From Press Release:
June 30, 2026 – MicroProse is proud to announce that GROUND BRANCH, the tactical realism first-person shooter developed in collaboration with BlackFoot Studios, will officially leave Early Access and launch Version 1.0 on July 16, 2026, on Steam.
Created by a team led by one of the original developers behind the classic Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon games, GROUND BRANCH has spent years building a reputation among tactical shooter enthusiasts for its uncompromising approach to realism, deliberate gameplay, and player freedom.
Version 1.0 marks the game’s most significant milestone yet, delivering the strongest foundation GROUND BRANCH has ever had while introducing substantial improvements across AI, environments, animations, inventory systems, player interaction, and overall immersion.
A New Chapter Begins
GROUND BRANCH Version 1.0 introduces the return of Operations, the game’s campaign framework, alongside an all-new Prologue set in the mountains of Northwest Pakistan.
The Prologue features two narrative-driven missions that serve as an introduction to the events that will unfold throughout the wider campaign. Featuring full briefings, voice-over narration, and persistent progression, it represents the first step in a much larger journey for the game.
Version 1.0 also brings:
- The new Outpost environment, an old mountain fort overlooking the Afghan border.
- Significant enemy AI improvements, making opponents smarter, more reactive, and more dangerous.
- The new Extraction mission type, featuring hostage rescue scenarios and advanced captor behaviors.
- A completely overhauled player locomotion system with new motion capture animations.
- A new door interaction and breaching system, expanding close-quarters combat possibilities.
- Expanded customization options with new gear, weapons, attachments, and character appearance choices.
- Numerous visual, audio, inventory, and quality-of-life improvements throughout the experience.
Version 1.0 Is Not the End
For BlackFoot Studios and MicroProse, Version 1.0 is not a finish line-it is the beginning of the game’s next phase.
Following launch, GROUND BRANCH will continue to receive substantial updates throughout the rest of 2026 and into 2027.
Players can look forward to:
- Three new campaign chapters, each introducing new hotspots and additional missions.
- Continued gameplay improvements, features, weapons, maps, and quality-of-life updates.
- A dedicated Multiplayer Update, bringing new game modes, new gear, map improvements, and further systems enhancements.
- The release of the Mod Kit, enabling the community to further expand the experience.
The roadmap reflects a long-term commitment to growing GROUND BRANCH well beyond its official release.
As the team likes to put it:
“Version 1.0 doesn’t close the book-it opens the next chapter.”
