At gamescom, the makers of PUBG announced a new multiplayer shooter. However, the first trailer didn’t really reveal what kind of game Ded.Net is. We have all the key details straight from the developers.
gamescom’s Opening Night is a fireworks display of trailers. New games, DLCs, and release dates are announced; and with most videos, players have a rough idea afterward of what kind of game is being shown.
After the reveal ofDed.Net, however, many people wondered what on earth they had just seen. That’s because the new multiplayer shooter from the makers of PUBG shows a lot of chaos in the reveal trailer but explains very little about the game’s actual gameplay. The Steam page merely states that the developers describe Ded. Net somewhat vaguely as a roguelite shooter
.
Since that didn’t make immediate sense to us either, we met with Dave Curd, Vice President of PUBG Corporation, in Cologne and had him explain in detail exactly what Ded.Net is. There’s one thing the lead developer is very keen to emphasize:Ded.Net is not PUBG 2.
What is Ded.Net, and what do the developers mean by “roguelite shooter”?
Ded.Net is a fast-paced multiplayer shooter with wacky humor set in a world inspired by the American Midwest of the 1990s.At its core, the game is still a battle royale, but it divides its rounds into two very distinct phases. Compared to the classicPUBG, Ded.Net changes two things in particular:The pace—that is, gunplay and movement—is significantly faster, and your character continues to develop over the course of multiple matches (keyword:persistence).
The game does away with PUBG’s complex ballistics and uses a simpler hitscan system. Additionally, unlike in other battle royales, you don’t start rounds completely naked; instead, you’re meant to deliberately build your own loadout. This intentional imbalance is designed to make Ded.Net fascinating and encourage players to experiment, explains lead developer Dave Curd in an interview.
By the term “roguelite shooter,” the developers mean that death does not signify the end of a gameplay session, but is rather an integral part of the gaming experience. According to lead developer Curd, Ded. Net is built around the quest for the perfect build:When your team is eliminated, you select three abilities from the menu—such as akimbo weapons or a healing Wu-Tang Clan boombox—to make your character stronger and more unique for the next matches. You’re essentially trying to become the ultimate killing machine.
How does a typical round work?
A match in Ded.Net isdivided into two phases:
- Phase 1:In the first part of the match, the zone gradually shrinks, just like in PUBG. In each of the five zones, the game randomly draws two ability cards from your personal deck, and you activate one of them each time. By Zone 5, you’ll have unlocked five active abilities, and your build will be fully operational. In this first phase, the revival system is still very generous.
- Phase 2:The zone is now extremely small (
hot
) and no longer just shrinks—it begins to move unpredictably back and forth across the map. Since all players now have fully developed builds, the gameplay becomes more intense. One mistake can cost your team the round.
How many players can play together in a round?
A round of Ded.Net is played with60 playerswhocompete against each other in trios. The game does not feature the classic parachute jump from an airplane. Teams choose their starting point in advance on the 5×5-kilometer fictional mapCascadia
and are spawned at their chosen location.
Are there revives, and how do they work?
Yes, but the requirements for a revival differ depending on the phase of the match. In Phase 1 (Zones 1–5), you can respawn repeatedly as long as at least one teammate is still alive; in Phase 2, you must spend in-game currency at the yellow payphones in the game world to revive a fallen teammate. You earn money through kills, for example. If your remaining team is eliminated before anyone has been revived, you are permanently eliminated from the match.
How do the classes and abilities work?
Ded.Net usesflexible classes. At the start of a run, you choose one of three starting decks (Assault, Support, or Trickster), each containing 10 cards. Since you’re not permanently tied to a single class, you can mix your deck with cards from other classes during a run to create either a specialist or a versatile all-rounder.
The ability cards are wacky, in keeping with the game’s setting; in addition to akimbo weapons and the boombox mentioned earlier, you can make your character grow, shrink, or even lurk in lockers to ambush unsuspecting enemies. At the start of the Early Access phase, Ded.Net will offer you a choice of nine playable characters.
What is aRun
?
The Ded.Net developers define a “run” as a continuous journey spanning multiple matches, during which you commit to surviving five matches with your chosen deck before your run health points run out. You start with 100 health points. If you’re the first team eliminated in a match, for example, it costs you 20 points; if you finish in the middle of the pack, you lose only 10.
If, on the other hand, you win the round, you earn 20 points. If your Run HP drops to 0 before the fifth match, your Run burns out and you have to start over with a fresh deck. If you survive five matches, you can cash in your winnings and upgrade your deck. In addition to upgrades, however, you’ll also accumulate injuries over the course of the rounds. For example, you might find yourself coughing in the smoke or accidentally dropping your weapon while sprinting.
A run doesn’t have to be played all at once, emphasizes lead developer Curd. You can put your character on hold at any time and continue playing another day. According to Curd, nine runs and characters can be active simultaneously.
When is Ded.Net coming out?
Ded.Net does not yet have an official release date. Lead developer Dave Curd is deliberately avoiding setting a specific timeline. The team wants to continue developing the shooter in close collaboration with the community; the final release will therefore depend heavily on player feedback. A major beta phase is set to begin soon, and you can already sign up for iton the shooter’s Steam page
You can find out more about the news from Gamescom in the link box above. There, we’ve compiled a series of previews and articles fresh from the world’s largest gaming trade show.
Now it’s your turn: What do you think of Ded.Net? Do you find the roguelite concept of this new PUBG spin-off interesting? Let us know in the comments!
