Hello, GZW Community,
As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the challenges we faced and the strides we made together over the past year. 2024 was a defining chapter for MADFINGER Games—a year of bold risks, hard-earned victories, and laying the foundation for a future we’re excited to build with you.
The High-Stakes Gamble That Paid Off
At the beginning of 2024, we faced a daunting reality. MADFINGER Games was at a crossroads. With limited resources and almost no money left to cover salaries, everything depended on the success of one project: Gray Zone Warfare. We launched the game in Early Access on April 30 with everything on the line. The result exceeded our hopes: over 1 million units sold. This milestone secured our financial stability and the game’s future.
From a Rocky Launch to Great Progress
While the Early Access launch was a financial success, it was far from flawless. The game launched with its fair share of issues, and both players and developers were met with challenges. However, with the support and collaboration of our incredible community, we identified these problems and worked tirelessly to address them.
Since the release, we’ve fixed over 2,163 bugs and released 14 hotfixes and 3 patches, with more on the way. Alongside these fixes, we’ve implemented numerous quality-of-life improvements to enhance your experience. This hard work is reflected in the growing confidence of our players, as evidenced by our recent review score on Steam climbing from 68% to 75%.
Gray Zone Warfare earned a spot in Steam's Best of 2024, ranking among the Top Sellers, New Releases, and Most Played games. We are deeply grateful to our incredible players for making this achievement possible.
Building a Stronger Team
The success of Gray Zone Warfare has allowed us to reinvest in our most valuable resource—our team. This year, we welcomed 31 new team members, bringing fresh perspectives and expertise. Their contributions are already making a difference, and you’ll see their impact in future updates and improvements.
We also had the incredible opportunity to attend some of the industry's biggest events: Gamescom, Game Access, TwitchCon San Diego, and TwitchCon Amsterdam. These gatherings allowed us to connect face-to-face with our community, fellow developers, and talented content creators. It was an unforgettable highlight of the year.
Connecting with the Community
One of our proudest achievements in 2024 was strengthening our bond with the Gray Zone Warfare community. We've worked hard to keep you informed and involved through live streams, Dev Events, and engaging across social media, Discord, and Steam. Your feedback has been invaluable, shaping the game in meaningful ways. We’re deeply committed to developing Gray Zone Warfare in partnership with you, the players.
Looking Ahead
While Gray Zone Warfare is still in its pre-alpha stage, our vision for the game remains ambitious. We’re fully committed to realizing its full potential and delivering an experience that sets a new standard in our genre: an open-world extraction shooter.
In 2025, our efforts will remain focused on resolving current issues, optimizing performance, and enhancing stability, while rolling out two major updates. These updates will bring exciting additions, including expanded PvP content, more profound lore and storytelling, and the introduction of a dynamic weather system—just a glimpse of what’s to come. This is only the beginning, and we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of what Gray Zone Warfare can achieve. Stay tuned—more details about our roadmap will be shared in the coming weeks.
Join Us on This Journey
2024 has been a year of transformation for MADFINGER Games. From the uncertainty at the start of the year to the milestones we’ve achieved together, none of this would have been possible without the support and trust of our community.
We hope you’ll continue to join us on this journey as we move forward. Follow our channels to stay updated, share your thoughts, and help us shape the future of Gray Zone Warfare. Together, we’re building something extraordinary.
Thank you for an unforgettable year—see you in Lamang!
Every Move Matters,
MADFINGER Games Team
