Hey Hellsweepers , what a year! In 2025 we rolled out three big updates, each packed with fresh ways to slay demons and new mechanics to master. Let’s go through them with us once again. Tell us which update you enjoyed the most and why? Here’s a quick recap of the major content
Hey Hellsweepers, what a year! In 2025 we rolled out three big updates, each packed with fresh ways to slay demons and new mechanics to master. Let’s go through them with us once again.
Tell us which update you enjoyed the most and why?
Here’s a quick recap of the major content updates from 2025
Reckoning (Apr 2025): The first-ever throwing weapon, the Chakram, joined the arsenal along with a hookshot upgrade for the Mace and the Fist epithet.
Deadeye (Jul 2025): This patch turned your hand into a weapon with finger guns and made the world more dangerous by letting you freeze and electrify water or ignite gas vents. New toxin enemy variants and traits rounded out the chaos.
Obscura (Oct 2025): Toxic magic arrived, bringing whips, hooks and the Decay status effect, plus new systems like Inverse Gravity, an Energy resource and separate ammo pools for guns and bows. Endless Mode hit multiplayer and more..
Hey Hellsweepers, we’ve got a quick little update before the holiday chaos fully kicks in. It’s not a massive one this season, but we hope you’ll still have fun hellsweeping through the holidays. As a small thank-you, we’ve tossed in a mix of holiday-ready and just-pure-odd hats
Hey Hellsweepers, we’ve got a quick little update before the holiday chaos fully kicks in.
It’s not a massive one this season, but we hope you’ll still have fun hellsweeping through the holidays. As a small thank-you, we’ve tossed in a mix of holiday-ready and just-pure-odd hats to help you hellsweep in style 🎄🎅.
All items with (*) were inspired by community input.
Full Patch Notes
▶ Added new hat cosmetics. ▶ Fixed Toxic Rounds trait not working as intended. ▶ * Fixed Stonefist breaking when Spot Seeker is equipped on the Katana. ▶ * Scaled objective requirements in multiplayer depending on the number of players. ▶ * Enemies that get stuck and can’t reach you will now be teleported so the fight can continue.
From all of us at Mixed Realms, happy holidays ahead and see you in 2026!
The Halloween spirits have finally stopped haunting us, along with (hopefully!) most of the bugs you reported. As always, please keep the feedback coming! All items with (*) were inspired by the community. Bug Fixes * Fixed jittering Katana Bow. * Fixed blast hitting enemies mult
The Halloween spirits have finally stopped haunting us, along with (hopefully!) most of the bugs you reported. As always, please keep the feedback coming!
All items with (*) were inspired by the community.
Bug Fixes
* Fixed jittering Katana Bow.
* Fixed blast hitting enemies multiple times.
* Fixed ally's bullet time bubble not appearing.
* Fixed disappearing blessings when continuing a run.
* Fixed missing boss pedestal when starting an act.
* Fixed stonefists being affected by concussive blast.
* Fixed stonefist's bow attachment causing hookshot to trigger when launched.
* Fixed AOE magic abilities drifting in the wrong direction. - PSVR Only
* Fixed missing toxic texture for Gluttony's cleaver. - Meta Quest 2/3 Only
* Fixed grab indicator showing on other player's magic orbs in MP.
* Fixed Hellsweep difficulty not spawning totems even when Battle Bounty is off in MP.
Fixed Shotgun not behaving as intended when a weapon is attached.
* Fixed Sweeper's Broom having the wrong cosmetic icons.
* Fixed ammo pool counter on the wrist UI when swapping rigs.
QoL
* Conjuration Sensitivity now affects mechanics like concussive blast and magic infusion.
Added arrow pool for the Bow's chart.
Polished controls when the player attaches a Bow to a Shotgun that is attached to the Katana's sheath.
Hey Hellsweepers, Remember those toxic enemies that always made your life miserable? Well, it’s payback time. In our brand-new Obscura Update , you finally get to swing their poison right back at them. On top of that, we’ve added systems that twist gravity, reshape your resources
Hey Hellsweepers,
Remember those toxic enemies that always made your life miserable? Well, it’s payback time. In our brand-new Obscura Update, you finally get to swing their poison right back at them. On top of that, we’ve added systems that twist gravity, reshape your resources, and give your ranged weapons a serious makeover. Endless Mode is expanding too, and of course, we’ve crushed another wave of bugs along the way.
You’ve taken enough hits from poisonous foes. Now it’s your turn to dish it out. Toxic Magic is here, bringing a whole new set of nasty tricks to your arsenal.
Swing a Toxic Whip from a conjured Toxicball.
Use a Thorn Hook to snag enemies or latch onto the environment.
Combine two Toxicballs for a Green Trail surprise.
Inflict Decay, a status effect that damages enemies over time and makes them drop health pickups.
Fuse Toxic with Fire, Frost, or Volt for even more wicked effects.
New Systems
Inverse Gravity - for the hardcore Hellsweeper / Sairento Fans
Can’t get enough of flipping the world on its head? Now you can lock it in. Head to Options > Movement to enable Inverse Gravity. One somersault flips you upside down, another flips you back. With gravity also being inverted and forcing you to fall towards the sky, you can stay upside down for as long as you like.
You can enable Inverse Gravity by going to Options > Movement > Enable Inverse Gravity.
Energy Resource
It powers Bullet Time and movement abilities, and blessings that used to affect mana costs for movement now draw from Energy instead.
Ammo Pool
Guns and bows now draw from their own respective ammo pools (bullet ammo and arrow ammo), and enemies will drop ammo pickups when they die to keep you loaded. If you run out, ammo slowly regenerates on its own and if you’re really empty, your weapons will tap into mana so you’re never left defenseless.
Weapon Updates
Apart from the new ammo pool system, Guns and Bow, have received additional tuning.
GUNS: Guns can benefit from new damage traits, and even let you manually reload Tempest with conjured bullets for extra bonuses.
BOW: Converting suitable skills into arrows will not draw from the ammo pool. If you run out of arrows, mana will automatically cover the cost so you can keep firing—just like how bullet ammo works.
Endless & Roguelike Mode
Multiplayer now has Endless Mode. Roguelike fans can also breathe a little easier—your progress is now saved every three acts, letting you jump back in at higher stages when tackling Endless Mode.
