With GROUND BRANCH V1.0 launching July 16, 2026, BlackFoot Studios has laid out where the tactical shooter goes next — and it’s a roadmap of planned additions, not a scramble to finish. Hitting V1.0 means GROUND BRANCH has delivered its core promise: a stable, content-rich tactical shooter with a campaign framework and mod support. Here’s the full post-launch plan through 2026 and into 2027 (dates are tentative, per the developers).
July 2026 — V1.0.0 (Launch)
The launch build ships everything in the 1.0 package — the returning Operations campaign with its new Northwest Pakistan Prologue (two missions set two years before the main events), the new Outpost map, the Extraction quick mission, a major enemy-AI overhaul, new player locomotion, a new door/breaching system, the armor and hit-reaction systems, and the base for multiplayer. (See our full GROUND BRANCH 1.0 rundown for everything in the launch build.)
Summer 2026 → Winter 2026/2027 — the Campaign Chapters
Following launch, BlackFoot Studios will roll out three new campaign chapters across three updates:
- V1.1.0 — Chapter 1
- V1.1.1 — Chapter 2
- V1.1.2 — Chapter 3
Each chapter adds a new hotspot with 3–4 new missions, and every hotspot gets its own dedicated Ready Room themed after the area. Chapter 1 is also where the proper friendly-AI system for Operations arrives — at launch, the campaign is lone-wolf and co-op only. Each release keeps bringing new features, improvements and fixes alongside the story content.
V1.2.0 — the Multiplayer Update
After Chapter 3 lands with V1.1.2, the team is planning a dedicated Multiplayer Update (V1.2.0) — a focused pass on multiplayer improvements — shipping alongside Mod Kit (SDK) updates for maps and missions. Notably, the Mod Kit won’t receive updates until V1.2.0, so this is the release community map and mission makers will want to watch.
Beyond the roadmap
The broad shape of what’s coming: continued campaign chapters, the multiplayer update and Mod Kit, ongoing AI work, more maps, weapons and gear, and steady quality-of-life passes. BlackFoot Studios has said they’ll share more detail on each in the months ahead.
Get ready to play the campaign — and beyond — with your squad
GROUND BRANCH shines in co-op, and the campaign’s Operations missions are playable lone-wolf or co-op from day one. The most reliable way to play together — and to run the PvP modes as the multiplayer side grows — is a dedicated server that stays online 24/7. On a dedicated server you control maps, mission rotation, AI count and difficulty, and player slots.
The GROUND BRANCH dedicated server is officially Windows-only and involves SteamCMD and config files, so a managed host saves the hassle. XGamingServer’s GROUND BRANCH server hosting runs on AMD Ryzen 9 7950X hardware with instant setup, one-click updates and a visual config panel. New to it? Start with Game Modes & Missions and Configure Your Server.
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