Dropzone brings together classic attributes of Real-Time Strategy such as map control and multiple units the player must direct, with 1v1 intense online competitive play and familiar keyboard and mouse controls.  Players must develop their tactics, customize their Rigs to suit their play-style, and then bring them into battle against their opponent to see who can score the most points during a 15-minute match.  Dropzone provides a vast array of choices between Rigs and their load-out, and a rich variety of maps set on alien-infested Europa over which players will contest.

It is the 22nd Century. All of humanity depends on a rare and powerful energy source called Cores mined from Jupiter&rsqu;s moon Europa—but Europa has fallen. A hostile alien presence called the Kavash has conquered the planet and pushed humanity tthe brink. Players step intthe role of Core Hunters: part renegade captains and part privateers. Each player commands a squad of three elite Pilots operating battle-hardened Rigs, competing for riches at the edge of the dropzone. It is a lethal, glorious, and slightly mad way tearn a living.

A hallmark of the RTS genre is control of multiple units, where your ability tdeploy and divide your attention determines your ability tdominate the battlefield. Players control three unique Pilots whoperate Rigs equipped with gear that determines their strategy and effectiveness.

Every Pilot specializes in a particular Rig type: Tank (tough but slow), Mechanic (versatile support), Gunner (powerful but lightly armored), and others types tbe announced. Players may mix and match Pilots, types, and gear as they choose tdevelop strategies and tactics tcounter the loadouts of their opponents. Choices are limited only by imagination and personal skill. &ldqu;Dropzone&rdqu; emphasizes player excellence in an arena of unparalleled 1v1 combat: 15 minutes, 3 Rigs, 2 Players, and 1 Hell of a Fight. 

Dropzone added a much-requested new game modes and announced an upcoming transition to free-to-play.

The number one community-requested feature Team 3v3 is an accessible new mode that streamlines gameplay for new players and anyone seeking a more team-based experience.

And for seasoned Dropzone veterans, Ranked Draft 1v1 is a new mode built to intensify competition at the highest levels of play.

The biggest change arrives the following week on Wednesday, April 12th, when Dropzone transitions from a paid title to a free-to-play experience available to anyone with a Steam account.

These new modes are joined by ongoing performance, balancing and game polish improvements, and leading into the free-to-play transition, the Squad Edition and Commander Edition content bundles are available at a substantial discount.

“Debuting on Steam has been a tremendous experience for the development team, giving us the chance to engage directly with our player community and incorporate their feedback into new modes and features,” said Jason Coleman, President, Sparkypants. “Ever since the game’s initial concept design, Dropzone was built to be a free-to-play game, and we’ve worked with publisher Gameforge over the past year to create a game that’s balanced and accessible for a wide range of gamers.”

Team 3v3 Mode leads today’s major game update, the top feature requested by both new and longstanding players. With friends and on teams, players can control a single unit rather than all three Rigs at once, experiencing the pulse-pounding intensity of Dropzone while wielding the attacks and abilities of just one unit. For advanced players who are multitasking masters, Ranked Draft 1v1 is a new competitive mode where Pilot, Rig and Gear choices will be critical during the drafting phase prior to the start of each match, adding to the game’s meta-strategy. Additional features include a new Party System to join up with friends for back-to-back skirmishes and in-game chat as well as Multi-queuing to streamline matchmaking. To deliver a flexible, customized player experience, Dropzone features a wide variety of modes including competitive 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 battles, PvP and PvE, custom maps, single player gameplay against AI and a cooperative wave-based Infestation mode.

“We’ve been blown away by the Sparkypants team’s dedication to refining their game with player feedback, and we can’t wait to share it with a huge new audience of RTS and MOBA fans around the world,” said Christopher Sturr, Director - North America Publishing & Marketing, Gameforge. “Dropzone is one of the most polished, feature-rich, content-filled and well-balanced F2P games we’ve seen in Early Access, and the move to free-to-play will bolster the community even further.”

To celebrate this milestone, a variety of deep discounts are available now and for a limited time only, running Wednesday, April 5 through Tuesday, April 11. This marks the last chance for players to purchase these content-rich bundles at these discounted prices, which include exclusive in-game content, the official soundtrack, digital art book and more. Deals include:

• SQUAD Edition bundle is 50% off — $9.99 down from $19.99
• COMMANDER Edition bundle is 55% off — $17.99 down from $39.99
• COMMANDER DLC upgrade is 30% off — $14.00 down from $20.00

Play Dropzone today via Steam Early Access, with both the full-fledged Squad Edition and advanced Commander Edition available now. All previous beta players will have their account migrated to Steam free of charge.

In Dropzone players compete tretrieve and recover Cores from the alien-infested moon of Europa. Deliver a Core tyour orbiting spaceship tscore a point. Recover Cores from the hives of the alien Kavash, or destroy your opponent&rsqu;s Rigs and poach their Cores, as they try tdthe same tyou. But don&rsqu;t overstay your welcome. After 15-minutes on the planet, the Kavash will overwhelm all invaders.

Each player alshas a Dropship ttransport forces tand from the surface of Europa. The Dropship and its trusty crew repair Rigs when they are damaged in a fight, and they respawn Rigs after they are destroyed by the enemy.

Cores are not the only way tscore in &ldqu;Dropzone.&rdqu; Every map features up tthree randomly selected objectives that when completed add points ta player&rsqu;s score. For example, gain control of all four vision towers on the map and you will capture &ldqu;Total Vision,&rdqu; worth twpoints. Not only does this objective boost your score, but it alsoffers a tactical advantage by giving you line of sight over the entire battlefield.

Key-Features

• 1v1 Focus on individual skill and strategic customization
• Familiar PC mouse/keyboard controls from the best of the RTS and MOBA genres
• Intense 15 minutes matches
• Extensive options for customizable units – combine pilots and gear tbuild a squad of Rigs that suits your style of play
• Easily understandable rules and victory conditions that provide for incredible strategic depth
• Integrated Spectator and Replay Modes allow players twatch and learn
• Powered by the brand-new next-gen Sparkle Engine, designed specifically for:
  • Robust Online Play
  • Responsive Controls
  • Amazing Visual Fidelity that is 4k Gaming-Ready, but can scale lower-end HW