Den of Wolves Reveals New Pre-Alpha Gameplay and Mind-Bending 'Dive' Mechanic

Swedish developer 10 Chambers has unveiled fresh gameplay footage for Den of Wolves, a co-op FPS blending with a cyberpunk setting. The new footage showcases a gunfight inside an abandoned bank controlled by the ruthless Jötunn Guard gang. Towards the end we see the group of four players going through the game’s "Dive" hacking mechanic—a feature that warps players into surreal, shifting environments.

The 'Dive' Mechanic: Hacking With a Twist

Dive is one of Den of Wolves’ standout mechanics, a mind-bending approach to hacking that goes beyond simple mini-games. Instead of traditional data breaches, hacking in Midway City plunges players into alternate realities where the laws of physics—and even the setting—can change dramatically.

"What we call The Dive is when you're hacking one of these neural networks, and it throws you into another dimension where rules can be bent however we want,” explains Game Director Ulf Andersson. “In this specific Dive, you are parkouring in a space setting, but a Dive can take place anywhere. For example, we are currently working on a dive set in a horror setting, in a Norwegian forest, and monsters are chasing you.”

This mechanic is set to shake up the mission structure as this is a type of game where you are playing various missions over and over. Dives seem to give each run more variety.

Hopefully we see more of Dives in action as i’ curious if these are really short bridges to the next section of the mission or lengthy segments meant to test the group of players.

A Glimpse Into Midway City

Based on a press release provided by the developers, Den of Wolves is set in the dystopian sprawl of Midway City, in a future shaped by devastating AI-driven cyberattacks that nearly collapsed the global economy. In response, corporations developed "Bio-Stashes"—a radical form of data storage based on human neural patterns, making them impenetrable to artificial intelligence.

This high-tech world sets the stage for the game's ambitious heist-driven gameplay, where players take on the role of elite criminals hired to infiltrate and sabotage rival corporations. This is the developer’s take on Payday gameplay, as you go through waves of enemy AI as you try to complete the objectives.

But heists in Den of Wolves aren’t limited to just cracking safes—missions include industrial espionage, prototype theft, sabotage, and assassinations, or as corporations call them, "unauthorized errands."

When Can You Play Den of Wolves?

Den of Wolves is currently in active development, with plans for an Early Access launch on Steam. 10 Chambers has not committed to a release date yet, or some kind of beta to give eager players a chance to try it out. They are currently focused on delivering a polished experience for now.

This is a new direction for 10 Chambers, the studio responsible for the immersive and punishing FPS co-op shooter GTFO, which to this day remains a big challenge for me and my shooter buddies. It’s good to know their second project isn’t hard to grasp at first glance.

Are you excited for Den of Wolves? Let us know your thoughts on the Dive mechanic and the game’s unique take on co-op heists!

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