[p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/5ac6eeac28cf72e3fddc8d619a3f662cfb9eaf7a.png"][/p][p]The 'Summer of Holdfast' is here! Leading into the Xbox & Playstation releases on July 9th 2025 Holdfast will be on sale on Steam at a whopping 75% off! Enlist to fight the foe today and earn your 40 shillings from the King. [/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/f1fe328bfbaac703a051401f452db7d2fb07498e.gif"][/p][p] You can also take this opportunity to purchase the games DLC's at a discounted price too. From ornately decorated firearms to dashing uniforms our cosmetic only purchasable content has you covered. [/p][p]Base Game[/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/589290/Holdfast_Nations_At_War/"]Blackpowder Firearms[dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3320400/Holdfast_Nations_At_War__Blackpowder_Firearms/"]Collectors Edition [dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/13424/Holdfast_Collectors_Edition/"][TAG-30][/p]
Increased XP!
[p][/p][p]Starting June 26th and running until July 10th. Holdfast enjoyers will be able to gather an increased 1.5x XP while playing on Official servers. Use this opportunity to increase your soldier rank to unlock orders with increased shilling rewards which can then be spent in the barracks to kit your classes out. [/p][p][/p][p]Official event servers will have an increase of 4x XP for those looking for some more regimental focussed gameplay. Hop onto a public linebattle to start gathering this increased reward, you can find a full schedule of public events via the Holdfast discord.[/p][p][/p][p]discord.gg/holdfastgame[/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/614cb40b39af8a224dd4b40a5376eac9b95c0858.png"] [/p][p][/p]
Console Players Are Coming...
[p][/p][p]If you've yet to hear the news, Holdfast will be releasing onto the Xbox Series X / S & Playstation 5 / Pro on July 9th 2025. Featuring full crossplay support with over 150+ players per server all battling it out across various platforms. You can give the official announcement trailer a watch below. [/p][p][/p][p] We look forward to welcoming in all the new faces as we reach ever closer to the long awaited console release. Thank you for your support and until next time, may good health be yours. :oheart: [/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/19c3d161cb22a68bc8cdca7e864b8453209122eb.png"][TAG-70]
- Anvil Game Studios
Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Walki, Jackson, Harper, Storey, UberJuice, Stan, Gest, Matt, Grandayy, Charles:Cute_Rat:, Winston (The Cat) & Nelson (The Other Cat).[/p]
Game Update! Tweaks & Balances V2
[p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/5ac6eeac28cf72e3fddc8d619a3f662cfb9eaf7a.png"]Firstly a thank you to the community for the amazing response we've had since announcing that Holdfast: Nations At War will be coming to Xbox Series S / X and Playstation 5 / Pro on July 9th 2025. Before taking a read of the blog, if you haven't already be sure to watch the official release date announcement trailer for Holdfast on consoles. [/p][p] As we approach the ever so exciting console release, we're here to dish out a few more tweaks and balances to further prepare the game for launch day. Featuring new quality of life improvements, gameplay tweaks and a load of bug fixes.[/p][p][/p][p][/p]
QOL & Gameplay
[p]A small focus of the update was to improve the squad camp experience, now players will be offered to join other squads if their squad camp is destroyed or not set up. Players spawning fresh into the round will also be prompted to join a random squad from the available list.
To further promote squad gameplay and improve some balancing we've taken a pass over the classes that are allowed to spawn on squad camps Here are the changes we've undertaken:[/p]
[p]Light Infantry from 3 to Unlimited[/p]
[p]Rifleman from 0 to 3[/p]
[p]Musician from 2 to 3[/p]
[p]Flag Bearer from 1 to 2[/p]
[p]Surgeon from 1 to 2[/p]
[p]Carpenter from 1 to 2[/p]
[p]Sergeant from 1 to 2[/p][p][/p]
[p]The squad camp ability has also had its cooldown reduced to just 2 minutes.