The Rest of It
And of course, the usual batch of bug fixes and QoL updates are here too. From polish passes to pesky squashed bugs, we’ve tidied up plenty behind the scenes. You can read the full patch notes below if you want every last detail.
Thank You
That’s all for now! Thank you for your support as always; it really keeps us going.
And if you’re keen to know what else we’ve been cooking, you can check out the demo of our upcoming roguelike 13Z: The Zodiac Trials right here:
💚 Very special thanks to our volunteer Playtesters on Discord for battleproofing 2.0: Alan, J0n4rez, Specimennn, I dont know ok, Extra_Kneecap, Its myles59, and Violin!
System Changes (Please Read)
Energy Resource
Used for entering bullet time and movement abilities.
Blessings that affected mana cost for movement abilities now use Energy instead.
Inverse Gravity
In Options > Movement, players can enable Inverse Gravity to stay upside down.
Perform a somersault to remain upside down until you somersault again.
Ammo Pool System
Ammo for guns and bows has been added.
Enemies will drop ammo pickups upon death, replenishing ammo upon touch.
Alternatively, players can wait for the ammo to regenerate.
Gun Changes
When conjured, guns spawn with a full magazine if possible, drawing bullets from the ammo pool.
Damage traits such as Spiteful Hit can now be added to guns.
Players can manually reload Tempest with conjured bullets and receive bonuses from the Bullet skill.
If there aren’t enough bullets in the ammo pool, mana will be used instead.
Bow Changes
Drawing the bow will consume an arrow from the ammo pool.
Converting weapons into arrows will not consume an arrow from the ammo pool.
If there aren't enough arrows in the ammo pool, mana will be used instead.
Endless mode for MP has been added.
Roguelike progress has been saved every 3 acts, allowing players to start from higher acts when playing in endless mode.
Players can now have infinite blessings.
Toxic Magic
New Magic - Toxic
Swinging the Toxicball conjures a toxic whip to strike enemies.
The advanced spell creates a thorn hook that latches onto enemies or the environment.
Combining two Toxicballs conjures Green Trail.
Toxic magic inflicts Decay, dealing damage over time and causing enemies to drop health pickups.
New Auxiliary Magic:
Molten (Toxic + Fire)
Perfume (Toxic + Frost)
Primal (Toxic + Volt)
New infusion effects and mechanics for Toxic:
Melee Weapons: Conjures toxic whips to deal additional damage.
Guns: Powered shots spawn a toxic effigy that fires up to 4 additional shots at surrounding enemies when hit.
Tempest: Fires a toxic spray when infused with Toxic.
Bow: Spawns an arrow crystal turret on impact.
Chakram: Enemies hit are marked with Plague Etch; damaging them spreads damage to other marked enemies.
Mage Staff: Groundbreaker spell conjures toxic bombs around the player that detonate after a short delay.
Hellhound: Passively heals the player and adds life leech to its attacks.
Stone Fist: Launches a projectile that returns to heal the player after hitting an enemy.
New Traits & Blessings
Blessing:
Lemon Ink: Reveals the hidden level objectives.
Oven Mitts: Picking up items with infused hands automatically infuses the item.
Need More Ammo: Increases bullets but reduces arrows.
CountingArrows: Increases arrows but reduces bullets.
Toxic Traits :
Thorn Hook: Creates a hook made of thorns to hook onto enemies or the environment.
Acid Spray: Converts Thorn Hook into an Acid Spray.
New Traits:
Toxic Rounds: Rifles’ burst fire now shoots toxic bullets.
Caustic Canisters: Tempest becomes infused with Toxic when it overheats.
Ammo Reserves: Increases ammo pool.
Ammo Stockpile: Greatly increases ammo pool.
Expanded Quiver: Increases arrow ammo by 1.
Cracking Defences: Forged trait that increases status duration.
Balancing & QoL
Dynamic Force now uses Energy to create an explosion when the player jumps.
If Inverse Gravity is enabled, players somersault before Hang Time is applied.
Liberty reduces the number of bullets taken from the pool during its special reload.
Guns with Fully Loaded no longer contribute bullets to the ammo pool.
Auto Reload no longer costs mana, but insufficient bullets in the ammo pool still require mana.
Mimic Quiver consumes an arrow from the pool if no item was converted for Arrow Conversion.
Players can now move with the thumbstick while casting AOE magic.
Fire-infused Cotton Candy Barrier will fire 2 projectiles instead of 1.
Add a Room Finder, allowing friends to join private rooms if they know the room number.
Bug Fixes
Fixed Mana Engine trait causing advanced spells to deal 0 damage.
Fixed Jade Keys not appearing in the shop when Battle Bounty was off (and vice versa).
Fixed Stone Fist not working when the bottom slot is filled in MP.
Fixed VFX not showing when magic balls detonate in SP.
Fixed speed reduction when thumbstick scrolling with two pointers at once.
Fixed Mage Staff’s Groundbreaker ice spike spell not working correctly.
Fixed Impact Hit and collision explosions not triggering when attached to other weapons.
Fixed 'All Direction' reload not working.
If Bow Wow Days is equipped, the equip panel will no longer appear asking the player to equip the skill.
Hey Hellsweepers, two years already! Time really does fly when you’re breakdancing with demons in hellfire. Last year we partied with the Resurgence Update for our first anniversary, and just this year we dropped the Reckoning Update (April) and Deadeye Update (July). So yeah, it
Hey Hellsweepers, two years already! Time really does fly when you’re breakdancing with demons in hellfire. Last year we partied with the Resurgence Update for our first anniversary, and just this year we dropped the Reckoning Update (April) and Deadeye Update (July). So yeah, it makes sense that a lot of you are sharpening your blades and asking… where’s the next one?
The short answer: it’s coming. Just not today. Now hold our beer while we explain.😉
Our Place in the Scene
If you’ve been keeping an eye on the games industry this year, you’ll know it hasn’t been pretty. Studios big and small, VR and flatscreen, have been hit by layoffs and sudden closures. Some of those teams even made a few of our favorite VR titles. The VR scene is kind of like a small town, and it hurts when you see familiar doors close.
So when we say we’re grateful to still be around, we don’t say it lightly. That’s thanks to you. Every one of you who plays or streams any of our games, or just hangs out in the community keeps us going.
