A Realistic Open-World Hunting Simulator in North America and Africa
Way of the Hunter 2 Game
Way of the Hunter 2 is a realistic open-world hunting simulator developed by Nine Rocks Games and published by THQ Nordic. It entered Early Access on Steam for Windows on March 26, 2026 at $29.99, and the 1.0 release arrived on September 29, 2026 at $39.99. The full version is planned for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, and the official site is wayofthehunter2.thqnordic.com.
- Released
- Sep 29, 2026
- Maps
- New Laurentia + Kilimaya
- Species
- 13 at launch, ~30 planned
Sep 29, 2026
Release date
1.0 launch on Steam for Windows at $39.99
2
Maps
New Laurentia in North America and the African Kilimaya Reserve
13+
Species
13 at Early Access launch, around 30 planned by full release
20
Steam achievements
Including You're Hired: New Laurentia and You're Hired: Kilimaya Reserve
Media
Trailer and screenshots for Way of the Hunter 2 — click any shot to enlarge.
Header art and screenshots are store-provided official assets (© Nine Rocks Games / THQ Nordic), shown for identification.
The Steam store page lists nine official videos, and the game has separate reveal, Early Access, and Africa trailers. The official Africa trailer was published by THQ Nordic with the Kilimaya Reserve announcement.
Start here
A few pages cover almost everything a new Way of the Hunter 2 player asks in the first hour.
Start the Beginner Guide →- 1
Beginner Guide
The seven first moves for a new save: missions, money, herd reading, zone mapping, the dog, and slowing down.
- 2
Animal List
Every confirmed species by map, from the 13 Early Access animals to the twelve Kilimaya Reserve additions.
- 3
Maps
New Laurentia and the African Kilimaya Reserve, plus need zones, lodges, campsites, and interactive map tools.
Way of the Hunter 2 guides
Every Way of the Hunter 2 page by section — 19 in total, each compiled from its listed sources.
Game Guides
6 pagesGameplay
2 pagesProgression
4 pagesRelease
2 pagesLatest updates
Newest and refreshed pages in this section.
- Way Of The Hunter 2 Africa — Kilimaya Reserve GuideGuide
- Way Of The Hunter 2 Animal List — Confirmed Species by MapGuide
- Way Of The Hunter 2 Beginners Guide — The Seven First MovesGuide
- Way of the Hunter 2 Best Bow — Bows, Crossbows, and PatienceGuide
- Way of the Hunter 2 Best Weapons — Community Picks by ClassGuide
- Way Of The Hunter 2 Guide — Maps, Species, and Core SystemsGuide
FAQ
Answers use only sourced facts; unverified items are marked.
- What is Way of the Hunter 2?
- It is a realistic open-world hunting simulator from Nine Rocks Games, published by THQ Nordic. Steam lists it under Adventure and Simulation with single-player, co-op, and online co-op support, and the official FAQ describes both free hunting and structured NPC missions across the New Laurentia and Kilimaya Reserve maps.
- When did Way of the Hunter 2 release?
- The 1.0 release arrived on September 29, 2026 at $39.99 on Steam for Windows. Early Access had begun on March 26, 2026 at $29.99 per the official FAQ, and the full version is planned for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
- How many maps and species are in the game?
- The Early Access launch had one map, New Laurentia, a 10x10 km North American region, and Update 2 added the 100 km2 African Kilimaya Reserve with twelve new species. The official FAQ lists 13 species at Early Access launch and around 30 planned across all maps by full release.
- Does Way of the Hunter 2 have multiplayer?
- Multiplayer and persistent worlds are planned but were not available at the Early Access launch. The official FAQ says single-player and multiplayer will have separate worlds and populations that do not overlap, and each will support persistent worlds independently.
Ready to start Way of the Hunter 2?
Read the beginner guide first, then pick the platform that fits how you play.
Looking for other games? Return to the full game directory.