Steam
Why are you doing Early Access?
We are releasing the game to Early Access to get all of our current users playing the game on Steam, and deal with any issues that arise from this process. This will enable us to smoke out any unforeseen bottlenecks and other scaling issues in the Meteor Service and its integration with Steam.
We also hope that our bundle offering encourages new players to try out a wide variety of mechs, and provide feedback on how they play and feel. Your feedback will enable us to make every mech fun to play and viable in competitive and cooperative gameplay. Join the discussion at community.playhawken.com.
When can I play the game on Steam?
You can play now! New pilot registration is now open to all Steam users.
I played before the transition to Steam. Will I lose any progress or items that I earned previously?
No. Everything will carry over when you play the game on Steam.
Do I need a Steam account to play HAWKEN?
Yes. You can create a Steam account for free at http://store.steampowered.com/join/
Do I need to purchase a bundle to play HAWKEN on Steam?
No. A bundle purchase is no longer required to create a new account.
I installed the game prior to the transition to Steam. Do I need to reinstall?
Yes. All patches will now be distributed via Steam, including the February patch. If you already have HAWKEN installed outside of Steam, we recommended uninstalling it.
How do I buy Meteor Credits now?
To purchase credits, launch the game using Steam, sign in, and click Buy Meteor Credits on the navigation bar at the top of the screen. This will launch the purchase page in a Steam overlay.
What payment methods are available?
Bundle and currency purchases are only available using Steam Wallet. For more information on Steam Wallet payment options, including methods that do not require a credit card, read the Steam Wallet FAQ on support.steampowered.com.
Other Changes
What happened to Tuning Points?
Tuning points have been removed from the game in the interest of creating a tighter balance between the different types of mechs. Previously, every mech of a specific class started with the same stats as other mechs in that class, and had different stats that they could improve by spending tuning points. Now, every mech type has a unique set of stats (and a distinct handshake with the player) that sets it apart from every other type, and is the same regardless of mech rank or pilot level.
What happened to the countermeasures I bought?
Countermeasures are no longer used in competitive multiplayer game sessions in HAWKEN. They have been replaced with consumable items that can be used in cooperative gameplay to give you an edge in the fight against AI opponents. Several types of consumable are available, and can be used with the charges previously purchased for countermeasures. We removed countermeasures because they led to unbalanced encounters and gave an advantage to players that bought them.
How does matchmaking work now?
Finding a match is the same as it was before. Select a match type (versus, co-op, or squad match), a region, then start searching for a match by clicking Launch or View Servers. The server browser is only available for versus matches.
One new component to matchmaking is the fitness score. This is a combination average matchmaking rating of the server compared to the player's, the spread between the highest and lowest rated players on the server, and other factors. It is represented on the server browser as a Quality rating of up to three stars.
Squad Matches are also new. This mode allows a full party of six players to search for other full parties for a serious versus match.
Where can I find patch notes for the February patch?
Full patch notes are available here.
See the Steam Transition Guide for more information about HAWKEN's move to Steam.