Why Updates Take Time
In the last two updates, we kept seeing this question in one form or another: You aren't [insert your favorite popular VR game here :p] so how do you even keep updating Hellsweeper?
Fair question. Unlike live-service games with recurring forms of revenue, Hellsweeper’s updates come straight out of one-time game sales. We’re a small crew trying to keep the game alive across multiple platforms, and every new patch means a mountain of testing, bug-hunting, and submission work before it’s ready to ship.
And because of cross-play, we can’t just push updates on one platform at a time. Everything has to go live together, or else hell really does break loose.
In fact, there’s a high chance that we might need the community’s help to test an upcoming update so we’ll be asking for a handful of volunteers (Steam only) on Discord.
All that said, we’re aiming to drop –
🤫Obscura Update: Week 2 of Oct 2025
Here’s what’s bubbling in the cauldron:
New forms of magic
A couple of new systems we can’t wait to show off related to movement, resource and skills. (edit: added)
More blessings (edit: added)
A nasty new enemy variant to make your life harder in the best way(edit: removed as this was added as a mistake)
More traits and upgrades to old favorites like Tempest and the Mage Staff
Want early glimpses? Stick around in our Discord. That’s where we’ll be teasing first.
Thank You
Seriously, thanks for sticking with us through every swing, spin, and sweep.
While you wait, if you want to see what else we’re cooking, check out 13Z: The Zodiac Trials. The demo is live on Steam right now. It’s not in VR, but if the community shouts loud enough, who knows what the future might bring.
Summer is coming to an end, but the heat in Hellsweeper never stops. We’ve been listening to your feedback and have been busy squashing bugs. Excessive force when telekinetically throwing certain objects. Stone Fists with attached weapons are not working in MP. Finger Gun's damag
Summer is coming to an end, but the heat in Hellsweeper never stops. We’ve been listening to your feedback and have been busy squashing bugs.
Excessive force when telekinetically throwing certain objects.
Stone Fists with attached weapons are not working in MP.
Finger Gun's damage is not scaling properly when the 'Pew Pew' trait is stacked.
Unable to levitate objects in water.
Mace's hookshot hooks into the air when using the thrusting method.
Stone Fist's attached weapons are able to shoot projectiles while mana is zero.
Buggy water effects in MP.
Battle Bounty is not giving the correct amount of rewards
Hey Hellsweepers , hope you’ve been keeping your trigger fingers limber—because Patch 1.9 is here, and we’re bringing the heat ( and lightning, and frost... you get the idea ). This update focuses on chaos with new dynamic interactions in the environment, enemy variants, fresh tr
Hey Hellsweepers, hope you’ve been keeping your trigger fingers limber—because Patch 1.9 is here, and we’re bringing the heat (and lightning, and frost... you get the idea).
This update focuses on chaos with new dynamic interactions in the environment, enemy variants, fresh traits to mess around with—and of course, FINGER GUN. Yep. You read that right.
Here are some of your most requested fixes and updates for the recent Reckoning Update . What should we work on next?🤔 All items with (*) were inspired by the community. QOL Updates: Added damage numbers when hitting the training dummy. Added HP regenerating effect on the HP bar
Here are some of your most requested fixes and updates for the recent Reckoning Update. What should we work on next?🤔
All items with (*) were inspired by the community.
QOL Updates:
Added damage numbers when hitting the training dummy.
Added HP regenerating effect on the HP bar to show increased HP regeneration from melee attacks.
Added a new tab for Options, Calibration.
Added option to enable UI Scrolling, using the thumbstick or trackpad to scroll UI.
*Added option to adjust the pitch for aim-assist that use the head's forward direction.
Added indicators when adjusting the slide height and hip holster offset in the Hall.
*Increased detection length when drawing bows.
*Increased return timer in MP from 30s to 60s.
*Reduced volume of the thrown Chakram.
Updated Player Stats page, renaming it to Epithets & Blessings.
Balancing & Optimization:
*Increased base damage of Stone Fist from 45 to 55.
Gauntlet will clear unused objects to free up some memory when the day-night changes.
Bug Fixes:
[PSVR]*Fixed missing controller icons when viewing the Epithet perks.
[Not Available in China*Fixed mini-Bloodfists not dealing damage when swung.
*Fixed forging traits beyond the max limit.
*Fixed Katana's Flashspeed not hitting Corruption's rings.
Fixed melee attacks damaging totems twice.
*Fixed incorrect values on Hellhound and Chakram's stat charts.
[PSVR]*Fixed incorrect alignment of the Mace and Katana when attached to the Rifle.
*Fixed lighting issue on the Lost Ships map.
If you've got bugs to report, please create a thread under the Hellsweeper #support channel on our Discord. See you in the next update soon!
Hey Hellsweepers , how is it going? This latest update features a new weapon, upgraded moves, and a few surprises you've been asking (and voting) for. We've said it before, and we’ll say it again: your feedback is the molten core that keeps our hellfire burning. From Discord snea
Hey Hellsweepers, how is it going?
This latest update features a new weapon, upgraded moves, and a few surprises you've been asking (and voting) for. We've said it before, and we’ll say it again: your feedback is the molten core that keeps our hellfire burning. From Discord sneak peeks to poll votes, this update has your fingerprints all over it.
P.S. Share this video to give our team a virtual fist-bump! :p
New Weapon: Chakram
The Chakram spins its way into Hellsweeper as our first-ever throwing weapon—and it’s not shy about showing off. This elegant-yet-deadly disc arcs through the air and returns to you like a loyal boomerang from hell.
But it doesn’t stop there. With a flick of your wrist, it can split into two separate half-blades, adding new dimensions to your mid-air mayhem.
(Fun fact: Chakram was the third most-voted weapon in our community poll.)
Mace’s New Hookshot Update
The Mace just got a brutal upgrade. With the new Hookshot mechanic, you can now yoink enemies into the sky and then slam them down hard enough to generate a shockwave. Yes, it’s as fun (and violent) as it sounds.
New Fist Epithet: Weaponized Knuckles
If you've been lurking in our Discord (👀 we see you), this one might look familiar.
The latest Epithet transforms your Stone Fists into a Swiss Army knife of pure destruction. You can now attach weapons directly to your Fist. This allows you to activate two groups of weapons per fist as you can use both your trigger and grip.
