“Operation: Shadow Hunter” update launches season four with new map, gunslinger perk, and new mission into Killing Floor 3 today
From Press Release:
Developer and publisher Tripwire Interactive today launched the fourth seasonal update for Killing Floor 3, available to download for free now for a limited time on PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), the PlayStation®5 system and the XBOX Series X|S console systems. Season 4, titled ‘Operation: Shadow Hunter’, sees Nightfall specialists venture to the Nordic North Sea to explore a mire-infested oil rig and the horrors it has unleashed. Joining the team to explore the new map is the highly-anticipated Gunslinger perk, which includes an armory of dual-wielded pistols and high-tech gadgets for dispatching Zeds and the second phase of dual-wield support for the remaining sidearms. The update also introduces the elusive Dr. Moorcroft as a new boss and adds a ‘Suicidal’ difficulty level, giving players a challenge between ‘Hard’ and ‘Hell-on-Earth” currently in-game. Players can also expect a Supply Pass refresh with free and paid tracks, performance optimizations, new achievements, quality of life improvements and more.
To celebrate the first anniversary of the game Tripwire Interactive announced that Killing Floor 3 is free-to-play for a limited time on PC (via Steam and EGS), PS5™ and XBOX Series X|S from July 23 through July 27. During this time new players will have access to the full game including the latest seasonal update and all other updates including the recently added Onslaught map and text chat support. All progress will be saved and available after purchasing the game, with all three editions and Seasonal DLC Passes on all platforms discounted 50% off their regular price. Visit the Tripwire socials for more details on when discounts end on each platform.
Narrative Missions – ‘Operation: Shadow Hunter’: Dr. Emmanuel Moorcroft has ascended to his final, most dangerous form. It’s now up to Nightfall to chase down the mad scientist and stop him from opening an even larger rift into the alternate dimension called the Dreadzone—one big enough to swallow whole cities, and possibly the world.
Survival Map – Oil Rig: A routine oil-drilling operation in the frigid North Sea accidentally strikes mire, drawing the attention of Moorcroft and his followers, who quickly seize the platform.
Perk – Gunslinger: The legendary Gunslinger returns to the fray. Specializing in fast, dual-wielded pistol combat, this perk is for those with nerves of steel and the aim to match. Gunslingers carry futuristic gravity grenades that first implode to pull in nearby zeds before exploding with concussive force. Their gadget, Fatal Focus, is a pair of deadly smartguns that fire homing projectiles when aimed at enemy weakpoints. The grenade, gadget and more can be improved and customized with a complete skill tree.
New Weapons: The update introduces four pairs of dual-wielded primary weapons and a sidearm for the Gunslinger perk, usable by all perks as well.
Dual Law 2058 Bringers Revolvers – The classic 1858 Revolver returns with this modern, upgraded variant. What the revolvers lack in ammo capacity they more than make up for in raw firepower as each fall of the hammer releases ballistic carnage.
Dual Night Adders Select Fire Pistols – The Night Adder features both semi-automatic and fully-automatic fire modes. Swap modes at the flick of a switch and unload entire magazines of 9mm rounds into Zeds to put them to bed.
Dual Desert Eagles .50 Cal. Pistols – A Gunslinger favorite, the Desert Eagle’s .50 caliber bullets remain as destructive as ever. These powerful hand-cannons can take down even the largest enemies.
Dual AF2081-A1s Double Barrel Pistols – What’s better than one barrel? Two barrels. This updated version of the unique AF2011-A1 features two barrels on each pistol for twice the firepower and twice the ammo consumption.
Der Konig Semi-Auto Pistol – This reliable, fast-firing 9mm sidearm is a trusted companion for every Gunslinger. The sidearm can be wielded individually or dual-wielded.
New mods include: Sonic Tracer Rounds, Holographic Pistol Sight, Volter-Shock Underbarrel, Der Konig Compensator, Five-Round Conversion Cylinder, Powered Polymer Mag. See full patch notes for the list of existing mods that support each weapon.
Boss – Moorcroft: It’s time to finally face the bad Doctor himself. After his experiments have failed to stop Nightfall’s year-long pursuit, Moorcroft has decided to handle things – directly. Rippling with muscle and bristling with organic armaments, Dr. Moorcroft has merged with his own mire experiments to become the ultimate doomsday weapon and must be stopped at all costs.
New Difficulty – Suicidal: This returning difficulty mode is designed to be a stepping-skull between Hard and Hell-on-Earth difficulties for a smoother transition to the toughest fights.
Dual-wield Sidearms Phase 2: The remaining trio of sidearms, the Medic’s KH-380, Sharpshooter’s Disciple and Firebug’s Pyre .357 can now each be dual-wielded as well as wielded individually. All sidearms now support single or dual-wield functionality.
Season 4 Supply Pass: Play and earn 100 new rewards with the latest Supply Pass via both free and paid tracks, including the new Horzine Mark 8 Armor for all available specialists. Supply Passes can be purchased at any time while Supply Points are earned through gameplay, and neither expire.
Much More: New Daily Challenges, Wave and Weekly Mutators, Milestone Challenges, Quality of Life improvements including hot-joining friends in-game directly from the main menu, the ability to choose Tier 3 weapon mods during crafting, bug and crash fixes and ongoing balance and optimization work continues. The cosmetic store has also been updated and includes new items including the Ronin Outfit Bundle.
For full details on all the changes and additions visit the patch notes in the Tripwire Interactive forums. The developer also shared an updated development roadmap detailing the content ahead for Killing Floor 3 including the return of popular seasonal events and a first look at plans for mod support across all platforms.
Year Two Development Roadmap
Killing Floor 3 is the latest installment in the legendary co-op action/horror FPS series. The year is 2091, 70 years after the events in Killing Floor 2, and megacorp Horzine has produced the ultimate army: an obedient horde of bio-engineered monstrosities called Zeds. Now, the only thing standing between these infernal creations and the future of humanity is the rebel rogue group known as Nightfall. This intense first-person shooter puts players in the role of a Nightfall specialist, joining forces with up to five teammates as they battle through a war-ravaged, dystopian future, surviving unrelenting waves of Zeds, unlocking new skills, and building the ultimate arsenal.
Developed and published by Tripwire Interactive, Killing Floor 3 launched on July 24, 2025 for PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), the PlayStation®5 system and the XBOX Series X|S console systems. Digital editions for all platforms include $39.99 for the Standard Edition, $59.99 for the Deluxe Edition and $79.99 for the Elite Nightfall Edition, with physical editions for PlayStation®5 and XBOX Series X|S available from select retailers as a Standard Edition with a MSRP of $39.99. This game is rated “M for Mature” by the ESRB and PEGI 18.