[img src="https://i.imgur.com/YUt97Jd.gif"][/p][p] To tackle a long stemming issue of new players especially not knowing what combat state the player is in, players using a controller will now also be given a new indication when using a firearm and swapping from shooting to melee mode and vice versa. This can be disabled via the options for those who don't wish to see it.
This is just handful of the changes and additions with this release, for a more detailed view of the tweaks and fixes check out the changelog linked at the bottom of the post. [/p][p]Do let us know on Discord if you face any issues folks. We’ll be sure to look into it. As always, we thank you for your generous support, and until next time, may good health be yours. :oheart: [/p][p]discord.gg/holdfastgame [/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/614cb40b39af8a224dd4b40a5376eac9b95c0858.png"]
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/c578a3a89677ede9a48cb837766dc7833692ea26.png"] Changelog 107 - Game Version 2.32.9300.20891
Count ● 15 features and improvements. ● 2 gameplay additions. ● 23 bug fixes.
[p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/5ac6eeac28cf72e3fddc8d619a3f662cfb9eaf7a.png"][/p][p]The time has finally come to make an announcement or two that we here at Anvil Game Studios have been very eager to give for some time now. [/p][p][/p][p]Prepare to.. Give em steel! On July 9th 2025 Holdfast will be released onto consoles with full crossplay support and will be available on the Xbox Series S / X and the PlayStation 5 / Pro with over 150+ players all battling it out across various devices. [/p][p][/p][p]This all comes as a direct result of our ongoing efforts to bring the game into the new era and to an even greater audience. Now more than ever players across the globe will be able to hop on Holdfast with their preferred platform and enlist for the King’s shilling.[/p][p][/p][p]Watch The Trailer[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/1428534a8222beb6c3ccfffaacdf1c551f920d97.png"][TAG-30]Wishlist Now @holdfastgame.com [/p][p]Holdfast exceeded all expectations since releasing into Early Access all the way back in 2017 and now we’re very proud to be welcoming in a new era of Holdfast and players who have yet had the chance to sink their teeth into what this great game and community has to offer. The community is the beating heart of the game and encouraging player to player interaction and roleplay will forever remain a forefront of the development.[/p][p][/p][p]Work on the game is still very much ongoing and we look forward to attending to feedback leading up to and after this massive release. Come join us on the official Discord and get involved! [/p][p]discord.gg/holdfastgame[/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/614cb40b39af8a224dd4b40a5376eac9b95c0858.png"] [/p][p][/p]
Land Ahoy!
[p][/p][p]Hoist the sails and prepare to embark on new naval experiences. In the immediate months following the console release we’ll be following things up with a much overdue naval expansion update.[/p][p][/p][p]Featuring an increased naval player count, new mechanics such as ship cannon repairs, a whole ocean full of new naval battlefield and coastal siege maps plus reworks of some classics and community favourites.
[img src="https://i.imgur.com/i6Z877n.gif"][/p][p] There’s a whole lot more than that too, so run out the guns, douse the lanterns and prepare to walk in the boots of a hero of Trafalgar. We’ll also be dishing out some tweaks and balances as we continue to work closely with the dedicated naval community that have many years of experience on this side of the game. [/p][p][/p]
Creator Partner Programme
[p][/p][p]Get involved and help spread the good word of Holdfast to the masses. We're opening up early access to our new partner programme that allows content creators gather in-game rewards for videos reaching specific view milestones. More rewards will be included post-release![/p][p][/p][p]Have a treasure trove of funny Holdfast clips? Go to the the following form - Holdfast Creator Programme and download the “Media Pack”. Inside you’ll find an end card that you can place at the end of your clips. Should you have any questions don't shy away from reaching out to us. Our contact details are in the same form.[/p][p] [img src="https://i.imgur.com/Bve7CuX.gif"][/p][p] [/p][p]Rewards[/p]
[p]Earn 500 in-game shillings for every video that reaches over 10,000 views featuring the end card leading up to release. [/p]
[p]Earn the 'Community Champion' in-game title for your glorious contributions.[/p]
[p]Earn the 'Verified Creator' role on the Official Discord providing you with early access to our new partner program.[/p]
[p]The community posted video with the most views will receive a copy of the Collectors Edition of the game on their chosen platform. [/p]
[p][/p]
A Special Thanks
[p][/p][p]These plentiful years of Holdfast have been a pleasure and a joy for each and every one of us and we’re still not done yet! We’re dedicated to continuing to develop and support Holdfast for many moons to come and we’re very excited to have you all join us on this delightful journey throughout these years.[/p][p][/p][p]Without your ongoing support none of this would be possible. From the entire team and as always, we thank you for your generous support, and until next time, may good health be yours. :oheart:[/p][p][/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/28169799/19c3d161cb22a68bc8cdca7e864b8453209122eb.png"]
- Anvil Game Studios
Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Walki, Jackson, Harper, Storey, UberJuice, Stan, Gest, Matt, Grandayy, Charles:Cute_Rat:, Winston (The Cat) & Nelson (The Other Cat).[/p]
Game Update! Tweaks & Balances
Holdfast updated! Continuing strong in our mission of polishing up the game and making it ever more accessible we’re pleased to announce the release of this next update.
