Released 30 September 2026. Back to the changelog. UCP patch notes.
Changes
New: Wild animals now see, hear and smell you. Walking in the open, running and engines give you away, while crouching, standing still, cover, blinds and tree stands help. Your scent drifts downwind, so keep the wind in your face. The wind now shifts slowly and gusts, so keep an eye on it.
New: Herds keep watch. Grazing animals lift their heads every so often to look around, so move while their heads are down. An alerted animal stares, stamps or trots off before it bolts, the whole herd runs together and away from you, and after a scare they stay wary for a while.
New: Missed shots are heard now. A rifle shot sends nearby animals running and puts the rest on edge hundreds of metres away, while suppressed weapons carry much less. An area that has been shot in goes quiet for a while and then fills up again.
New: Each species behaves in its own way. Rabbits freeze and bolt in a zig-zag at the last moment, jackrabbits run long, mule deer stop and look back, boars stand their ground, birds take off as a flock, and deer freeze in headlights at night.
New: Wounded animals act like it. A heart and lung shot runs a short way and drops, a gut shot runs off and lies down if it is left alone, and a leg shot limps. You are told to wait before following a gut or leg shot, and a wounded animal no longer disappears when you walk away to fetch your truck.
New: Predators hunt when they are hungry instead of all the time. A mountain lion makes one kill, feeds on it and guards it, and crows gather at the kill.
New: Animal attacks are rare and come with a warning first: a growl, a huff, a stamp or a bark. A boar can charge when it is wounded or cornered, coyotes can defend a den, and at night a hungry mountain lion may stalk someone who is alone. Standing your ground, aiming at it, a second person nearby or getting into a vehicle makes it back off. Bites leave bleeding wounds and can knock you down, but one animal cannot kill a healthy person outright.
New: Killing an animal that is attacking you is now recorded as self-defence instead of poaching. The carcass belongs to the state: take it to a ranger office to report it.
Content: 13 new hunting grounds, including the upper slopes and north face of Mount Chiliad, Mount Josiah, the Zancudo River bend, the Grand Senora Desert, the San Chianski foothills, the Alamo Sea reeds, Galileo Park and the Tat