Unlock Content Through Challenges
We recently ran a Discord poll based on plans to change the upgrade system. With 79% of the vote, we’re moving away from level- and soul-based unlocks. Instead, gear and items will now be tied to completing challenges owing UI that shows locked weapons.
This also means you can access:
Katana: No longer purchaseable. Now unlocked by clearing a run with the Vanguard Epithet.
Tempest: Previously unlocked at Level 4. Now unlocked by clearing a run with the Gunslinger Epithet.
Rifle: No longer purchasable. Now unlocked by killing 300 enemies with bullets
Full Patch Notes Below
This update also includes bug fixes, quality-of-life tweaks, and some spicy under-the-hood improvements. Scroll down to check out the full list of changes. Refer to the end of the post for the full list.
Thanks again for being part of this wild ride with us. If you're enjoying Hellsweeper, consider leaving a review or sharing the video with a friend. :)
All items with * were inspired by community suggestions! :)
New Content
New Weapon: Chakram
The Fist Epithet - Players can only conjure Stone Fist but it can be infused with magic and have weapon attachments.
Stone Fist and enemy weapons can now be infused with magic after it is created.*
With the 'Child Of Earth' trait equipped on Unarmed, Stone Fist can be equipped and conjured like a weapon.*
New Traits:
---Rifle - Safety Disengaged
---Rifle - Flip Magazine
---Rifle - Devil Engine
---Rifle - Full Metal Jacket
---Rifle - Pyro Rounds
---Rifle - Cryo Rounds
---Rifle - Charged Rounds
---Unarmed - Child Of Earth
---Axe - Throwback Star
---Axe - Return Policy
---Mace - Reactive Grapple
---Levitation - Time 4 Pain
---Blast - Cotton Candy Pop
---Hellhound - Bow Wow Days
New Blessings:
---Fox n' Friends
---Big Brain Coyote
---Grindstone
---Apex Predator
With the player's hand at the mouth and pressing Trigger, the player can whistle to summon all available Companions to your side. It has the same effect as using the Hellhound's squeaky toy to get their attention.*
Added option to adjust the amount of force needed for conjuration.*
Players can now hook onto multiple environments at once, the forces will average out.
Mace's hookshot can now hook onto large objects like rocks, allowing the user to swing them around*
Holding down the kick button will increase the damage of the kick.*
Players can toggle between their display name or username for the in-game name.*
Updates
Added a spinning icon that appears when the game is saving.
Exiting the Options UI will save the game options.*
Added Unstuck button in the Pause Menu.*
Added individual volume sliders for each player in the team.*
Improved the detection of the Mage Staff's crucible for elemental infusion.
Improved controls when using hookshot on enemies, allowing players to throw them in more directions.*
Tamer's Flying Strawheads can now be infused by throwing a magic orb at them aftering getting their attention by using the whistling mechanic.*
Attached guns can be auto-reloaded without the Auto-Reload trait but with penalties.*
Players can now start at a higher stage in Gauntlet if they have reached that stage. The stage interval is every 12 stages.*
Hellhound Toy and Sweeper's Broom are added to the attachment system.
Nerf stats of the Bulkwark Epithet.
Updated how skills and epithets are unlocked. If they are already unlocked, the player will keep them:
--- Katana is no longer purchasable, players have to clear a run with the Vanguard Epithet.
--- Tempest is no longer unlocked at Level 4, players have to clear a run with the Gunslinger Epithet.
--- Rifle is no longer purchasable, players have to kill 300 enemies with bullets.
--- Volt is no longer purchasable, players have to clear a run with Spellcaster Epithet.
--- Unholy is no longer purchasable, players have to dismember 666 times.
--- Bulwark is now unlocked after clearing a run on Beginner difficulty.
--- Sunwalker is now unlocked after clearing a run on Extreme difficulty.
--- Acrobat is now unlocked after killing 150 enemies while sliding, wall-running or in the air.
Adjusted grip detection for the Valve Index
Change Orientation for Fury Blade when it is attached to another weapon.
Instead of getting reeled in when hooking onto large or flying enemies, players have to pull the hookshot first.
Bug Fixes
Fixed hookshot ending unexpectedly.
Fixed damage of Stone Fist being very high due to wrong calculations.
Fixed Bow's 'Lingering Attachment' trait reducing damage to 0.*
Fixed certain achievements not unlocking when playing in Gauntlet.
Fixed Shotgun unable to eject shell via one-hand pump or spinning unchamber when 'Fully Loaded' is equipped.*
Fixed Sword's 'Radient Technique' trait not working when it is attached onto another weapon.
Fixed Levitation's 'Lasting Touch' affecting objects that cannot be levitated.*
Fixed 180 rotation not working as intended when Free Rotation is active.*
Hey Hellsweepers! Our next update is nearly ready to slice its way into the fray, and with it comes a pretty major change to how you unlock weapons and gear in Hellsweeper VR. 👇 Unlocking Content will not be tied to just Souls anymore One of the most common questions we get is…
Hey Hellsweepers!
Our next update is nearly ready to slice its way into the fray, and with it comes a pretty major change to how you unlock weapons and gear in Hellsweeper VR.
👇
Unlocking Content will not be tied to just Souls anymore
One of the most common questions we get is… “How do I unlock [x]?”
We realized that many new players weren’t sure how to progress toward unlocking the weapons they’ve been eyeing. On top of that, we received suggestions asking for more variety in the unlock process to better highlight the depth of progression that Hellsweeper already offers.
We hear you. Previously, weapons and items were unlocked using Souls and levels. That’s changing. Starting with the upcoming update, unlocks will be tied to specific combat challenges or tasks. You'll earn your gear by proving your worth in battle.
What does this mean?
If you’ve got Souls saved up and there’s an item you’ve been eyeing, now’s the time to spend them.
Any content you've already unlocked will stay unlocked. No take-backs.
This change mostly affects new players coming in fresh after the update.
What’s Changing Exactly?
Here’s how some key unlocks will now work:
Katana – No longer purchasable. Now unlocked by clearing a run with the Vanguard Epithet.
Tempest – No longer unlocked at Level 4. Now unlocked by clearing a run with the Gunslinger Epithet.
