Dear Operators,

With the holiday season fast approaching, I wanted to take a moment to look back on the past year and the evolution of Black One Blood Brothers. Seeing the project grow and witnessing your support, whether you are veterans or new players discovering the Black One universe, has been an immense source of pride for me as a solo developer.

As updates rolled out and increasingly ambitious content was added, it became clear that Unreal Engine 4.2, on which the game was originally built, was starting to show its weaknesses. And more importantly, its increasingly frustrating limitations. If I wanted to take the game to the next level, a solution had to be found.

Considering and then beginning the migration of Black One to Unreal Engine 5.6 (and now… 5.7) was without a doubt the biggest challenge and the largest undertaking of 2025. A tremendous amount of work happened behind the scenes to fix broken or obsolete features, first by adapting as much as possible, and then by introducing new approaches native to Unreal Engine 5. Throughout this process, the core goals remained the same: realism, immersion, and delivering a tactical FPS that truly satisfies you.

One of the biggest focuses has been optimization. The announcement of the engine migration understandably raised concerns on this front. I am fully aware that optimization is a long-term effort, but it is absolutely essential. That’s why the playtest results have been very encouraging: the game runs more smoothly and is now better supported on more modest hardware configurations. There is still work to be done, and we’ll dive deeper into this topic at the beginning of the year.

This migration didn’t only bring challenges: it also opened the door to exciting new opportunities for a more sustainable and accessible future. This includes better support for controller players, thanks to the new input system that allows for dedicated control profiles. The environments are now more beautiful and more interactive, with the introduction of a realistic water system and swimming mechanics. Voice commands are also currently being worked on to add a more spontaneous and immersive layer to tactical gameplay: most orders will be given directly through your microphone, using the crosshair as a cursor, in a dynamic and intuitive way. Many other aspects, such as animations and equipment modeling, can now be improved more easily as well.

And of course, I haven’t forgotten one of the most critical aspects of a tactical FPS: AI, which is also one of your main concerns. Improving it is one of my key objectives for 2026: enhancing its behavior, reactions, movement, and ability to adapt to the player, in order to deliver the engaging and immersive experience I have in mind.

So, dear Operators, 2025 marked a turning point in the game’s development: a year of decisions and transformation. 2026 is shaping up to be even more ambitious: decisions will turn into action, and you will be able to get your hands on this new version of the game yourselves. None of this would be possible without you and your support, because at its core, Black One Blood Brothers is made for you.

Your support, constructive and thoughtful feedback, suggestions, and involvement are absolutely vital to the future of the game. So, a sincere thank you to the entire community for your dedication and support. On behalf of the whole team and myself, I wish those who celebrate it a Merry Christmas, everyone a wonderful end to the year, and all the best for 2026.

See you very soon,

Helios