Fatshark has released the Warhammer 40k: Darktide Unlocked and Loaded update a day earlier than expected, and it's bringing all kinds of goodies with it, including an itemization rework and more.
Several updates have already been released for Darktide since it launched all the way back in November 2022, but this one looks to be significantly more ambitious than many of the shooter's previous content drops.
Part of Fatshark's ambitious roadmap for Darktide in 2024, the Unlocked and Loaded update's first (and, arguably, biggest) change is a total rework to how weapon progression and itemization work in the game.
Two new systems are being introduced in this update, namely Mastery and Power. Mastery allows players to gain experience in their weapon of choice, unlocking new rewards and perks as they use that weapon in missions.
Power, meanwhile, lets you spend resources at the Shrine of the Omnissiah in order to improve your weapon. This, in turn, lets you boost base stats, allowing weapons to reach their "maximum potential", according to Fatshark.
Unlocked and Loaded also introduces a brand new mission type in the form of Operations, which are intended to "provide a shorter and more cinematic experience". The first of these, Rolling Steel, sees you stopping a train hijacked by cultists.
Other new features in this update include a socially-oriented Party Finder to help you find like-minded Darktide players, as well as a new time-limited special event, Unrelenting Hordes, that's running until October 10th.
The full list of changes in the Warhammer 40k: Darktide Unlocked and Loaded update is extensive; so extensive, in fact, that Fatshark has spread the changes across four pages in its patch notes, which you can check out here.
Warhammer 40k: Darktide is available right now for PC and Xbox Series X|S. The Unlocked and Loaded update is also out now.
