Witchfire Passes 500,000 Units Sold as The Reckoning Update Expands Combat and Systems

Polish indie studio The Astronauts has confirmed a major milestone for its dark fantasy shooter Witchfire, announcing that the game has surpassed 500,000 units sold since entering Early Access two years ago. Alongside the sales milestone, the studio has released a substantial new content update titled The Reckoning, further deepening Witchfire’s combat systems, accessibility options, and long term progression.

The Reckoning significantly expands Witchfire’s combat identity by moving beyond pure gunplay and fully embracing close quarters combat. The update introduces four new melee weapons, including a Morgenstern, Katar, and Shield, giving players meaningful alternatives to the default fist attacks. Each melee weapon brings its own abilities and utility, allowing witch hunters to weave aggressive close range combat directly into firearm and spell based encounters.

Ranged combat has also received major additions. Three new firearms have been added, highlighted by the long awaited triple barrel shotgun known as the Tribunal. Designed to reward constant movement, the Tribunal encourages players to dash or slide in combat to charge upcoming shots. Fully charged overkills trigger a powerful shock explosion that devastates surrounding enemies. When combined with the expanded melee arsenal, Witchfire now supports a far more fluid combat loop that blends close quarters brutality with ranged firepower and spell casting.

To help players master the expanded arsenal, The Astronauts has added a dedicated shooting range featuring an interactive bestiary. This new training space allows players to test builds, experiment with weapon synergies, and practice against enemies already encountered in previous expeditions before venturing back into the field.

Beyond combat, Witchfire is now fully verified for Steam Deck, reinforcing its growing platform maturity. The update also introduces new accessibility features, including adjustable font sizes and an arachnophobia filter. The timing of the latter is deliberate, as The Reckoning introduces a new spider themed calamity, a powerful cursed event drawn directly from the Witch’s arsenal. Expedition extraction mechanics have also been completely reworked, and two new gameplay modifiers have been added to challenge veteran players looking for higher difficulty runs. Players looking for the full technical breakdown can review the complete list of changes in the official Witchfire patch notes. 

Witchfire blends RPG shooter tension with roguelite progression and Souls inspired difficulty. Players assume the role of a Preyer, an undead assassin empowered by Witchfire itself, tasked with battling the Witch of the Black Sea and her forces. Each expedition presents high risk decisions, while the Hermitorium hub enables players to craft specialized builds using an expanding selection of weapons, spells, and artefacts, all while uncovering fragments of the game’s broader narrative.

Development on Witchfire has been a long journey. The Astronauts first revealed the project more than eight years ago, marking their first game since 2014’s The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. Originally planned for Early Access in 2022, the game was delayed by roughly one year to incorporate a more open world style structure. Likewise, the planned version 1.0 launch, once expected before the end of 2025, has now been pushed into 2026 following delays tied to the Witch Mountain update.

For players interested in jumping in now, Witchfire is currently available in Early Access with a 20 percent discount on the Steam and the Epic Games Store listing.

With half a million copies sold and its most ambitious update yet now live, Witchfire continues to solidify its position as one of the most distinctive and demanding shooters in active development.

Have you returned to Witchfire for The Reckoning update, or are you waiting for the full 1.0 launch in 2026?