WARDOGS is everywhere right now. With one Beta happening as we speak, and another on the way August 21st-23rd, everyone knew that the game wasn’t far from release. Now, we have confirmation of that, with Bulkhead and Team17 announcing that the game will be jumping into Early Access on September 10th, 2026, with pre-orders going live today.
With every pre-order of the Early Access release of WARDOGS, players will be able to jump into the Closed Beta coming at the end of the month, in an added bonus. Bulkhead has also announced a lower price point for the Early Access release, with a stepped pricing model ensuring those who support the game early, get a better deal. Early Access will also be completely devoid of any microtransactions or in-game purchases, with “the sole exception of an optional Supporters Edition containing cosmetic items for players who want to show additional support for the project.”
Joe Brammer, CEO of Bulkhead, addressed potential worries from players wondering why they’re allowing pre-orders for an Early Access game:
“Taking pre-orders for an Early Access game is unusual, and we know some people will question it,” said Joe Brammer, CEO at BULKHEAD. “But WARDOGS has never been about playing it safe. Rather than asking players to take our word for it, every pre-order includes access to the Closed Beta, so they can get hands-on, see exactly where the game is today and make up their own minds. If they play it and decide it is not for them, that is completely fair.”
In celebration of the announcement, WARDOGS has released its latest gameplay trailer that you can see below.
For your next read, check out our full write-up of the changes coming to Mortal Shell 2, or exactly how to beat the Village Chief in The Relic: First Guardian.
Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