Featuring a plethora of quality of life features, optimisations and bug fixes, this release steers us ever closer to completing our mission and eventually what will be one of Holdfast’s biggest releases to date.
More on that in future posts, for now take a look at everything coming with this update down below.
QOL & Gameplay
Quality of life was a key focus of this release. Keeping the game fresh and up to par with modern standards is a key element required to bring Holdfast into the new era.
Capturing the last point on the Army Siege game mode will now immediately end the match. This has been introduced to combat 'backcaping' on certain maps where it was prevalent.
Extended capture zones have been tentatively introduced firstly for Frontlines Invasion maps that feature beach landings. These extended zones allow for more unique capture zone layouts and will eventually make their way into the Napoleonic side of the game should they be required.
A slew of new indicators to better distinguish your characters states have also been introduced. You’ll primarily notice these when reloading, attaching and detaching your bayonet and when performing other actions.
One of the more obvious of these changes is the new addition of showing the playercard of the enemy you have just killed. This will allow you to see the accolades and titles immediate of the player you’ve just bested in combat.
Another part of this update was refreshing the public server experience, this included multiple reinforcement changes to maps along with improved map voting functionality in order to provide a more varied experience on Army Siege, Army Battlefield and Army Conquest maps.
Event Hosts - A Call To Arms
Are you an enjoyer of all the regimented chaos that Holdfast Linebattles offer? We’re looking for the next generation of Event Hosts to join our team of dedicated volunteers who host the weekly Official Public Linebattle events.
You’ll also be able to take advantage of our Event Host rewards programme featuring unique in-game rewards and free DLC as a show of thanks for your efforts.
So… Think you have what it takes to run these 200+ player events with your fellow hosts? Then enlist today via the form below to get involved.
The team has been very hard at work and making good progress with our optimisation efforts. The last release saw some impressive performance increases and we’ve since been taking good care in addressing any regressions that may have occurred - Check out the massive changelog for all the intricate details.
Multiple RAM-oriented optimisations have been done to improve performance on lower end hardware along with yet another large reduction in the overall file size of the game. Taking it down from 19 Gigabytes to just 17 Gigabytes.
The game engine has also been upgraded to expose even more potential optimisation techniques and methods for future releases.
Do let us know on Discord if you face any issues folks. We’ll be sure to look into it. As always, we thank you for your generous support, and until next time, may good health be yours. :oheart:
Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Walki, Jackson, Harper, Storey, UberJuice, Stan, Gest, Matt, Grandayy, Charles:Cute_Rat:, Winston (The Cat) & Nelson (The Other Cat).
Game Update! Optimisations V2
Greetings, good fellows of the Holdfast community. Following up on last week’s release, we’re hitting the decks with another update addressing bugs and introducing more optimisations to reduce memory utilisation.
