The terrifying Zeds are back, bigger, badder and bloodier than ever, in this upcoming sequel where players must survive the fallout of failed corporate experiments and the wreckage left behind.

In Killing Floor 2, players descend into continental Europe where the outbreak caused by Horzine Biotech’s failed experiment has quickly spread and gained unstoppable momentum, essentially paralyzing the European Union— Just one month after the events in the original Killing Floor, the specimen clones are everywhere and civilization is in disarray; communications have failed, governments have collapsed, and military forces have been systematically eradicated. The people of Europe know survival and self-preservation too well and lucky survivors have gone into hiding.

Not all have given up hope though... A group of civilians and mercenaries have banded together to combat the outbreak and established privately funded operation bases across Europe. Upon tracking specimen clone outbreaks, players will descend into zed-laden hot zones and exterminate them.

Armed with an array of deadly weapons, varying from pistols to rifles to shotguns and the versatile Katana – players can team up in co-op play (6 players) to better their chances for survival, or for the bravest souls who think they can survive alone, solo play is also available. Delivering on the three essential pillars of the Killing Floor franchise - Bullets, Blades and Blood - and introducing the visceral M.E.A.T. system, Killing Floor 2 will deliver the most horrifyingly intense experience ever seen in a console game. An expanded perk system – with perks from the original game having been reimagined, and further brutal melee combat – reinventing the melee combat completely, make for a blood-splattered gaming experience.

Tripwire Interactive and Mod DB announced the final round of winners for its Killing Floor 2 New Grounds Mapping Contest, awarding a total of $50,000 dollars in prizes to creators of the best player-made Survival and Non-survival maps for the award-winning, survival horror, co-op shooter, Killing Floor 2.

As an independent development and publishing studio founded by members who won the 2004 “Make Something Unreal” competition for work on the total conversion mod Red Orchestra: Combined Arms, Tripwire Interactive is excited to continue its support for grassroots game development and the modding scene that helped them get started. Without such support, critically acclaimed titles, like Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45, Killing Floor, Killing Floor 2, Killing Floor: Incursion, and Maneater, the upcoming action RPG where you play as a shark, would not be possible. Support for the modding scene also helped Tripwire Interactive expand its role as an independent games publisher for titles such as Chivalry 2, Espire 1: VR Operative, and Road Redemption.

Taking the opportunity to give back to the community that helped them get started, Tripwire Interactive is proud to highlight the winning maps and creators. Please find below brief summaries about what makes each winning entry special from the judges along with direct links to the official download page for each map, hosted on Mod DB.

Killing Floor 2 Best Survival Map Winners:

1st Place Prize: $10,000

Map: Sanitarium

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: This map showed enormous creativity and clever reuse of existing assets to create a new Cthulu themed experience for the player. There are numerous interactive elements such as traps, attacking tentacles, low gravity zones, and changing weather patterns that really impressed us. We knew we had a strong contender when the judges had a hard time moving on to the next submission during our playtests. 

2nd Place Prize: $6,000

Map: Carrillon Hamlet

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: This map impressed us with its strong layout and use of assets to convey a unified theme. This map had a strong understanding of gameplay flow which navigated the player into interesting layouts that interweaved across the map. 

3rd Place Prize: $3,500

Map: Desolation

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: This map had a creative use of lighting and a strong presence across its expansive layout that went from interior and outdoor spaces. Given that it utilized strong themes and assets from Outpost, it was interesting to see the climate flip from frigid to a tropical setting.

4th Place Prize: $3,000

Map: Silo Seven

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: Verticality was a strong element of this map as you descend through multiple basement layers of the complex. We also appreciated the use of changing weather elements as a brewing sandstorm approaches over the duration of the match. 

5th Place Prize: $2,500

Map: Training Grounds

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: This map was an extremely impressive technical showcase for how it constructs the environment for each of the different rooms like the holodeck. It made the small spaces feel much larger with the simulated backdrops. 

