Here we are, one month after Early Access.
“How does it feel?” that’s probably what a sports reporter would ask us right now.
To be completely honest with you: it didn’t exactly go as we had hoped.
Our plan was to make a bigger PR push with traditional media & social media right at launch day, one month ago.
That part actually went well, bigger gaming outlets and websites wrote about Striden, and we had good traction on social media and in the game itself.
The next step was to ramp things up over the weekend with bigger YouTubers and streamers who would test the game, spread the word, and bring in more players beyond those who already knew about Striden. Everything was prepared and ready to go.
But then we hit a serious problem. Someone or several people apparently decided it was a very bad idea for Striden to launch, and started sabotaging our servers. On top of that, we discovered internal data breaches in the studio.
The breaking point came when streamer Lirik was about to test Striden live on Twitch only for the griefer to find the server he was on and make the game unplayable for him. Around the same time, we also saw unauthorized access to our GitHub, where we manage all files and builds for the game.
At that point, we had to pull the emergency brake. We couldn’t justify putting money into marketing. Instead, we urgently had to strengthen our anti-cheat, investigate who was behind this, and protect the project.
This also took a toll on the team. Some of us burned out after working day and night for a long time to deliver a solid build for Early Access. A few team members needed to take well-earned time off to recharge and spend time with family. We’re human, after all.
That said, development didn’t stop during July and August. We put a lot of resources into improving security both internally and for the game. The sabotage investigation has been ongoing, and we’ve made real progress pieces of the puzzle are falling into place.
Now, we’re starting to feel ready for a new push to bring the servers back to life. More on that later.
What have we actually worked on in July and August?
Easy Anti-Cheat fully integrated into the game
New backend monitoring system – lets us see what’s happening on the servers without logging into the game, making it easier to act against disruptive users and gather data for balancing
Mute function in the scoreboard for VOIP/Proximity chat + soldier voice lines
New file management solution in the studio, plus additional security measures
Sabotage investigation – ongoing, with authorities now involved
Bug fixes for explosive weapons dealing damage through walls
Toggle sprint function added
Toggle crouch function added
Rank corrections – we can now restore lost or bugged ranks retroactively
We’re aiming to release this as a hotfix this coming week, if all tests go well.
We know this hotfix alone won’t bring back player numbers but it’s an important step before our next big push.
What’s next for Striden?
We are now back in full strength again.
At the end of September, we’ll release our first content update, aligned with the Steam Autumn Sale. Here, we’ll focus on offering a compelling price point to bring more players back. A new map for the Transmit game mode will be included, along with other changes based on your feedback.
Beyond that, we’re sticking to our roadmap. Current projects in production include:
Matchmaking system
Friend lobby system
A new game mode that’s simpler, easier to learn, and fun without needing 20 players
A new map to go with the new mode
More bug fixes
Ongoing content updates based on community feedback
So, is Striden dead?
No. We know the player numbers are low right now, and we’re just as frustrated about it as you are. But the game is not dead. We have secured funding for production all the way to full launch.
I do want to point out, however, that we are an extremely small studio with a very limited budget for a project like this.
Some of us have been working on this for over 5 years, so we’re not about to give up anytime soon. But without you, it will be difficult!
Your early support in buying Striden during Early Access has been a huge help in financing servers and future marketing efforts. With that said, we’re looking forward working hard to make Striden better than ever.
A huge thank you to everyone who believes in Striden. If you’re eager to play, join our Discord you’ll definitely find others ready to squad up. And if you haven’t yet, you can try our Co-op prototype, which already includes nearly all the core elements of the PvP mode.