Expect more to follow on this front soon! While it may not be the most exciting of releases, it's a necessity to ensure we can continue supporting and updating Holdfast for the years to come. Our commitment to bring Holdfast into a new age remains ever steadfast.
Do let us know on Discord if you face any issues folks. We’ll be sure to look into it. As always, we thank you for your generous support, and until next time, may good health be yours. :oheart:
Holdfast updated! After some months of dedicated and hard work we’re pleased to announce the release of this performance and optimisation update.
It introduces community rewards and brings forth a whole slew of optimisation that will cater to more consistent and stable framerates and hopefully provide an overall smoother Holdfast experience across the board.
Find out more by taking a read all about it in greater detail below.
Performance
Staying true with our commitment to continue bringing Holdfast into the new age, this rather large optimisation pass we’ve undertaken will be a key instrument into making the game more accessible and playable for generations new and old.
It is a major step forward in our ongoing efforts to support Holdfast and its beloved community for years to come. It certainly wasn’t an easy task but a necessary one and involved looking back at almost 8 years worth of game's art, systems and processes then bringing them up to our current standard.
The art team dedicated time optimising old meshes and where missing introduced new lower detailed meshes that will get rendered at a distance. A good portion of the textures were also optimised to further improve ram usage along with much stricter animation culling. Lastly, the ever-dedicated fellows in the programming team continued doing their magic to reduce RAM and improve CPU utilisation.
All this and more had the added benefit of the games install now being even smaller by a few gigabytes.
This truly only grazes the surface of the work undertaken by the team these past few months. It’s almost impossible to count the many changes made. Expect more to follow on this front in future releases.
Despite the many testing passes this release has undergone, there's of course a chance some bugs may have slipped through the net. Should you encounter any of these then please do report them via the #bug-reports channel in our official Discord server linked at the end of this post.
Community Contributions
A portion of this update brings entirely new rewards for players who go above and beyond the call of duty.
From event hosts to workshop modders and everything in between, those who lend a helpful hand or create something truly special will be granted (by our discretion) a whole slew of new medals and rewards to showcase their brilliance.
We’ll begin awarding theses out in the coming months retroactively and look forward to awarding them to many more of you in the future. If you are wanting to take that next step in helping to grow the great Holdfast community, then head over to our Discord server and get involved.
Regiments
Have the inner desire to stand in the rank and file or sail the seven with a more regimented experiences? Earn your 40 shillings and enlist for a regiment today to participate in 200 player organised events.
It’s easy to apply, there’s plenty of regiments, crews and communities available via the main menu’s Regiment Registry tab. Regiments offer access to private events, unique ranking structures and have that great Holdfast community spirit.
Alternatively you can check out the Regiment Registry in the official Discord server. Our welcoming community would be more than willing to show you the ropes.
Good fellows of the Holdfast community we’re kicking off the new year by taking a much-needed look at the game’s audio. Having trouble hearing those valiant officers in command in the chaos-ridden battlefield of Holdfast? Fret no longer as it’s now a thing of the past.
Should you be looking at further customising your experience you can easily do so by heading over to the game’s audio settings. Configure voice chat, weapons, artillery, weather and a whole lot more audio sliders individually.
Wondering about what’s next to come? Continue reading below.
What’s Next?
Performance improvements will be the primary focus of the upcoming release hitting Holdfast this Q1 2025. Despite the major complexities involved in optimising massive 150+ players battles, everyone in the team is committed to delivering a smoother experience.
Here’s to another great year of Holdfast with you, our most beloved community. You enable us to make this all happen. A thank you and salute from all of us at Anvil Game Studios as we move onwards to yet another exciting year for Holdfast.
Until next time, we wish you all the best and may good health be yours. :oheart:
Changelog 103 - Game Version 2.29.9145.24427
Features & Improvements (1) ● Performed a multitude of changes to master audio and improve voice chat legibility. ::» Audio settings have been reset to this effect.
