Wardogs Surges on Steam After Developers Say Not to Buy It

Wardogs, an upcoming tactical first-person shooter from Bulkhead, has climbed into Steam’s top 10 best-selling games after its developers openly told players why they might want to avoid buying it.

A tactical shooter with big ambitions

Described as a more demanding alternative to games such as Battlefield and Call of Duty, Wardogs is planned to feature 100-player battles, destructible environments, a detailed skill system, base building and a broad selection of weapons.

Its more unusual ideas include allowing players to operate as in-game weapons merchants. Early previews of the team-based shooter have generally been positive, giving Bulkhead a solid foundation ahead of its planned September 2026 early access launch.

The game is available to view on Steam, where its early access plans and purchase information are listed.

Bulkhead’s unusually frank warning

Before the early access release, Bulkhead published a 15-minute video titled “10 Reasons NOT to Buy”. The developers begin by confirming that pre-orders can be cancelled if the upcoming beta fails to meet expectations.

Rather than disguising promotional claims as criticism, the video presents a straightforward list of risks. Bulkhead says the game will cost $39.99 and acknowledges that this may be a high price for an early access title.

The studio is also considering long-term monetisation, including the possibility of microtransactions. Its stated aim is to find a sustainable model without damaging the base game or making future purchases feel like an unexpected change of direction.

What players should expect at launch

Bulkhead’s most significant caveat concerns the amount of post-launch content. The team plans to concentrate on polishing the material already in the game instead of promising a constant stream of new additions.

As a result, players should not expect regular content drops. The developers also warn that the active player population will rise and fall over time, something that can affect any multiplayer game.

There will be no development roadmap for players, either. Bulkhead further admits that its previous game was unsuccessful. The studio says it learned difficult lessons from that experience, while recognising that some players may remain cautious about supporting a team with a troubled recent record.

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Honesty turns into momentum

The warning appears to have had the opposite effect to the one suggested by its title. One highly rated YouTube comment said the viewer bought the game within seconds of finishing the video.

Other viewers praised the developers for discussing risks that are common in live-service games but rarely addressed so directly by publishers. The response suggests that clear communication can build trust, particularly when a studio is willing to discuss pricing, monetisation and uncertainty.

That strategy only works if the game can support the confidence it creates. Bulkhead does temper its warnings by saying that Wardogs will launch with more content than comparable big-budget shooters, even if its future update schedule is limited.

From “don’t buy” to the best-sellers list

Within 24 hours of the video’s release, Wardogs had reached the top 10 best-selling games on Steam. The result is an unusual outcome for a marketing campaign built around reasons to wait rather than reasons to purchase.

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Why the Wardogs approach matters

Bulkhead’s campaign does not remove the risks attached to early access. The price, possible microtransactions, uncertain player numbers, absence of a roadmap and limited promise of new content all remain important considerations.

What has changed is the way those concerns were presented. By making the drawbacks part of the pitch, Bulkhead gave potential buyers enough information to make a more informed decision—and, unexpectedly, encouraged many of them to buy sooner.