Dungeon Stalkers is a free‑to‑play third‑person PvEvP dungeon‑crawler developed and published by ONEUNIVERSE Co., Ltd., scheduled to launch in Early Access via Steam on August 13, 2025. Originally developed by Studio HG, the entire team has since been rebranded under ONEUNIVERSE, ensuring continuity in vision and execution.
The game marries classical dungeon exploration with extraction‑style gameplay: players dive into procedurally shifting dungeons, gather loot, fight monsters and rival players, and attempt to extract safely before time runs out, all while adapting to dynamically changing dungeon conditions.
PvEvP Extraction Gameplay
Dungeon Stalkers centers around extraction‑style mechanics: players enter the dungeon solo or in squads of up to three, facing off not only against AI monsters but also up to five competing teams simultaneously.
Each run becomes a high‑stakes gambit: loot weapons, armor, and resources—then escape through extraction zones that shrink over time. The shrinking arena creates urgency and conflict, especially in later stages where multiple teams converge on limited space.
Dynamic Witch’s Curse System
A signature feature is the “Witch’s Curse” system, which periodically (roughly every five minutes) imposes new dungeon rules—these range from buffs/debuffs and spawning powerful monsters to altering environmental hazards or loot behavior.
This dynamic modifier means no two runs are alike, forcing players to adapt strategies mid‑game. For instance, a previously passive run may suddenly demand aggressive play if curses invert stealth mechanics, or shield penetration monsters appear.
Armor Destruction Mechanic
Players’ armor degrades visually and functionally during combat. As enemies deal damage, armor pieces break piece by piece, visible to all nearby players.
This system adds tactical tension: visible armor loss signals weakness to opponents, incentivizing timing decisions about when to engage or retreat. Players may switch to stealth or darkness-based skills if armor reaches critical condition.
Stalker Roster and Class Diversity
Players choose from a roster of story‑driven Stalkers, each characterized by unique narrative backgrounds, skill sets, and progression paths.
Though specific classes aren’t exhaustively listed yet, information from final betas and trailers implies six distinct classes—each granting tactical variety in combat roles such as frontline, support, or stealth extraction specialists.
Progression and Growth
Experience gained from loot, monster kills, and extraction success allows Stalkers to unlock and upgrade skills, obtain rare or legendary weapons and armor, and improve stats. Gear acquisition is emphasized—dungeons contain hidden caches, boss‑guarded vaults, and competitive drops that reward exploration.
A meta‑progression layer reportedly exists: players can save certain gear between runs, building stronger inventories to tackle deeper dungeon layers or higher‑risk modes in future sessions.
Engine and Rendering
While the official engine is not explicitly confirmed, gameplay trailers and media indicate a modern 3D engine supporting directX 12, advanced lighting, real‑time shadows in dark dungeons, and fully animated third‑person views. ONEUNIVERSE supports full controller input and dual‑sense/DualShock configurations.
Visual feedback plays a key role: armor damage is visibly represented on models, and curses trigger environmental and UI effects to warn players of state changes.
Platform Support and System Requirements
Dungeon Stalkers launches first on PC (Windows 10 64‑bit) and later on PS5 in early development.
System requirements include:
Minimum – Intel Core i3‑3225 CPU, 8 GB RAM, NVIDIA GTX 1060 GPU, DirectX 12, 10 GB storage.
Recommended – Intel Core i7‑2700K, 16 GB RAM, NVIDIA RTX 2060 GPU, same DirectX & storage.
Game Modes: Casual vs. Competitive
Dungeon Stalkers offers multiple modes:
- A more casual PvE‑only mode for exploration and monster hunting without PvP tension.
- A hardcore PvEvP mode, which pits players against both AI and rival Stalker teams for high‑risk extraction runs.
Players can switch between solo runs and 3‑player team runs, enabling flexible playstyles—from solo stealth extractors to coordinated team fights.
Betas and Community Engagement
The game underwent final beta testing from June 24 to June 30, 2025, with significant coverage during Steam Next Fest and high community buzz: it ranked in the top 150 Steam wishlists following the beta.
Community feedback during these phases influenced tuning of the Witch’s Curse frequency, armor balancing, and extraction zone sizing.
Dungeon Lore and Witch’s Curse
Players take on roles of “Dungeon Stalkers”—adventurers drawn into a cursed dungeon controlled by a witch. The dungeon is sentient, shifting in response to her maledictions, and populated by cursed former heroes who now act as dungeon guardians.
Stalkers are motivated by wealth, honor, and truth; uncovering the dungeon’s mysteries and lifting the witch’s curse provides both narrative and practical goals.
Community and Future Roadmap
ONEUNIVERSE aims to build post‑launch support including new classes, dungeon biomes, additional curse types, and expansion to other platforms (e.g. PS5). A PS5 version is in early development but expected after initial PC release.
Support for Steam Achievements, controller options, and localization in multiple languages (English, Korean, Japanese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese) are confirmed.
Our thoughts
Dungeon Stalkers delivers a layered, dynamic blend of traditional dungeon crawling, extraction looter‑shooter design, and player‑driven PvEvP tension. Key systems like the Witch’s Curse, armor destruction, and class‑based Stalker progression drive emergent strategy. Backed by a cohesive development team and strong pre‑launch reception, its Early Access launch on August 13, 2025, marks the beginning of a deep live‑service potential. Whether you’re drawn to nostalgia‑tinged fantasy exploration or high‑risk PvP survival, Dungeon Stalkers aims to offer a polished, engaging—and unpredictable—dungeon experience.