Following a big early access launch in 2024, Gray Zone Warfare is currently preparing for its next major update. The hardcore, realistic FPS offers an open-world island to explore, presenting a challenger to the likes of Escape From Tarkov and Exfil with a more persistent experience rather than extraction-focused rounds. Developer Madfinger Games recently restructured its roap towards full release, and now it's unveiled a sizable cache of weapons, attachments, armor, and more that will be arriving with the incoming GZW Winds of War update.
Winds of War brings shifting weather conditions to FPS game's new update rolls out.
Madfinger says the overhaul is not just about new firepower, but also "meaningful improvements to systems already in place." Your entire loadout is set to change, with updates to everything from loot drops to the feel of firing weapons. Expanded terminal ballistics (what happens after a bullet hits its target), more realistic projectile stability modeling for soft tissue, and the introduction of intestines to player models combine to provide a more grounded and authentic experience than ever.
Of course, to see this in action you'll need to get your hands on some guns. The SIG MCX brings a modular rifle option giving you plenty of mid-range flexibility. The MP7 A1 and A2 models are compact options with high rates of fire and strong armor penetration, making them ideal for fast-paced, close-quarters combat. If you'd rather keep your distance, the iconic SVD Dragunov is Gray Zone's first designated marksman rifle, allowing you to apply pressure to opponents from much greater range.
The Beretta M9A1 expands the sidearm lineup with a dependable option that can 15-round and 30-round magazines, and the Colt 1911 Commander brings a more compact and responsive alternative to its existing counterpart. Also getting another variant is the Mosin Nagant, with a carbine edition that boasts a straight bolt handle. Madfinger promises more weapons over time, with a focus on additions that fit the world and atmosphere of Lamang.
There's far more customization coming – more than 80 new weapon parts will be introduced in Winds of War, including mounts, receivers, foregrips, barrels, and iron sights. The new optics include several compact red dot sights and four new scopes. Additionally, scopes and sights now sit closer to your view when equipped, while smooth scope zooming helps make aiming feel more natural and responsive as you change between ranges. A tracking tag purchasable at vendors can be attached to your gear to help locate it after death or if it's looted, although you'll only have a limited time to get it back before the signal runs out.
Having recently trialed a repair system, Madfinger is giving it another round of polish. Weapons will now degrade slowly through use or when they're struck by bullets, rather than dropping durability when you fall in battle. To fix your damaged gear, you can opt for a slower restorative method or choose to invest in fast-repair kits that will get your items back in working order immediately.
With all these fresh threats, you'll want better protection, and Madfinger is ready to deliver. New ballistic vests and armor plate carriers will help keep you alive, although you'll have to consider how they affect your mobility and vision. More helmets have been added alongside reworks of existing ones, offering variants with and without mounting options. If you like to stay particularly trim, the Skullcrusher offers a lightweight NVG rig without the full coverage provided by a helmet.
A rebalance to the economy will help you find more meaningful and useful loot. You should find more crates while exploring, and gear found in the field should, in general, feel more valuable and practical. Madfinger says to expect to find "the kind of loot you'll actually want to keep," along with "rewards that better reflect the risks you take during missions." Gray Zone Warfare's Winds of War update is set to launch this spring, so keep watch for additional information as it approaches.
In the meantime, you can explore more of the best multiplayer games in 2025 if you're after places filled with other people.
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