Road to Hell is Live Now in Hunt: Showdown 1896
Featuring sprawling Strongholds, prototype heavy weaponry, and the doomed crusade of a rogue regiment
June 9, 2026
Frankfurt am Main, Germany – June 9th, 2026 – Today, Crytek launched Road to Hell, a major new in-game Event for Hunt: Showdown 1896, bringing along the major Update 2.8. The iconic extraction shooter is transformed by the tragic story of The 26th Regiment’s demise, a massive new Event Compound, prototype firepower, and a full inventory slot overhaul.
Watch the Gameplay Trailer now:
The Fallen 26th
The 26th Regiment entered the Corrupted bayou and the gulch confident in their training and firepower. Backed by the mysterious Desolation’s Delegate, they went rogue to find their missing comrades and were swallowed whole. Their Stronghold remains as a tombstone to their hubris: a sprawling graveyard of trenches, camps, and fortified buildings where they made their last stand.
New Locations
Players will fight for Bounty across three new locations:
- Stronghold – The grave of The 26th Regiment, this sprawling military encampment adds brand-new tactical pursuits and deadly encounters. Get up close and filthy in the trenches, search the camps for a Scouting Map, and explore the fortified buildings. Interact with the Scouting Map, banish the Caged Boss Target, and come face-to-face with the heavy firepower of the prototype Maxim M1895.
- Medical Supply – Contains a Full Health Restoration Kit, a Four Shot Boon, random Shots, a chance at a Tarot Card, Medical Packs, and a Scouting Map.
- Military Supply – Contains a Sealed Scarce Weapon Box, a Scouting Map, a Sealed Full Ammo and Tools Restock Box, a guaranteed un-Sealed Catalyst Trait Spur, and assorted ammo and Tool Boxes.
Scouting and Hidden information
Following the success of experimental game design making information the most valuable currency for players in the previous in-game Event, Road to Hell rewards Hunters for exploration and situational awareness:
- At the start of a Bounty Hunt Mission, only the Stronghold, Medical Supply, and Military Supply points are marked on the map.
- All other Supply Points and Extraction Points are hidden until revealed by interacting with a Scouting Map at one of the three new locations.
- Banishing a Boss Target, picking up a Bounty Token, or using a “The Chariot” Tarot Card also reveals Extraction Points. Scouting Maps no longer reveal Wild Target locations.
New Weapons
- Maxim M1895 – A prototype in-world heavy weapon found only at the Stronghold. Torn from its mount and fired from the hip with 50 Incendiary rounds, it slows Hunters by 25% while equipped, features a wide bullet spread, and can overheat under sustained fire. It cannot be extracted or kept in a Hunter’s inventory.
- 1890 Cavalry – A Size 3, single-shot Long Ammo rifle dealing 139 damage at 380 m/s with a 1/18 ammo reserve. Compatible with the “Fast Fingers” Trait and supports FMJ and High Velocity Custom Ammo.
Inventory Slot Rework
With Update 2.8, we have introduced an Inventory Slot overhaul that will dramatically expand your ability to experiment and diversify your load out, as well as offering more balanced gameplay.
Weapons are now assigned a Size from 1 to 5, replacing the old small/medium/large system. Default Weapon Capacity is 5 (extendable to 6 with the “Quartermaster” Trait). Tools and Consumables are no longer restricted by type and can be freely mixed across slots, though Consumables are limited to four instances of the same category (Throwables, Deployables, Shots, Tarot Cards). Tool Boxes now resupply only Tools, not Consumables. The Arsenal menu includes new filters for weapon sizes and Consumable categories.
More information about the Inventory Slot Rework can be found in the dedicated blog.
Update 2.8
Accompanying Road to Hell is the major Update 2.8, bringing a long list of changes, fixes, tweaks, and improvements. The update resolves numerous community-reported issues, including UI navigation bugs, item displays, AI behavior fixes for the Assassin and Firebreather, and map exploits across multiple locations. From level design adjustments to major UI improvements as part of the Inventory Slot Rework, Update 2.8 is aimed at the most discerning Hunters. A full list of fixes is available in the complete patch notes.
Free Story Challenge
A free four-chapter Story Challenge, Let the Gunshots Ring guides players through core mechanics via veteran Hunter John Victor. Rewards include the Pax Legendary Skin “Vanguard,” the Conversion Chain Pistol Legendary Skin “Hedera Mortiferum,” the Mosin-Nagant Legendary Skin “Bear’s Tooth,” and the “Initiate” Player Title. Let the Gunshots Ring ensures new players start off on the right foot!
More to Come in Chapters 2 & 3
Road to Hell brings a rich 50-tier Battle Pass with medals, signets, and Legendary Skins. Multiple new Legendary Hunters are available through the Battle Pass and Event content.
A new single from Port Sulphur Band releases alongside Road to Hell and is available to stream on all major platforms.
But the Road to Hell is long, daunting, and filled with fervor with two more Chapters awaiting our hardy Hunters in this saga.
Introducing Ned Kelly
Finally, releasing June 10, the iconic Ironclad (Ned Kelly) arrives from the Australian badlands, bringing his legendary armored look to the bayou in a new DLC. See the trailer now:
Road to Hell Calls
The challenge has arrived. Road to Hell is live now, calling all Hunters to trudge the blood-soaked battlefields that broke an entire regiment. New sprawling locations, tightened gameplay via Update 2.8, the prototype Maxim M1895, and secrets to be found and solved—all in the story of The 26th Regiment’s demise.
Stroll down the Road to Hell now!
For more information, visit the official website or follow Hunt: Showdown 1896 on Steam and official channels:
YouTube - @HuntShowdown
Discord - https://discord.gg/nFqe7r6AwQ
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/huntthegame/
X/Twitter - https://twitter.com/HuntShowdown
TikTok - Hunt: Showdown (@huntshowdownofficial)
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/huntshowdown/
Hunt: Showdown 1896 official website at https://www.huntshowdown.com
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Find out more about Crytek at https://www.crytek.com/
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About Hunt: Showdown 1896
Hunt: Showdown 1896 is a brutally rewarding extraction shooter blending survival horror with competitive bounty hunting. Developed by Crytek and set in corrupted backwaters of the American West in 1896, it fuses PvP and PvE into a uniquely tense experience where 12 players, solo or in teams, race to slay monsters, claim Bounty Tokens, and extract with rewards.
Survive using an arsenal of authentic yet inventive weapons, tools and abilities, from Beetles to Tarot Cards, be creative in combat and build unique personalized loadouts giving you an edge in the action. Four massive maps and transformative weather conditions like wildfires and heavy rainstorm ensure no two hunts feel the same. Sound is vital: every creak, cry, or distant gunshot could mean survival or disaster.
Every match is a deadly showdown where every bullet counts and the smallest mistake costs everything. The higher the risk, the higher the reward. Express yourself through diverse Hunters and hundreds of unlocks - no one Hunts quite like you. Hunt: Showdown 1896 is out now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. For more information, visit http://www.huntshowdown.com.