theHunter Freezes Over
The most advanced hunting simulation ever created gets a massive – and very chilly – expansion.
Avalanche Studios and Expansive Worlds have released the new hunting location Whiterime Ridge, inspired by subarctic parts of North America. It’s the largest reserve to date, and certainly the coldest with temperatures falling to -13 F (-35 C).
The cold is not just an excuse to create stunning snow-covered valleys and sharp mountain ridges in the acclaimed Avalanche Engine – the climate directly affects gameplay.
– In harsh conditions – and with the wrong gear – you’ll start to notice your breathing becoming strained, explains Designer Daniel Jansson. It will be difficult to keep your weapon still when aiming - perhaps your trigger finger does not obey your will at all. After a while you’ll succumb to the cold and collapse into a sad little frozen pile.
An Arctic reserve has been one of the most requested locations from the community, which has also been part of naming all locations in the area. Four new animals call Whiterime Ridge their home, from the elusive Snowshoe Hare to the iconic Bison, the first bovid to ever be featured in the game. Players will also be able to hunt the Arctic Fox and Sitka Deer.
– We've wanted to explore the possibilities of a sub-arctic hunting environment in theHunter for a long time, said Hannes Rhodin, Producer at Expansive Worlds. But it needed to be done right. We wanted to implement proper cold weather gameplay mechanics coupled with a diverse range of new species. You can really feel the cold and the isolation when hunting in Whiterime Ridge, so bringing some friends on your bison hunt is highly recommended.
Whiterime Ridge is the 10threserve to be launched in theHunter, which currently has close to 6 million registered players and is growing rapidly. theHunter is an ever-evolving game, continuously developed in close collaboration with its dedicated community. Learn more and play for free at www.thehunter.com. Watch the release trailer at https://youtu.be/9rMA8M_NAJQ.
For any questions, interview requests or additional assets, please contact Thomas Wiborgh, Head of Communications at thomas.wiborgh@avalanchestudios.com.
About Avalanche Studios
Avalanche Studios is the original creator of the award-winning Just Cause franchise, and the newly released Mad Max (published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment). It is currently working on Just Cause 3 (published by Square-Enix), slated for release December 1st, 2015. The studio has created acclaimed twin stick shooter Renegade Ops (published by SEGA) and self-published free-to-play service theHunter (developed by subsidiary Expansive Worlds) with close to 6 million registered players across 190 countries. Avalanche Studios, which is based in Stockholm and New York City, was founded in 2003 by Christofer Sundberg and Linus Blomberg. The studio develops games built on its proprietary technology, the Avalanche Engine, enabling huge open worlds filled with emergent gameplay. More information is available at www.avalanchestudios.com.
