Witchfire is getting closer to its 1.0 release with The Reckoning, a massive update that The Astronauts describes as finalizing most gameplay features and mechanics before the final push to launch. Expected in early December 2025, The Reckoning introduces melee weapons that replace your fists, extreme optional challenges called Banes, world corruption that reacts to your actions, a new Velmorne Witch Vault, and major upgrades to Alchemy, Sanity, Arcana, and Prophecies systems. After nearly two years in Early Access with seven updates already released, the roguelike dark fantasy shooter is now in the home stretch toward its early 2026 full release.
Melee Weapons Finally Arrive
The most anticipated addition is melee weapons, which replace your basic fist punch with actual combat-viable tools. The Astronauts emphasized that Witchfire isn’t competing with Dead Island or Dying Light in the melee combat space. Instead, melee weapons serve as complementary tools to your guns and spells rather than replacements. Think of them as enhanced melee options that work alongside your primary firearms rather than an entirely new combat system.
The dev diary shows melee weapons integrating into Witchfire’s existing combat dance. Players already familiar with the game know that mixing ranged attacks, spells, dashes, and strategic positioning creates a rhythm where proper tool usage keeps you alive. Melee weapons add another beat to that rhythm, giving you close-range options beyond the basic shockwave punch. This addresses a common player request while maintaining the game’s identity as a dark fantasy first-person shooter where guns remain central.
World Corruption and Reactive Environments
The Reckoning introduces world corruption, a system where the environment reacts to your deeds throughout your runs. While The Astronauts kept specific details vague, the concept suggests that killing witches, completing objectives, and causing chaos will visibly affect the world around you. This could manifest as environmental changes, enemy behavior shifts, or narrative consequences that make each run feel more consequential than simple loot grinding.
The Bestiary also receives updates as part of this system, presumably tracking your encounters and kills while providing lore about the creatures hunting you. Combined with world corruption, these features push Witchfire further toward the narrative-driven roguelike experience The Astronauts has been crafting. Your actions matter beyond immediate combat rewards, building a sense of progression and impact that pure mechanical upgrades alone can’t deliver.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Melee Weapons | Replace fists, work alongside guns and spells |
| Banes | Extreme optional challenges for hardcore players |
| World Corruption | Environment reacts to your actions and deeds |
| Velmorne Witch Vault | New vault location with unique challenges |
| System Upgrades | Major improvements to Alchemy, Sanity, Arcana, Prophecies |
| Release Window | Early December 2025 (first half of month) |
Banes and Extreme Challenges
For players who’ve mastered Witchfire’s combat and want even greater tests of skill, Banes represent extreme optional challenges. The Astronauts hasn’t detailed exactly what Banes entail, but the terminology suggests curses, handicaps, or difficulty modifiers that push experienced players beyond standard high-Gnosis runs. Think of them as Witchfire’s answer to Hades’ Heat system or Risk of Rain’s difficulty scaling.
The inclusion of Banes signals The Astronauts’ commitment to depth for hardcore players. Witchfire already features six Gnosis levels that dramatically increase difficulty, unlock new areas, reveal hidden secrets, and improve loot quality. Banes will likely sit atop this system, offering rewards that justify the extreme risk for players who’ve exhausted standard progression. This addresses a common roguelike problem where players eventually outgrow the challenge curve once they’ve optimized builds and mastered mechanics.
The New Velmorne Witch Vault
The Reckoning adds another Witch Vault to Velmorne, the region introduced in the previous Webgrave update. Witch Vaults serve as high-difficulty dungeons packed with powerful enemies, environmental hazards, and premium loot. They represent some of Witchfire’s most intense combat scenarios, requiring mastery of all your tools to survive. Adding another vault to Velmorne expands the newest region’s content significantly.
Velmorne itself launched with the Webgrave update in July 2025 as Witchfire’s fifth playable region. The twisted, web-covered landscape introduced new enemy types, secrets, and environmental storytelling. A second vault gives returning players fresh reasons to revisit the area while providing newcomers with more variety when they finally unlock access to Velmorne through Gnosis progression.
Major System Overhauls
Beyond the headline features, The Reckoning includes significant upgrades to core systems that have been evolving throughout Early Access. Alchemy, the crafting system for consumables and temporary buffs, receives improvements that should make it more integral to successful runs. The Sanity system, which tracks your mental state and affects gameplay, gets refinements that likely make it more impactful or easier to understand.
Arcana and Prophecies, systems governing magical abilities and run modifiers respectively, also see major upgrades. The Astronauts emphasized that The Reckoning focuses on finalizing most gameplay features, suggesting these aren’t minor tweaks but substantial revisions that prepare these systems for 1.0. Players should expect meaningful changes to how they interact with Witchfire’s magical and meta-progression elements.
Hermitorium Updates
The dev diary also showcased two updates coming to Hermitorium, Witchfire’s hub area where you research gear, plan runs, and interact with systems between expeditions. While specific details remain under wraps, improvements to the hub typically focus on quality-of-life features, better information presentation, or new customization options. The Hermitorium already received a major Workshop 2.0 overhaul in the Webgrave update that let players choose specific projects to research rather than random category selections.
These hub improvements matter because Witchfire emphasizes planning and preparation between runs. Unlike pure action roguelikes where you immediately dive back in, Witchfire encourages strategic thinking about loadouts, research priorities, and which Gnosis level challenges you’re ready to tackle. Better hub functionality directly improves this core loop by reducing friction and presenting information more clearly.
The Road to 1.0
The Astronauts revealed their updated roadmap in September 2025, showing seven major updates already delivered since Early Access launched in September 2023. The Reckoning represents update number eight, with one more major update called Extraction 2.0 planned before version 1.0. Extraction 2.0 aims to increase tension at higher Gnosis levels and is currently in prototyping phase, suggesting it might not arrive until early 2026 shortly before full release.