Rifle – No longer purchasable. Now unlocked by killing 300 enemies with bullets.
Volt – No longer purchasable. Now unlocked by clearing a run with the Spellcaster Epithet.
Unholy – No longer purchasable. Now unlocked by dismembering 666 enemies.
Bulwark – Now unlocked after clearing a run on Beginner difficulty.
Sunwalker – Now unlocked after clearing a run on Extreme difficulty.
Acrobat – Now unlocked after killing 150 enemies while sliding, wall-running, or in the air.
And more..
We want Hellsweeper’s progression to feel like a true test of skill and mastery. That’s why we’re shifting to achievement-based unlocks. It rewards those who rise to Hell’s challenges.
Hey Hellsweepers, what a year it’s been! In 2024, we rolled out a total of 13 updates, including 4 Major Content Drops and 9 patches. None of it would’ve been possible without your support, feedback, and passion. Thank you for being with us on this incredible journey! Which updat
Hey Hellsweepers, what a year it’s been! In 2024, we rolled out a total of 13 updates, including 4 Major Content Drops and 9 patches. None of it would’ve been possible without your support, feedback, and passion. Thank you for being with us on this incredible journey!
Which update did you enjoy the most and why?
Was it any of the new bosses, fresh weapons, or something else that hit just right? Let us know in the comments!
Here’s a quick recap of the major content updates from March to December:
Alliance (Dec 2024):
In our final update of 2024, we expanded co-op to 3 players, introduced Gauntlet Mode, added Day/Night mechanics, and unleashed the Avarice boss. Plus, we added more ways for you to flex with weapon skins!
We celebrated Hellsweeper VR's first birthday with the addition of the katana, our most expansive weapon yet. Chieko made her return, and Pride ascended to boss status. 🎂
Wrath joined to complete the lineup of 7 Deadly Sins enemies. We also added the Magic Staff, delivered graphical upgrades, and rolled out QoL enhancements.
We've got a quick drop of fixes before the holidays ~ Bug Fixes Fixed 'Fully Loaded' trait not disabling the Pistol's Quick Reload. Fixed Duality Of Dog's blood infusion not working as intended. Fixed Wrath not engaging in melee. Fixed Winged Serpent affecting movement of other p
We've got a quick drop of fixes before the holidays ~
Bug Fixes
Fixed 'Fully Loaded' trait not disabling the Pistol's Quick Reload.
Fixed Duality Of Dog's blood infusion not working as intended.
Fixed Wrath not engaging in melee.
Fixed Winged Serpent affecting movement of other players in multiplayer.
Reduce latency when damaging enemies.
Updates
Added volume slider for the player's microphone for Multiplayer.
Added ping display for each player in Multiplayer, making it easier to identify lag. We recommend the host select the region with the lowest ping to ensure the best experience for everyone.
Increased the max enemy cap for Gauntlet.
Players will no longer be trapped in the rooms when the objective starts, it will be triggered locally in Multiplayer.
Reduced the amount of reward from the Stone Hand in Gauntlet.
If you've got bugs to report, please create a thread under the Hellsweeper #support channel on our Discord. Don't forget to pick "Hellsweeper" under the role selection channel so you can see all the relevant channels and discussions about Hellsweeper.
Hey Hellsweepers, are you ready to pull more friends into the fiery depths of hell? The Alliance Free Update is here -- From expanding co-op to 3 players to the all-new Gauntlet Mode, a relentless boss in Avarice, and Day & Night System, this update is packed with content tha
Hey Hellsweepers, are you ready to pull more friends into the fiery depths of hell? The Alliance Free Update is here -- From expanding co-op to 3 players to the all-new Gauntlet Mode, a relentless boss in Avarice, and Day & Night System, this update is packed with content that will test your endurance, teamwork, and style.
And as always, your feedback has been crucial in making this happen. So grab your weapons, rally your squad, and let’s dive in!
Endless. Relentless. Brutal. The Gauntlet is a trial of pure endurance, throwing waves of enemies and bosses at you in an endless loop.
How far can you descend into hell before your strength gives out? This mode is available in both Single-player and Multiplayer. Bring your A-game (and a buddy or two) because hell doesn’t hold back.
Co-op now supports up to 3 players!
One of the most requested features is here—3-player co-op! Grab two friends, sharpen your blades, and see how long your alliance holds in the face of unrelenting demons. Huge thanks to our beta testers on Discord for helping us battle-proof this mode. You’re the real MVPs.
With the update finally live, our team will be doing another sweep to check the build's stability, and we thought... what better way to do it than with all of you? If you're in the mood for a co-op sweep, join us on December 12th from 9 PM to 10 PM EST for a game or a chat. We'll be opening several public rooms in the game!
New Boss: Avarice
Greed has kinda ascended, and its penchant for chaos is insatiable. Meet Avarice, the wheel of destruction that rolls across the battlefield with relentless force. Simple in form, devastating in action—don’t let your guard down. Sometimes, the deadliest enemies are the ones you underestimate.
Day & Night Mechanics
The Day & Night System brings a new layer of strategy to your runs:
☀️Daytime: Totems will remain dormant, but treasure? A little scarce. Certain enemies prefer day time.
🌙Nighttime: Treasure chests are more abundant, but darkness brings offensive totems and more of certain enemies.
And while not necessarily related to the Day and Night mechanics, here’s a fun bonus—torches are now interactive! Light them up with Fire Magic or extinguish them with Frost Magic... just for fun. :p
Show Off with Weapon Skins
What better way to celebrate dragging a third teammate to hell than showing off your weapons in style? With the addition of Weapon Skins, you can finally personalize your tools of destruction.
Bringing Back Launch Options for Steam Players
Important: We've brought back the Runtime launch options by popular request!
OpenXR - This can be described as the one-size-fits-all mode. It will allow devices to use their proprietary app, eg. Oculus devices using the Meta Quest Link app. However, the customization is lacking as it is not possible to make any changes outside of the game.
SteamVR - We recommend this to Valve Index users. This allows customization outside of the game, like putting bindings on certain buttons for controllers we don't support. The downside is that certain devices have to run their app through SteamVR, which will cause a bit of performance issues.
And as usual, there’s moar.
This update comes with a slew of improvements to make your runs smoother and deadlier than ever like new Traits, Epithets, Max Skill levels and community-requested QoLs.
