The first huge battle royale shooter has finally left Early Access on Steam, and it is getting a new vehicle-only mode to go along with this release. Publisher Daybreak has launched the 1.0 retail version of H1Z1 for $20 on Valve’s digital distribution platform. After starting as an online survival sim (now called Just Survive), Daybreak added a last-player-standing competitive mode with the help of Brendan
The first huge battle royale shooter has finally left Early Access on Steam, and it is getting a new vehicle-only mode to go along with this release. Publisher Daybreak has launched the 1.0 retail version of H1Z1 for $20 on Valve’s digital distribution platform. After starting as an online survival sim (now called Just Survive), Daybreak added a last-player-standing competitive mode with the help of Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene — this was before he left to create PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds with Bluehole Studios.
H1Z1 is a fast-paced battle royale shooter that exists somewhere between PUBG and Fortnite: Battle Royale on a gameplay spectrum. Unlike those others where using a vehicle is sometimes viable (PUBG) or not even in the game (Fortnite), H1Z1’s matches have a heavy emphasis on using cars and trucks. Daybreak is now building on that with its 1.0 release in the form of the vehicle-only Auto Royale mode.
“In 2016, we did something unheard of — we split a successful game into two products and introduced the world to the first standalone battle royale game,” H1Z1 general manager Anthony Castoro said. “The next year, we created the first battle royale esports league and became the second esport to ever air on broadcast television. This year, we continue to push this young genre forward with the introduction of Auto Royale. Auto Royale doesn’t rinse and repeat what is currently available on the market, it turns the genre on its head with a fresh approach — arcadey, vehicle-only battle royale unlike anything anyone has experienced before.”
Here’s how the Auto Royale mode works, according to the developer.
H1Z1 is getting more than Auto Royale, though. Daybreak is delivering a slew of improvements including the option to finally choose where you drop on the map, a new minimap, and a ton of new cosmetic content.
PUBG and Fortnite came in and ate H1Z1’s battle-royale lunch, but Daybreak still has a chance to keep its game relevant and profitable. It will need regular updates beyond this to accomplish that, and version 1.0 is only the start.
