Knights and mercs, we're back with Update #6: Patchmax. We're excited to welcome thousands of new Knights to the zone and what better way to do it than with another update? Update #6 focuses on balance, new game and polish before we get into the blast of new stuff coming later this week. Yes, more updates are coming ːsteamhappyː don't worry about your save games (see below).
With Update #6, we've made some big improvements to slowing down the pace of the origin story content in new games, improved mission tagging for Pure Combat missions to give players better warning, added missing items to the Anti-Security service, fixed mixed up glyphs for Playstation controllers and more.
Thanks to everyone playing, posting on the boards and putting up a review to help us spread the word and keep New Boston heisting. Let's get busy with the update!
Our Save Game Policy and Updates
First, since you're going to be seeing a lot of updates around here, we want to share our saved game policy up front so everyone understands our commitment to your games. No saved game will ever be invalidated by an update. You never have to restart if you don't want to. All new content and features will be added immediately to all saved games (with the reasonable exception of New Game options). This is a studio commitment that we have made and kept for many years and games. We stand by it. So do not stress about the deluge of updates that is coming your way - heist on my good heisters.
Improved New Game Pacing
With Update #6, we've been listening closely to the community about the pace of the early game. We've been experimenting with different adjustments to the pacing and finally found what feels best here, so we're excited to hear how new players are finding it.
In short - while there are variations in the timeline shifts - all missions and story events in both Syndicate Debts and Null Deal have been pushed back by 4 to 10 days. This gives a much wider window for you to execute on these storylines, giving players some grace to recover from injuries and mistakes, and the option to do some other more self-directed activities in between the story missions (Co-Conspire, other story events or proc-gen missions).
We've also adjusted the new game team selection so that Dade and Remi have a chance to randomize. Your new groups may be a little more lively by default!
Improved Pure Combat Mission Tagging
We've added a new tag to the mission summary screen called "Pure Combat" which explains in its hover that this mission is all out battle with the enemies starting aggressive and that there is no hacking, no stealth and no Security Escalations.
This new tag stands apart from "Combat Required" tag that appear for missions like Assassination, Kill 3 Captains and Hardened Target. Those missions start as a stealthy heist but require an ending in combat. Pure Combat just means fight from start to finish and hopefully will serve as a better warning for players about what type of mission (proc-gen Siege or Alpha Striker, Slagga Smash, etc) they are heading in to.
Anti-Security Items Added
We've linked in 2 new Anti-Security items that had been mislinked to their Anti-Security Items service. The two items are the Ping-Jammer which is a long-range security device jammer that can also be used to target already disabled devices. In addition, there is the Long-Range Dazzler, which is the most powerful of the Dazzler devices, capable of stunning target at over 20 meters.
Armor Move Speed
With Update #5, we fixed an issue with the common heavy armor effect of negative Move Speed not working well with Move Speed Penalty Mitigation from cyberlungs (etc). Well, silly me caused a bug for the rarer light armor that adds to Move Speed at the same time as fixing heavy armor. We've resolved the follow-on error with Update #6.
Slower VIPs
We have adjusted the balance on the protective vest that the VIPs you are sometimes called in to escort are wearing. The armor values have stays the same, but they now have a -15% Move Speed penalty. VIPs are now just a little bit harder to hustle across a map but you can still use the buffs, items and their buff to help quickly compensate for the fact that the VIP isn't used to wearing such a weighted vest.
Map Fixes and Improvements
We've fixed a number of places where you might get spotted by a patroller quickly on the same turn you spawn. We've also addressed some old performance issues with the Trucker HQ level, clearing up a huge amount of unused and unseen geometry. That included fixing the issue with the wall that was covering the door the big truck comes through on the story mission. That now looks much less like a truck driving through a wall ːsteamhappyː
Playstation Keybinding Glyphs
We have fixed the issues with Playstation controllers not showing the right keybindings. Hopefully this helps you all out!
Son/Daughter Storyline
There was a specific storyline where one of the characters changed their son/daughter designation a number of times. This is now fixed!
v2.0.19 - Update #6: Patchmax - 6/10/2025
- Improved pacing of all origin story missions, slowing each event by 4-10 days
- Improved Liat's starting equipment to be a Sniper Rifle + Silenced Pistol
- Upgraded some mission tags to "Full Combat" if the mission starts with all enemies combat-engaged (no stealth or hacking)
- Added new item for sale under Anti-Security Item service Lvl 2 and 3: Ping-Jammer (can target disabled devices), Long-Range Dazzler
- Adjusted balance on VIP's protective vest armor now granting -15% Move Speed debuff
- Fixed issues that Update #5 caused with Armors that have Move Speed buffs
- Simstream Detox room level 4 upgrade no longer requires Cold Storage Level 8
- Improved Trucker HQ level performance and issue where wall existed over top of the door the objective truck drives through
- Choice of Remi and Dade now randomized for new groups
- Improved text in Co-Conspire Face Talent to be more clear about +10% Influence bonus
- Fixed dialog issues with son/daughter mix up, with Vix or other characters appearing oddly
- Fixed some issues with Playstation controllers showing up incorrectly in key binding
- Renamed "Withdraw" in pause menu to "Surrender" to be clear that is Defeat