Gameplay Additions (4) ● Adjusted the collisions on Engineer-built sandbags. ● Reduced the damage Trench Raiders can tank when shot at by firearms. ::» Introduced a load screen tip to inform players that armoured Trench Raiders can quickly face their demise by landing a headshot. ● Players can now change weapons while the Officer Orders ‘Q’ menu is open by using the scroll wheel. ● Reload indicator tips no longer show if the player runs out of ammunition.
Bug Fixes (9) ● Solved multiple recurring exceptions on the client. ● Experimental fix towards an infrequent visual error which causes the player’s score to infinitely rise. ● Solved an issue which infrequently caused the server to hang. ● Corrected a typo in the Hero’s Dread feat description. ● Corrected a typo in the Ordinary and Able Seaman feats. ● Solved an issue with the Pershing daily mission. ● Solved an issue where Engineer-built sandbags didn’t show the dithering effect if players were standing in them. ● Corrected a typo in the Shore Watch daily mission. ● Solved an issue with incorrect LODs near the cave on Kingsman Bay.
Holdfast is now on sale for a whopping 75% off! Dive into the trenches of Frontlines or stand shoulder to shoulder on the smoke filled battlefields of Nations At War with Holdfast's largest game sale to date. Plus all DLC is now available up to 60% off.
There's never been a better time to hop on Holdfast and engage in all the shenanigans and cinematic chaos of Holdfast. Why not take it a step further by joining our official Discord? From daily public events to regimental communities there's plenty to sink your teeth into by being part of the great Holdfast community.
Frontlines 2.0! To The Trenches
December 19th Frontlines 2.0 released free for all owners of Holdfast: Nations At War. Give the trailer a watch and check out the major release blog post before diving in to the rest.
Read The Blog https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/589290/view/503937773532610926
The initial reception for this update has been brilliant and it's been a blast joining in on the grand charges, raiding of trenches with you fellows and gathering feedback! Today we have issued a small update to address some of this feedback along with tackling some of the bugs. A full list of the changes can be found at the bottom of the blog.
Your support always comes most appreciated. It allows us to continue developing the game we all love and bring this genre of roleplay warfare games into the limelight. We wish you all the best for the holidays and until next time, may good health be yours. :oheart:
Changelog 103 - Game Version 2.28.9120.28855
Count ● 14 new features and improvements. ● 12 gameplay additions. ● 3 Holdfast SDK additions. ● 1 graphical addition ● 2 server configuration additions. ● 19 bug fixes.
Gentlemen! The time has come to head back to the trenches once again to fight for king and country. Engage in a 150+ player WW1 experience spanning land and sea in this FREE total conversion DLC for Holdfast: Nations At War.
There's a whole lot to get through in this one so before diving in take a watch of the official Frontlines release trailer below.
Storm the trenches as the armoured trench raider class. Equipped with a trench gun, a trusty axe and a handful of smoke or HE grenades, this fellow will clear a trench in no time should you let him get close.
Their armour does more than just make them look dashing, when face on to enemies you'll take significantly less damage as you surge forward in a rage with the 'Raid' ability gathering yourself an additional 20% speed boost.
A sturdy headshot will still stop these fellows in their tracks however so do watch out for those crack shots!
10 New Diverse Battlefields
10 new unique battlefields have been released alongside this update. 4 new invasion scenarios and 6 new offensive maps ready to set the stage for some Frontlines glory.
Over The Top (Invasion) Inspired by great period films of our times. Over The Top offers an immersive trench experience. With rows of dug in trench lines and no mans land, fight your way to the final train yard objective and secure a victory for the allied forces.
Estate (Invasion) Battle up the steep cliffs from the bombarded shorelines and capture the grand Estate that overlooks a trench filled battleground.
Kingsman Bay (Invasion) Storm the beaches and fortresses of Kingsman Bay and assert dominance over the chains of rocky coastlines.
Red Tides (Invasion) Push your way across multiple islands with support from the Dreadnoughts and 3-inch Gunboats then siege the great fortress that overlooks the field of play.
Archipelago (Offensive) Tropical and engaging! Archipelago features an explosive mixture of naval and land warfare.