Please refer to the full patch notes below.
If you’ve enjoyed Hellsweeper VR’s free content updates, help us keep the fire burning! Share the game with your friends or on social media. We know it’s not a new game anymore, but we hope these updates continue to give you something to look forward to.
Lastly, you could help playtest our studio’s next game 13Z—it’s not in VR yet, but we’d love to bring it to VR if there’s enough demand from the community. Your feedback could make all the difference!
Thank you, Hellsweepers, for being part of this ever-evolving journey. From all of us at Mixed Realms, happy holidays ahead. Let’s tear through hell together one last time before the year ends!
All items with (*) were inspired by community suggestions! :)
New Content
New Game Mode: Gauntlet
New Boss: Avarice
Added "Day & Night" mechanics.
--- Certain enemies have increased chances of spawning in the day, while others at night.
--- Island and Vault are considered to be neither day nor night.
--- No totems will attack during the day. More treasure chests at night."
Added skins for the weapon skills.
Added Phantom Limb to the Katana skill.
New Epithets:
--- Sun Walker - Increased stats during the day, special mechanics at night.
--- Bulwark - Increased defences."
New Traits:
--- Mana Engine - Casting spells with the spellball will not delete it, allowing players to keep casting spells.
--- Hex Payback - Increase duration of status effects.
--- Springboard - Applying the Haze status effect will throw enemies into the air.
--- Dust Devil - Increase the movement speed of Haze Tornado.
--- Gazing Snake - Default special trait for Haze Magic.
--- Winged Serpent - Players can ride a Haze Serpent and fly around the level.
--- Fully Loaded - Guns will spawn with max ammo and buffs but cannot be reloaded.
--- Mimic Quiver - Arrow Conversion will no longer consume the item.
--- Chasing Comet - Axe Glaive will hit additional targets before returning.
--- Silk Steel - Increase flail damage but reduce the chain's length.
--- Radiant Technique - Players can conjure Energy Spike without releasing the trigger, it appears after a thrust."
Laser, Haze and Charge magic have their own status effect. This secondary status effect will not replace the primary status effects like Burning or Freeze.
--- Laser - When the enemy takes damage, it will shoot out additional laser projectiles towards nearby enemies.
--- Haze - Applying it for the first time will stagger the enemy. It will deal damage to all nearby enemies.
--- Charge - Target takes increase damage from all sources, the damage is then stored. When the duration is up, it will explode with all of the accumulated damage."
Players can extinguish torches with Frost magic and ignite them with Fire magic... just for fun!
Increased the max skill level for all skills.*
Multiplayer Updates
Increased the max number of players for MP to 3.*
When clients abandon the run, they will disconnect from the host instead of causing everybody to return to Hub.
Updates & QoL
Changed skill XR system, players have to pump in 'Echoes' into the skill and once it is full, the augment is unlocked.*
Added new resource, 'Echoes', which is used to rank up skills.
Experience is Gold' now gives echoes when completing an Act. It is removed afterwards.
Updated the behavior of Axe Glaive, allowing it to stay around longer.
Improved Phantom Limb system, the weapon will follow the swing and angle of the main weapon.
Added button binding for Levitation and settings for "Complex Levitation".*
--- Players can now levitate objects while holding onto an item.
Added button binding for Quick Infusion.
--- Holding down the button, players can open a small menu for the current magic skills to infuse the held item.
--- Move the hand over to the magic skill and release the button to infuse.
Added button binding for Reload.*
--- Pressing the button will reload the currently held gun for that hand.
Added option to adjust controller vibration strength.*
Yup, 3-player co-op is coming! From November 25th to December 9th, we’ll be running a playtest to introduce the 3-player multiplayer mode along with a brand-new game mode. This is your chance to experience and test some of the upcoming features before they officially go live (and
Yup, 3-player co-op is coming! From November 25th to December 9th, we’ll be running a playtest to introduce the 3-player multiplayer mode along with a brand-new game mode. This is your chance to experience and test some of the upcoming features before they officially go live (and help some pretty anxious devs haha :D).
What’s in the Playtest?
The playtest build doesn’t contain all the new content for the upcoming update (of course, we need to same some of the goodies for the actual launch! ;)). It mainly focuses on the stability and performance of multiplayer, with these key highlights:
3-Player Co-op Mode: As requested by many in the community, multiplayer sessions now support three players instead of two.
New Game Mode: Dive into a fresh multiplayer mode. Details are under wraps for now, so jump in and discover it for yourself!
Focus on Multiplayer Stability: While this playtest doesn’t include all upcoming content—such as the new boss—it’s designed to test and refine multiplayer performance ahead of the update.
Note: Single-player content is unavailable during this playtest. You’ll have access to multiplayer game modes and the Training Hall only. You’ll start with a mid-level profile and receive extra souls and echoes to level up or purchase cosmetics.
How to Give Feedback
To help us refine multiplayer gameplay, we’d love for you to share your thoughts and report any issues.
This playtest is all about making the 3-player multiplayer mode as stable and enjoyable as possible. Your participation helps us optimize the experience, ensuring the smoothest gameplay when the update drops. Thank you for helping us make Hellsweeper VR a better game!
We've got a quick drop of fixes ~ - Fixed the objective length in Roguelike scaling incorrectly. - Fixed crash caused by the Chieko avatar upon death. - Fixed crash caused by equipping the Mr. Unknown mask on the Sweeper avatar upon death. - Increased the amount of souls given by
We've got a quick drop of fixes ~
- Fixed the objective length in Roguelike scaling incorrectly. - Fixed crash caused by the Chieko avatar upon death. - Fixed crash caused by equipping the Mr. Unknown mask on the Sweeper avatar upon death. - Increased the amount of souls given by the Souls reward. - Increased the amount of loot converted into Souls at the end of an Act. - [MP] Fixed player getting double damage on the client side. - [MP] Implemented an experimental fix to a bug preventing players from finishing objectives on certain missions.
If you've got bugs to report, please create a thread under the Hellsweeper #support channel on our Discord. :)
**Known Issue** This isn't part of the hotfix yet. We've just discovered a bug that causes the selected difficulty to not apply to the first Act, resulting in its difficulty being either higher or lower than the chosen level. We're on it! Fresh from the Blacksmith's forge. All it
**Known Issue** This isn't part of the hotfix yet. We've just discovered a bug that causes the selected difficulty to not apply to the first Act, resulting in its difficulty being either higher or lower than the chosen level. We're on it!
