Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Chaos Wastes Update Goes “Back to the Basics”

Since its release more than three years ago, co op hack-and-slasher Warhammer: Vermintide 2 has received a constant stream of additions. Many of those have been cosmetic hats because looking dapper while smashing rats is just as important as the rat-smashing itself. But some of that DLC has come in the form of three expansions: Shadows Over Bogenhafen, Back to Ubersreik, and Winds of Magic. 

The latest add-on, which is coming as a free PC update on April 20, makes Vermintide 2 a roguelike. Chaos Wastes is a new mode that makes players go “back to basics,” according to developer Fatshark. Gear acquired from the base game doesn’t translate to Chaos Wastes. Instead, as players take on expeditions in this game mode and make their way toward The Citadel of Eternity, they pick up new gear and loot specific to their run. 

Game Designer Markus Olsen said: 

Chaos Wastes is meant to be a completely different experience compared to our regular missions and the Weaves. It is a journey through which you discover boons of varying power to combat the curses of the chaos gods and best the Wastes. The core of the game will of course stay the same, but the strength of your character will grow dramatically while progressing in your expedition.

Chaos Wastes includes 15 new locations to adventure and slice through. Here, players can take on expeditions of various difficulties that “conclude with a very challenging level,” according to Olsen.

Though there will be new weapons available for characters in Chaos Wastes, they will not be free. “… New weapons and cosmetics will be available for purchase,” Olsen said. Though it’s likely these will release at the same time as the add-on update (since they’re in the mode), it’s unclear if these will be available as separate content packs. 

Just like the base game, Chaos Wastes can be played either solo or with three other players in co op. 

Fatshark said that the Chaos Wastes DLC expansion will release in June for consoles on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A follow up announcement confirmed that Xbox will get the expansion on June 3, while there’s still no firm June date for PS4. Just like the PC version, the console version of Chaos Wastes will be free.