Charleville (Offensive) Fight for supremacy over the town of Charleville, full of alleyways, murals, buildings and a grand clock tower.
Stalemate (Offensive) Get close up and personal with your enemy on this cramped rocky offensive map that truly represents the chaos of shotgun warfare.
..... and a whole lot more! Play today to discover Requiem, Depot and Junction.
Hailing Aloud
Bark orders or hail from afar with the brand new loudhailer! This useful tool will be made available for officers and captains across both the WW1 and Napoleonic fronts. With an increased VoIP range and a sprinkle of reverb this is most definitely going to be an officers dream.
Daunting Coast Gun
Defends the shores from enemy invaders with the powerful Coastal Gun making its way to the coasts of Frontlines. This great beast can take down Steamboats and leaves a pretty nasty mark on infantrymen too.
2-Gun Steamboat
Hop aboard the 2-Gun Steamboat and assist your allies landing on the shorelines with blasts of 3-inch shelling. This grand new artillery ship will be of great help when storming the beaches and fortresses of Frontlines' invasion scenarios.
Weapon Unlocks
Following through with the introduction of the decorated weapons for Nations At War, Frontlines now too has a whole slew of new firearms to unlock. With entirely new models, textures and designs these weapons will make you stand out as you launch your assault over the top.
Check these new weapons out in first-person by pressing the 'C' key.
Winter Uniforms
Wrap up warm from the cold with the newly introduced Winter Uniforms for the Rifleman class. Inspired by the Battlefield Forger Uniform winning entry by Binghampton, these exceptional uniforms keep you nice and toasty during these winter months.
This post truly doesn’t do justice to the amount of new features and changes for this major update for the game so be sure to take a read of the entire changelog below and keep an eye out for more yet to come.
Your support always comes most appreciated. It allows us to continue developing the game we all love and bring this genre of roleplay warfare games into the limelight. We wish you all the best for the holidays and until next time, may good health be yours. :oheart:
Changelog 102 - Game Version 2.27.0000.00000
Count ● 14 new features and improvements. ● 12 gameplay additions. ● 3 Holdfast SDK additions. ● 1 graphical addition ● 2 server configuration additions. ● 19 bug fixes.
Incoming! Prepare to head back to the trenches once more with the major Frontlines 2.0 update releasing December 19th 2024.
Embark on large scale amphibious invasions and advance through war torn trench lines in this major release coming for free to the game. From a new class to a whole lot more this update will land us back in the trenches before Christmas.
Over the course of the days leading up to the release we'll be sharing some sneak previews of some of the new additions to the game. Take a read below to checkout today's sneak peak.
The Trench Raider!
Storm the trenches as the armoured trench raider class. Equipped with a Trench Gun, a trusty axe and a handful of smoke or HE grenades, this fellow will clear a trench in no time should you let him get close.
Their armour does more than just make them look dashing, when face on to enemies you'll take significantly less damage as you surge forward in a rage with the 'Raid' ability gathering yourself an additional 20% speed boost.
A sturdy headshot will still stop these fellows in their tracks however so do watch out for those crack shots!
Hailing Aloud!
Bark orders or hail from afar with the brand new loudhailer! This useful tool will be made available for officers and captains across both the WW1 and Napoleonic fronts. With an increased VOIP range and a sprinkle of reverb this is most definitely going to be an officers dream.
Over The Top!
1 of the 10 new maps coming to the game with this release will be the new invasion map 'Over The Top'. Inspired by great period films of our times this cinematic masterpiece offers an immersive trench experience.
With rows of dug in trench lines and no mans land, fight your way to the final train yard objective and secure a victory for the allied forces.
Be sure to join the official Discord where we’ll be featuring snippets of the update leading to the release just on the horizon. Keep your eyes peeled as we have plenty more in store for Holdfast’s Napoleonic and WW1 fronts.
Your support always comes most appreciated and it allows us to continue developing the game we all love to bring this genre of roleplay warfare games into the limelight. Until next time, may good health be yours. :oheart:
