Game Director Peter Holzapfel gives an update on some of the upcoming changes regarding team and squad sizes. Read on to see what's new!

First, I'd like to thank everyone who has played Dreadnought and participated in the community so far. You have had a critical role in helping us shape the game, which is something we continue to do.



About two months ago, we launched our plans for Progression 2.0. We outlined a lot of the changes that we're currently working hard to integrate into the game—but we have a couple new ones that we'd like to share with you.













INCREASING TEAM SIZE

So far in Dreadnought's development, we have focused on 5v5 gameplay. However, after prototyping the new 8v8 Onslaught mode and showing it to press and some members of the community at gamescom, we have reevaluated the team sizes in the other game modes as well. We've been playing countless matches and listening to community feedback, which has led us to the decision to make all current game modes 8v8. There are several reasons behind this change:



More intense battles

Destroying huge ships with massive weapons is a main part of what makes Dreadnought fun. Adding more players to a single battle allows us to emphasize this aspect of the game, while still keeping the core experience the same.

More tactical choices

With more ships, each team can more easily split into subgroups of 2 or 3. For example, instead of sticking together, a main attack group of 5 could be supported by a quicker flanking force of 3. However, even though 8v8 allows for more complex team tactics, there's even more room for lone wolves who want to occasionally go in alone.

Easier access for new players

The last thing we want new players to feel is that they're letting their team down. 8v8 reduces the focus on individuals and spreads responsibility across the larger team. When one player falls, there's a good chance a more experienced player will be there to help.

Future game modes may require other team sizes

While we made these changes to the currently available game modes, we are constantly thinking about and experimenting with new ones. For some of them, 5v5 might be the right choice. We simply don't know yet, and we're not ruling out anything at this point.













REDUCING SQUAD SIZE

In addition to the switch to 8v8, we will also be changing squad sizes from 5 to 3. While we realize this splits up teams of 5 that want to stick together, we also know that matchmaking has been a frustrating experience for many players. We think that having smaller squads will greatly reduce queue times and create a better experience for everyone.

We are also investigating other options that give players more control over the setup of specific matches. However, we're still working them out and will provide more details at a later time.

Together with Progression 2.0, we think these changes will improve players' experiences and the overall health of our game. As always, let us know what you think in this forum thread and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!





Peter Holzapfel

Game Director | The Dreadnought Team



