Release dates in the past 10 years seem more detrimental than helpful to games. Yes, it offers gamers a date to look forward to and to save money for, but it also imposes a deadline that pressures developers rather than serving as a completion milestone. Final Fantasy XV, Halo Infinite, Starfield, and many other games were negatively impacted by announcing a release date before they were ready. 10 Chambers, developers and publishers of GTFO, recently invited us out to GDC 2025 to show us their upcoming title, Den of Wolves. Naturally, during an interview with Simon Viklund about GTFO, the question came up about a release date for early access to the game, and basically we were told, “When it is done.”
While spending a day with 10 Chambers, a few things stood out. From merch to sound design, everything is mostly in-house. The team is made up of people from various industries whose experiences shine, but importantly, they are all united in making the best 4-player co-op heist FPS of all time.
Demolition Man x Cyberpunk x Heat = Den of Wolves
The world of Den of Wolves is a gritty futuristic setting; think Demolition Man and Cyberpunk. Corporations hold a dominant position, and the advancements in hacker technology have rendered digital security obsolete. So now, a flesh-based security system is the only way to keep information safe, but no lock is perfect. The player will take on the role of the new breed of criminals that are using cutting-edge technology to “dive” into people’s minds to complete heists.
You are not a good guy; you are not sticking it to the man; you are pulling off complex crimes for high-end clients and lots of money.
Dives are a new element within heist games. 10 Chambers put a lot of emphasis on this mechanic being a way to creatively flex their development muscles. During my time with Den of Wolves, we broke into a facility to steal a sniper-equipped drone that will make the main heist a bit easier. We initially snuck into the facility and quietly took down a few of the security guards, but of course, like any good robbery, something went wrong, and bullets started flying. Our arsenal included guns, futuristic knives, turrets, and portable shields. Despite being well-equipped, I still failed miserably. I left the sniper drone in the vault. Then we were massacred by the security team on the way back to get it.
May Have Forgotten the Reason We Were There
After that self-inflicted failure, we loaded the main heist, and it felt like a movie intro. Our goal is to open vaults and steal keys, money, and information from somebody’s brain. Teamwork is absolutely necessary to accomplish anything in Den of Wolves, similarly to GTFO. But where this game stood apart gameplay-wise was when we had to “dive.”
Never thought I would be able to play a game that felt like the movie Inception, but the timed world-bending platform challenge that we dove into created a novel experience for me. We went from holding a high ground position shooting heavily armed enemies to running and jumping in a fragmented world inspired by the upside-down place from Stranger Things. We learned that the dives can occur in a variety of locations and offer a variety of gameplay styles. Imagine you are doing a purely stealthy heist, but when you dive, it could be the complete opposite, requiring you to shoot your way to the objective.
After finishing the timed platform challenge, we immediately returned to the “real world.” No time passed from when the dive was initiated to when it ended. We had to make an ultimate decision after a few more rounds of fighting and diving. Do we get greedy and attempt to go back and steal more loot, or do we take what we have and escape with no losses?
We escaped immediately. I did not go in-depth on the steps it took to complete the mission or the intense boss fight because I would rather not spoil everything.
When it is Done
The dives, design, lore, gameplay, top-notch merchandise, and the group of human beings behind all of it combine to create something that has a high chance of being one of the greats. The masters of heist games are working to advance the genre with Den of Wolves, and I am grateful they gave me a chance to experience an early build of it. Once again, let these developers take their time and cook.
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