Fresh from the Blacksmith's forge. All items with * were inspired by community suggestions!
**UPDATES** - [PSVR2] Increased frequency of saving. - [Non-PSVR2] Quitting the game from within will cause a slight delay to allow the game to safely save the data before closing the application. - Updated camera rotation to prevent hands from getting tangled during snap rotation. - Corruption's armor bar is now greyish to differentiate it from other shields. - *Tweaked the recalling power of the Katana. - *Added a new option for katana grip. - Updated the calculation for the number of giant ice shards. - *Player's can use their non-master hand to adjust the distance of the in-game canvas. - *Improve responsiveness of guns attached to the Rifle's Mounting Bracket, activated by the offhand grip.
**BUG FIXES** - Fixed dropping both katanas together while trying activate the bow mechanic causes the game to crash. - Fixed stat crystals displaying incorrect values. - Fixed max health going negative due to hands being stabbed. - Fixed spellball pull not working as intended. - Fixed Tribute in Vault triggering a fight. - Fixed 'Last Touch' functionality with attached weapons. - Fixed missing durability texture on Elite Pride’s katana. - Fixed 'Sweat & Iron' causing the gun to cost 0 mana. - Fixed Epithet not being set when starting two back-to-back 'Empty Loadout' runs.
**BUG FIXES (Multiplayer)** - Fixed creation of katana bow causing the game to crash. - Fixed Chieko Rig disappearing intermittently. - Fixed Blood Lance not working as intended. - Fixed excessive crystal spawns on Elite Pride’s altar.
Hey Hellsweepers, what a ride it’s been! Since launching Hellsweeper VR on September 21st last year, we've delved deep into the fiery pits together— squashed bugs, created an evil twin , added a fresh coat of paint to hell’s walls along with more enemies , and rehauled some of th
And we are not done yet! A few days shy of our first birthday, we’re releasing another free content drop.
Thank you for your amazing support and suggestions, which have been instrumental in keeping the updates coming. If you love what you see and would like to toss some warm virtual hugs our way, please consider spreading the word, leaving a review for Hellsweeper, or supporting our studio’s upcoming game.😉
New Weapon: Katana
The Katana - or the Sheath, as you’ll come to understand more later - is the most extensive weapon we’ve added to the game to date. It is more than just a sword. It is a new system on its own.
We’d let you have fun with the weapon and figure out the ins and outs but here are some highlights:
Multi-purpose Sheathe: Far from just a scabbard, the sheath serves as a centerpiece for weapon modifications, allowing for various weapon abilities to be attached (excluding Stonefist, Hellhound's Toy, Magic Orbs, and Sweeper's Broom).
Blossom Mechanic: Execute a precise cut, then sheathe the Katana for maximum impact ala Brook’s Kasuriuta: Fubuki Giri from One Piece.
Flashspeed: Unsheath rapidly for a swift slash that not only damages enemies but can also deflect projectiles. Perhaps, if you upgrade your Katana enough, you can get a teeny bit close to Vergil’s Judgment Cut with a single slash ;)
New Miniboss: Pride Ascends
You know him, you love to hate him, and now, Pride is stepping up his game. While his normal variant continues to torment souls as usual, his newly ascended form brings a tougher challenge and might show up when you least expect it. Although Ascended Pride comes with less homing orbs, his targeted attacks pack a deadlier punch with each hit. Watch out for those summoned portals, too!
New Avatar: Chieko H.
What better way to celebrate Hellsweeper’s birthday than by paying homage to the OG hero who paved the way for our studio’s humble beginnings back in 2016? We’re excited to introduce Chieko, the female protagonist from our very first game, Sairento VR, as a playable avatar in Hellsweeper.
Of course, we've made some adjustments to her design to match Hellsweeper’s theme while retaining her identity as a Sairento agent. If you’d like to see collectible lore pieces for Chieko added in future updates, please let us know in the comments below!
New Difficulty Tiers: Infernal & Hellsweep
Up for a tougher challenge? Our new difficulty levels, Infernal and Hellsweep, are ready to test even the most seasoned players. Dive into deeper and darker corners of hell and reap greater rewards for your bravery.
Quality of Life Updates and Bug Fixes
This update also addresses various quality-of-life improvements and pesky bugs (like the notorious texture bug on PCVR). Check out the full patch notes below for all the details.
Special Invitation: Join the 13Z Playtest!
Before you dive back into the underworld, we also invite you to check out our new game, 13Z, set somewhere much closer to heaven.
If you share our studio’s passion for fast-paced, frantic hack-and-slash action with a strategic layer of roguelike elements, your feedback will be invaluable during our playtest. While it's not available in VR yet, we’d love to bring it to VR players if possible. It’s launching its playtest on Steam today at 12 PM EST.
We couldn’t have reached this milestone without you, Hellsweepers. Here’s to continuing our first year journey through the Lands in Twain with swords drawn and spirits high! Happy Hellsweeping!
Full Patch Notes:
All items with * were inspired by community suggestions!
New Content & Main Gameplay Elements
New playable avatar: Chieko
New weapon: Katana: it's a brand new system!*
New Mini Boss: Pride has ascended!
New Traits:
--Instant Reflection: Mega Laser becomes a one-hit attack but damage is greatly increased.
---Mounting Bracket: Certain weapons can now be attached to the underbarrel of the Rifle."
Tribute and Roulette will now appear in Vault.
Added 2 new difficulties:
--Infernal
--Hellsweep
Stats can be used as tribute for the Tribute objective.
Added 2-handed effects when using the Mace's Flail mode*
Curved Laser' trait can be cast continuously instead of a one-hit attack.*
[MP] Players can now choose to start the game with 'Empty Loadout'.*
Balancing
Added a curve for certain types of trait effects, the incremental gains will decrease with more stacks.
Limited the number of projectiles gained from certain traits but damage is improved instead.
Fire-infused weapons will deal 25% more damage.
Volt-infused weapons will behave faster. eg, guns will fire faster.
When reloading the Shotgun, the numbers of bullets added will be based on the size of the magazine instead of 3.