Version 1.0 is now targeted for early 2026 rather than the originally hoped-for late 2025 window. The team acknowledged they’re good at what they do but not fast, needing to verify whether The Reckoning genuinely finalizes most features before understanding what remains. Creative director Adrian Chmielarz noted a shift in team mentality from making Witchfire to finishing Witchfire, describing it as scary but exciting.
Two Years of Evolution
Witchfire’s Early Access journey demonstrates how dramatically the game has evolved since launch. The initial September 2023 release featured two maps, basic progression systems, and core combat that impressed but lacked depth. Update after update added new regions, overhauled systems, introduced mechanics like the Rosary and Webgrave-specific features, and refined the core gameplay loop.
The Webgrave update in July 2025 alone added the Velmorne region, Workshop 2.0, stat system overhaul replacing old categories with Flesh, Blood, Mind, Witchery, Arsenal, and Faith, new weapons and relics, a revised tutorial, and a comprehensive in-game handbook. The Wailing Tower update before that added the Island of the Damned map. Each major patch has substantially expanded or refined Witchfire in ways that justify the extended Early Access period.
What’s Still Coming
Beyond The Reckoning, players can expect Extraction 2.0 and the mysterious 1.0 finale. Extraction 2.0 suggests changes to how runs end and what happens when you extract with loot, potentially adding more risk-reward tension to that crucial moment. The paper design is complete but requires in-game testing before The Astronauts commits to specifics. Version 1.0 will presumably add final story content, balance passes, and polish that transforms Early Access into a finished product.
The roadmap also teased a mystery feature marked as S????? that remains completely secret until closer to December. Given The Astronauts’ tendency to surprise players with unexpected systems and mechanics, this could be anything from a new game mode to a narrative twist to a completely new progression layer. The secrecy suggests it’s significant enough that revealing it early would spoil the impact.
Community Response
The Witchfire community has responded positively to the continued development pace and transparent communication from The Astronauts. Players appreciate the detailed dev diaries explaining not just what’s changing but why, giving insight into design philosophy and decision-making. The willingness to delay 1.0 into 2026 rather than rushing a buggy launch has earned goodwill, especially after recent high-profile Early Access disasters.
Some players expressed frustration with the extended timeline, particularly those holding off on playing until 1.0. However, most recognize that Witchfire’s quality and ambition justify the time investment. The game already offers 40-60 hours of content for players who fully engage with current systems, and each update adds more. The consensus seems to be that waiting for a polished 1.0 beats playing a rushed, incomplete version.
FAQs
When is The Reckoning update releasing?
The Reckoning is expected to release in the first half of December 2025. The Astronauts haven’t announced a specific date but confirmed the window during their September roadmap update. Players should expect the update within the first two weeks of December based on typical release patterns.
What are Banes in Witchfire?
Banes are extreme optional challenges designed for hardcore players who’ve mastered the standard difficulty curve. While specific details haven’t been revealed, they likely function as difficulty modifiers, handicaps, or special challenge conditions that sit above the existing six Gnosis levels, offering rewards that justify the extreme risk.
Do melee weapons replace guns in Witchfire?
No, melee weapons replace your basic fist attack, not your firearms. Witchfire remains a first-person shooter where guns are central to combat. Melee weapons serve as complementary close-range tools that work alongside your guns and spells rather than replacing the core gunplay.
When is Witchfire’s 1.0 release date?
Witchfire version 1.0 is targeted for early 2026. The Astronauts initially hoped for late 2025 but pushed the timeline back to ensure quality. One more major update called Extraction 2.0 will arrive after The Reckoning before the final 1.0 launch.
How many maps does Witchfire have now?
Witchfire currently features five playable regions: the original launch maps, plus additional areas added through updates including the Island of the Damned and Velmorne. The Reckoning adds a new Witch Vault to Velmorne, expanding content in the newest region.
Is Witchfire coming to consoles?
Console ports are planned but not confirmed for launch. The Astronauts mentioned looking for someone to handle console ports in previous roadmap discussions, but no official announcement has been made about PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, or other platforms.
What is world corruption in Witchfire?
World corruption is a system where the game environment reacts to your actions throughout runs. While specific details remain vague, it suggests your deeds will visibly affect the world through environmental changes, enemy behavior shifts, or narrative consequences that make each run feel more impactful.
How much content is in Witchfire right now?
Players report 40-60 hours of content currently available, depending on how thoroughly you engage with systems. The game features five regions, six Gnosis difficulty levels, extensive gear to collect and upgrade, and multiple progression systems. Casual players can expect dozens of hours before seeing everything.
Conclusion
The Reckoning represents a crucial milestone in Witchfire’s journey from Early Access experiment to finished product. By finalizing melee weapons, Banes, world corruption, and major system overhauls, The Astronauts is setting the foundation for the final push toward 1.0 in early 2026. The update demonstrates a development team that understands their vision and refuses to compromise quality for speed, even if that means delaying beyond originally planned timelines. For players holding out for the complete experience, the wait continues, but each dev diary reinforces that the final product will justify the patience. For those already deep into Early Access, The Reckoning promises enough new mechanics and content to make December 2025 an exciting month to return. Melee weapons alone change combat dynamics, while Banes give hardcore players the extreme challenges they’ve been craving. Add world corruption that makes your actions matter and a new vault to conquer, and The Reckoning might live up to its dramatic name. Just one more major update after this, then Witchfire finally completes its transformation from intriguing Early Access title to the dark fantasy shooter The Astronauts envisioned back when they first showed combat footage years ago.