WARDOGS has reached one million wishlists on Steam, giving BULKHEAD a major audience milestone before the tactical shooter’s next testing phase. The developer shared the figure six months after revealing the game and thanked players in a Steam announcement.
The timing puts the milestone right before WARDOGS’ three-day Closed Beta Weekend, which is scheduled for August 21 through August 23, 2026. The game will then enter Steam Early Access on September 10, 2026, following the schedule outlined in the Closed Beta Weekend announcement.
WARDOGS heads toward its first major test
The upcoming beta gives the million wishlisters the next chance to see how BULKHEAD’s tactical shooter handles its mix of infantry and vehicle combat, construction, destruction, and large-scale team battles. Matches support three teams and up to 100 players, with those teams moving toward randomly selected action zones. The side that places the most players inside the active area earns points toward victory.
Players carry cash between lives and can spend it on a loadout whenever they respawn, with actions such as helping capture an objective, moving allies across the battlefield, or reviving teammates helping to build that supply. The combination of vehicles, construction, and destruction gives players several ways to contribute while taking riskier approaches.
WARDOGS’ Early Access plans come with limits
Early Access will focus on WARDOGS’ core experience and metagame rather than a steady stream of new content. BULKHEAD says its development priorities may change after players begin testing the game, so the early build is not being presented as a finished military shooter with regular content drops.
The planned launch build includes 37 weapons, 27 vehicles, and three maps, with another map scheduled for a later point. Controller support will be available, although WARDOGS was built as a PC-first mouse-and-keyboard shooter.
Beta access and pricing details
Pre-ordering WARDOGS guarantees access to the August Closed Beta. Players who do not pre-order can use the Request Access option on the Steam store page for a chance to receive an invitation.
Early Access will launch on $39.99 / £36.99. BULKHEAD plans to raise the price to $49.99 as more content is added, with the full 1.0 release priced at $59.99.
A supporter edition will include bonus cosmetic content. BULKHEAD says that will be the only form of monetization during Early Access, although more monetization may appear after the full release. The studio also says it will not sell in-game cash or gold bars, and players will not be able to buy camos directly. Those items are meant to represent gameplay progress rather than spending.
BULKHEAD has also made clear that refunding the game is acceptable if the beta or Early Access build does not meet a buyer’s expectations. With the game approaching its first public milestone after the wishlist push, tell us what you think of WARDOGS reaching one million wishlists in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
Wardogs
Developed by Bulkhead
