What is Wildgate? New Shooter from Dreamhaven Explained
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play esports while stealing the most valuable artifact in the universe? Internet denizens are describing the upcoming FPS title Wildgate as 'Sea of Thieves in space,' and the title has just released its official reveal trailer alongside information about a playtest on April 10. Let's explore everything we know about Wildgate, how its combat works and if the game has what it takes to succeed in the competitive FPS esports world.
What is Wildgate?
Moonshot Games and Dreamhaven describe their upcoming title Wildgate as "a crew-based shooter featuring out-of-this-world spaceship combat!" The game features a bright, futuristic art style and an outer space setting complete with asteroids and planets. Players can loot items, upgrade their ships, and explore the Typhon Reach map, all while searching for the most valuable item in the universe, called 'the Artifact.'
Moonshot Games is based in Irvine, California. Alongside fellow developer Secret Door, the studio is a member of publishing company Dreamhaven's larger network, which is also located in Irvine. Dreamhaven's employees have experience with big-name titles, including Overwatch, Starcraft and World of Warcraft, as well as studios such as Blizzard Entertainment and Riot Games.
Wildgate's official Steam page also summarizes the title as:
"...a PVP multiplayer shooter that blends tactical ship-to-ship combat with fast-paced first-person action. Evade deadly environmental hazards, search for powerful weapons and ship upgrades, and be the first crew to escape with the Artifact... or the last crew left flying."
Wildgate has an ESRB rating of Teen and will release on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Wildgate Official Release Trailer
On March 25 2025, Wildgate released its official reveal trailer. The clip shows players in a colorful outer-space themed environment, where they battle with customized spaceships and guns. Alongside the reveal trailer, Wildgate also posted a longer in-depth trailer explaining core mechanics and giving a run-down of how to play.
How Does Wildgate Combat Work?
There are several ways to win when playing Wildgate. Players can succeed using three main strategies: "outsmart, outrun, or outgun." All of these options operate around one main objective: the Artifact, aka the most valuable item in the universe.
In a Wildgate match, players operate in small crews. They utilize a spaceship to travel through the Reach, with their main goal being to find and escape with the Artifact in tow. The team wins if they find the artifact, steal it and successfully escape the map through the Wildgate, which functions as a giant portal, while carrying it.
In some cases, players may not be able to find the Artifact easily. An all-out battle may also start between the teams on the map trying to snatch it, resulting in some serious casualties. Players can also win a Wildgate game if they are the last spaceship crew standing.
While players can choose basic loadouts, they must complete tasks throughout the game to upgrade their weapons and spaceship. They can mine asteroids, find loot around the Reach, or raid other players to steal their goodies. It seems players can add shields to their ships, which break down with damage over time. They can also outfit them with cannons and other attachments. Crews need to upkeep their ships to keep them running, so players have to check on engines, put out fires and carefully monitor reactor stats.
There are several default Wildgate spaceship builds, including:
- The Bastion: tankier, but larger and easier to spot
- The Hunter: smaller, harder to catch, but lower shield health
While navigating through the Reach, players also have to keep track of environmental threats. These include "cosmic storms, 'Reach Leeches', lava asteroids [...] space mines" and more.
In battles, players can engage in FPS fights and upgrade guns found across the map. The title's looting and upgrade system seems to work similarly to Apex Legends, where users can add scopes, stabilizers and other attachments to their gear.
Wildgate's Esports Potential
While Wildgate's public reception seems positive, the FPS genre is notoriously competitive and difficult to succeed in. The market is heavily saturated by free-to-play titles, including VALORANT, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty and more, and players tend to stick to and heavily grind one game, so it can be tricky to draw a lasting audience. Esports legend Shroud's title, Spectre Divide, fell short of its estimated performance after launching last September. Firewalk Studios' similar space-themed title Concord notoriously flopped in August 2024 and is now defunct.
Related Article: Concord Isn't Coming Back as Sony Shuts Firewalk Studios
Wildgate does have a particular strength against its competitors: the game has a unique crew-based format, with many YouTube commenters comparing it to a 'space-themed Sea of Thieves.' It just may fill its niche well enough to hold its own as it enters the industry. Its launch video is also receiving strong metrics, with over 1000 likes to just 100 dislikes as of March 25, 2025.
It would also be easy for Wildgate's systems to translate into an esports sphere. The title combines skill-based combat with technical ship and weaponry build options and has a singular goal: to capture the Artifact. There are also a variety of game mechanics to explore, opening the door to structured competition.
How to Sign Up for the Wildgate Playtest
Wildgate hasn't been released yet, and the game does not yet have a confirmed release date. However, we know the title will arrive sometime in 2025 and that it will include upcoming playtests. Interested players can sign up for its next playtest on the official website.
Wildgate's upcoming playtest will begin on April 10 2025. It's important to note that signing up on the playtest site does not guarantee a spot. The playtest will require a key, and will be available on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Fans can also follow Wildgate's development on X.com @playwildgate and on its official website, playwildgate.com.