Updated the icon for the Map Modifier Removal effect for Roulette. It will no longer trigger combat after Roulette as well.
Added Empty Slot effect for Roulette, when it grants nothing. It will not trigger combat after the Roulette.
Levitation Reload will only restore 70% of a gun's ammo.
Capped the shop prices based on the difficulty.*
The 'Prime Shot' and 'Smoking Barrel' traits now affect a certain percentage of bullets in the magazine instead of just the first and last bullet.
General and QoL Updates
Reduced loading time in between levels.
Added toggle for Bullet Time in the Options, allowing players to toggle Bullet Time instead of a 3 second effect.*
[STEAM] Added slider to adjust the sensitivity of the grip sensors of the Valve Index controllers.*
When items are destroyed due to reaching the item limit, it will priortise items that are not in use first.
Added more descriptions to traits so that the effects are easier to understand.*
Advanced Melee Grip will be disabled when Sticky Grip is enabled, it will default to Double-Tap.
Switching the Rifle's firing mode can now be done while holding a weapon.
Added a latch to Shotgun's pump-action mechanism, allowing players to pump it while holding a weapon.
[MP] Weapons held will not despawn when the weapon cap has been hit, prioritizing unused weapons first.
Bug Fixes
[PCVR] Fixed 'Texture Quality' buttons not working as intended.*
Fixed Charge Magic's augment tree not displaying as intended.*
Fixed enemy crystals not spawning when gore is disabled.
[PCVR/PSVR] Fixed player shadows not casting properly.
Fixed difficulty modifiers are not applied in the first Act.
Fixed enemy health slider not working in the Training Room.
Fixed too many traits causing loadout issues.
[MP] Fixed issue where guns have a different buff tier when seen by different people.
[MP] Fixed weapons dropping slowly like a leaf when released.
[MP] Fixed issue where holding magic orbs for too long in MP will cause them to detonate.
[MP] Fixed issue where holding weapons will always appear to be held at the base grip position (i.e. holding only the shotgun slider will appear as holding the handle by other players)
Looking Ahead: The Alliance Update
Anticipate more action with the upcoming Alliance Update, potentially landing as early as December this year. Featuring a new game mode, another daunting miniboss, fresh weapon skins, and map tweaks—we're pushing hard to deliver it ahead of schedule!
Finally, we’d like to end this update by once again thanking each and every one of you who has played a role in Hellsweeper’s journey.
To our amazing players—both old and new—thank you for diving into the fiery depths with us. A special thanks to the content creators who’ve helped spread the word and showcase our game to the world. And to our incredible community members, including our Discord moderators and active participants who welcome and guide newcomers through Hellsweeper’s challenging mechanics—you are the heartbeat of our community.
Hey Hellsweepers, It’s been a little quiet since our Ascension update back in June , but for good reason. We were working hard on our new roadmap and we're finally ready to unveil it here... Spoiler Alert: The next big update is dropping in 2 weeks! Here’s What’s Coming: Septembe
Hey Hellsweepers,
It’s been a little quiet since our Ascension update back in June, but for good reason. We were working hard on our new roadmap and we're finally ready to unveil it here... Spoiler Alert: The next big update is dropping in 2 weeks!
Here’s What’s Coming:
September Anniversary Update: We’re dropping new content including the much-anticipated katana (this isn't just any sword... it's a system!), a new miniboss, a new playable model, some fresh new traits and our usual goodie bag of QoLs with every update!
December 2024/Q1 2025: Get ready for a new game mode (this is a HUGE one that we've been working hard on!), another tough miniboss, weapon skins, updates to the maps and more!
Apart from working on new content for Hellsweeper, our team at Mixed Realms has also started on our next game, 13Z. While it's currently available on PC and is thematically different from Hellsweeper, we’d love to be able to bring it to VR too! There's going to be a global playtest in a couple of weeks and we hope you can give it a try as we'd love to hear your feedback.
Why do we keep adding more content?
Since the last update, we occasionally get asked why we still keep adding more content to Hellsweeper VR. Simply put, we love this game and cherish the community that has grown around it. Fans of our first VR game, Sairento, will recall how we updated it for years. We would really love to be able to do the same thing for Hellsweeper as long as it's feasible for our studio and we have the support of VR gamers.
If you want to stay updated on Hellsweeper VR, we invite you to join us on our various channels: Discord | Reddit | Twitter | Tiktok.
Piping hot, as always. All items with * are updates inspired by community suggestions. Thank you! Bug Fixes: - Fixed Phantom Limb Flail Mace not damaging enemies. - Fixed Mace's hookshot unable to pull halfbody minions and spiderheads. - Fixed description of traits not displaying
Piping hot, as always. All items with * are updates inspired by community suggestions. Thank you!
Bug Fixes: - Fixed Phantom Limb Flail Mace not damaging enemies. - Fixed Mace's hookshot unable to pull halfbody minions and spiderheads. - Fixed description of traits not displaying values correctly. - Fixed Blizzard Storm preventing the player from moving. - Fixed "Spider's Web" trait not increasing chain's length. - Fixed "Favorite Child" and "Leaving Home" traits not affecting the correct stats. - Fixed "Secret Powder" trait not restoring durability of guns. - Fixed unstable burst speed when firing Ice Shards. - Fixed missing trait UI after looking at enemy weapon skills in the Loadout UI. - Added extended barrel model for the Shotgun. - Changed forging requirements for "One And Only" trait.
QoL: - [PCVR] Added OpenXR loader for Rift and Steam to reduce the chance of players loading into a black screen. - [PSVR2] Improved throwing detection. - Added aim-assist for magic, melee and unarmed projectiles. * Added forging in the Shop. * Added stat chart for skills when getting a new trait. * Added option to disable Blast skill when using Melee weapons. * Added option for throwing-assist. * Added button to show forge recipes in the Loadout UI. * Increased length of Mace.
Balancing: - Increased reload speed of Tempest. - Limited knockback force for "Grand Symphony" to prevent players from flying out of the map. - Reduced knockback force for "Bass Note"" from 20% to 10% to balance it with "Grand Symphony". - Reduced knockback force for "Boom Da Beat Box" from 40% to 30% to balance it with "Grand Symphony". - Increased explosion radius of "Item Refund" as it seemed to not be working when triggered.
