The release of the Seekers of the Storm DLC for Risk of Rain 2 was highly anticipated as the first major update since Gearbox acquired the franchise in November 2022. The DLC promised new stages, characters, and items, along with the return of familiar features.
However, the excitement quickly turned to disappointment as the DLC received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with only 34% positive reviews on Steam shortly after its release, a significant drop from the series’ usual praise.
The DLC has been plagued by technical issues, leading to widespread criticism from the game’s community. Jeffrey “Ghor” Hunt, an original programmer for Risk of Rain 2 and a prominent modder, expressed his frustration with the changes made in the update, particularly those that disrupted essential game mechanics.
His concerns, echoed by other modders, highlighted a significant problem where the update altered a system crucial to many aspects of the game, resulting in a host of bugs and inconsistencies.
One of the most critical issues reported involves the game’s physics and character behavior now being tied to the frame rate, a problem that was not present in earlier versions of Risk of Rain 2.
This unintended change has led to gameplay imbalances, with Gearbox acknowledging the mistake and advising players to temporarily cap their FPS at 60 to mitigate the problem. The development team is currently working on a permanent fix.
Facing mounting criticism, Gearbox has openly admitted that the launch did not go as planned, particularly for the PC version, which has been described as being in a “bad place.” The company has committed to resolving the issues but has warned that it will take time.
They have also addressed another significant source of discontent: regional pricing discrepancies, which have contributed to the negative reception of the DLC. Gearbox has adjusted prices in certain markets and advised affected players to seek refunds and repurchase the DLC at the new prices.
Console players have also encountered problems, especially with the promised free new-gen upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series X. Instead of receiving the upgrade at no cost, as advertised, many players have been prompted to repurchase the game. Gearbox is investigating this issue but has yet to provide a definitive solution, leading to further frustration in the community.
While the content of the Seekers of the Storm DLC has some positive aspects, the significant technical challenges have overshadowed them. Gearbox’s ongoing efforts to address these problems are crucial for restoring player trust and ensuring the long-term success of the Risk of Rain 2 franchise under its stewardship. However, the troubled launch has raised concerns about their ability to manage the series effectively.
