as Hunt Showdown 1896, has undergone a comprehensive overhaul, introducing a wide array of changes from the ground up. These include a switch to the latest version of CRYENGINE, graphic enhancements, new weapons, and the addition of a new map called Mammon’s Gulch. While our full release breakdown covers all these changes in detail, the gist is that this new iteration of Hunt offers plenty for players to explore.

Fans seem to agree, as the game has reached its highest concurrent player count ever, with SteamDB confirming a peak of 60,124 players on release. This is a significant increase from its previous peak, and it’s easy to see why, given the wealth of new features and the brand-new map available for players to dive into.

However, there’s been some criticism, particularly regarding the new UI. Many players have expressed their dissatisfaction, as reflected in recent Steam comments. One user, Dave, remarked, “The UI is [absolutely] terrible though; they need to fix it. It's a complete step backward from a UI that was already a bit awkward to use.” Another user, Nitocris, added, “Nah, y’all should feel embarrassed about this new UI. I legit refuse to believe you play-tested it. Why is it all so BIG? The buttons make no sense too.”

This has led to a wave of "mostly negative" reviews on Steam, though the overall rating remains "mostly positive." On the other hand, some fans feel that the focus on the UI is overshadowing the many things the game got right. Reddit user Redwood-Lynx expressed this sentiment, saying, "I've never seen such a bizarre reaction to so much amazing content. There has to be some kind of PC cultural quirk I'm unaware of - being this aggrieved about MENUS is so beyond this old-timer's understanding.

They go on to ask "Did any of you [actually] play the game part? Does no one want to discuss the new weapons, the new boss, the new map, the new traits, the new balance changes, ANY OF IT? No, you just want to review-bomb the greatest shooter of the last decade into oblivion because daddy gave your little console brother more attention."

Of course, there are valid criticisms regarding the new UI - some elements are indeed visually unappealing, and navigating certain parts, like the consumables and weapons screens, can be cumbersome. However, Crytek has already addressed these concerns (video linked above), assuring players that improvements are on the way.

We believe that while the UI has room for improvement, it doesn’t detract too much from the overall experience that the developers have finely crafted for us in 1896. Hunt Showdown continues to stand tall as one of the kings of the extraction shooter genre, and we’re confident that the game will keep shining as these issues are addressed.