Killing Floor 2 Best Non-Survival Map Winners:

1st Place Prize: $10,000

Map: Biolapse

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: This map was impressively put together and polished. It showed a strong understanding of what made Biotics Lab fun and interesting and translated that into a totally new and different layout that exhibited a good grasp of gameplay fundamentals. 

2nd Place Prize: $6,000

Map: Twisted Story

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: This map was loaded with imagination and creativity translating the KF2 formula within a fantasy environment. It made great use of scale within its different hold out environments 

3rd Place Prize: $3,500

Map: Elysium

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: This map made great use of Endless mode and particularly impressed us with its transformative nature as the waves progressed. Each of the different zones you play across gets reintegrated into the central courtyard which was a pleasant surprise. 

4th Place Prize: $3,000

Map: District VII

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: District VII was effective in translating the Burning Paris aesthetic into Objective style survival gameplay. It showcased a solid gameplay flow as you progressed through the map to each of the individual zones. 

5th Place Prize: $2,500

Map: Hospital

Tripwire Interactive Judge Notes: This map had a unique location not seen in KF2 that was well put together through effective asset reuse. We particularly enjoyed its well-polished interior spaces and gameplay flow through its wave-gated linear track. 

Key Features:

• Survival Game Mode: Play Solo or Co-op with Up to 6 Players— In this game mode, up to six players team up against hordes of murderous AI controlled Zeds, ranging from the lowly clot to the massive fleshpound, through multiple waves of fire, blood, and gunfire. Each Zed killed earns players Dosh, which can be spent on weapon upgrades, ammo, and armor to keep the Zeds from ripping your guts out. Players who survive will face the boss behind the Zed outbreak and hopefully end it... or die trying.
• Versus Survival Game Mode: Play PvP with Up to 12 Players – Be the Zed!  In this game mode, two teams of up to six players take turns, one team playing humans and the other a mixture of specially modified Zeds backed up by AI controlled Zeds. Each match lasts until the human team is defeated or it defeats the boss, at which point the two teams switch sides and the battle continues. After each team has a turn playing both humans and Zeds, they both receive a score based on their performance and the higher score wins!
• Visceral Gore - Killing Floor 2 ramps up the gore with a proprietary, high-powered, persistent blood and gore system bringing new levels of fidelity and brutality. Players will send entrails, severed limbs, and blood flying as they wade through hordes of enemies.
• Terrifying Zeds – Ranging from the lowly clot to the might of the cybernetically enhanced Patriarch, players will have to deal with a vast array of Zeds trying to kill them using advanced and deadly artificial intelligence. The Zed hordes unleash devastating, coordinated attacks to slaughter the players, pushing the challenge level and fear factor to new levels
• Unique Blend of Weaponry - From modern assault rifles and brutal improvised weapons to historical guns and off the wall “Mad Scientist” weapons, Killing Floor 2 has a unique blend of slaughter tools that will satisfy any gamer.
• Expanded Perk System – Players can select from ten different perks, each with its own skills, powers, and weapons, in addition to choosing from among a variety of playable characters with different appearances and personalities. All perks progress with meaningful talent choices that amplify different play styles, giving players a progression path that is expansive and full of rewarding milestones.
• Brutal Melee Combat – Armed with everything from knives to exploding sledgehammers, Killing Floor 2 lets you get up close and personal with your Zed killing. In addition to different weapon options, players have control over the type of melee attacks they can perform. This enables players to deliver bone-breaking overhand strikes, unleash head-popping side slashes, or parry the claws of berserk Zeds.

The digital PC base version of Killing Floor 2 is available to purchase for $29.99 (US), ₤19.99 (UK) and €26.99 (EU) via Steam and other digital outlets as well as the PC Digital Deluxe version for $39.99 (US) /£29.99 (UK) /€39.99 (EU). In collaboration with Deep Silver and Iceberg Interactive, the deluxe content of Killing Floor 2 will be included in the PC and PS4 retail and digital versions for $39.99 (US) /£29.99 (UK) /€39.99 (EU).