WARDOGS Season 3: Sabatulo, Limited Mode and the progression reset

BULKHEAD scheduled the patch notes for November 11. At our pre-launch check that day, the studio had yet to publish a launch hour or maintenance window. WARDOGS patch-notes announcement · Official Steam news

Sabatulo takes the fight indoors

The reveal centres on Sabatulo Clinic, a multi-storey hospital surrounded by apartment blocks and courtyards. The devlog shows tight alleys between the blocks, an emergency entrance and an indoor pool with an empty basin and spectator seating. The reveal art also shows helicopters and paratroopers above the rooftops. See Sabatulo in the developer video

A squad approaching the clinic may have to account for windows and rooftops before it even reaches a door. Once inside, calls like “emergency entrance” and “one floor up” will be more useful than a direction alone. The reveal gives you landmarks to recognise. The full layout, spawn positions and Control Zone rotation are still to come.

The wipe and the move to three-month seasons

Season 2 sped up the early climb considerably. Its patch notes cut the total XP needed for role level 20 from 250,000 to 111,500. BULKHEAD says that change made progression too fast. Season 3 brings the early and middle stretches closer to Season 1’s pace, with roughly three months per season. The studio has yet to publish the new XP thresholds. Season 2 patch notes · BULKHEAD and Team17’s Season 3 briefing

The Season 3 briefing confirms a wipe. BULKHEAD explained what happens to levels, cash and cosmetics during the previous season transition. BULKHEAD explains the reset and Gold Bars

• Seasonal levels, gear unlocks and spendable cash reset. Expect to work through equipment unlocks again as you level.
• Remaining cash converts to Gold Bars at the end-of-season value under the published reset policy. The Season 3 announcement gives no conversion rate.
• Gold Bars and permanent cosmetics carry over. Gold stays available for cosmetics after the reset, while the new season starts with a fresh spendable cash balance.

One item can unlock on several role tracks

BULKHEAD is putting gear that fits multiple roles on more than one progression track. That gives you another route to the same item while playing the role you already use with your squad.

The devlog uses the minigun Little Bird as its example. Its .308 armour-piercing rounds were tied to Wardog level 140. The Season 3 preview shows a second route at Pilot level 40, with the same $75,000 in-game unlock price on both paths. Check the final patch notes for the launch requirements on individual items. Watch the multi-track unlock example

What Limited Mode restricts

Limited Mode is a separate server option built around the kind of kit you see in the early and middle parts of a season. The devlog and press briefing outline these proposed restrictions:

• Ammunition stays with full metal jacket (FMJ) rounds. The preview slide also shows weapons such as the AMR .50 and MGL 40 on the restricted side.
• Armour tops out at Tier 2. This limits the protection available as players level up.
• The attack-vehicle selection gets smaller. The devlog shows the Havoc and Flakpanzer Gepard as examples of vehicles that would sit out.

Cash and XP are shared with the default mode in both directions. A squad can spend one night playing Limited and switch to the full sandbox the next night while building the same seasonal progression. BULKHEAD still had the final restricted-item list under review in its announcement. Watch the Limited Mode briefing

Anti-cheat changes and what’s planned for 2027

Alongside the reveal, BULKHEAD announced a ban wave covering 185,000 accounts and said it had activated additional anti-cheat measures. The studio says it used machine learning to analyse 187 million gameplay hours. It also reported permanent bans and revoked server-hosting privileges in its crackdown on exploits, real-money trading and gold farming. BULKHEAD and Team17’s press briefing

Starting in Season 3, BULKHEAD says the game will show a warning and block play if it detects third-party graphics settings that remove smoke or grass or alter textures for an advantage. Players who see the warning will need to close the game and restore the affected settings. The client will also reset the Potato Shadows option on hardware above the intended minimum-spec range. WARDOGS Updates graphics clarification

In the November 10 episode of The Hotzone, BULKHEAD explained that player reports flag accounts for review and described how the team checks replay and telemetry data. It also discussed a future server-level trust score. The larger progression overhaul is planned for 2027, and the early infantry skill tree shown in the Season 3 devlog is part of that work. The Hotzone episode on anti-cheat · Developer video

Give your squad a 60-minute plan

1. Spend 10 minutes getting everyone on the same server and faction. Decide whether you want Limited or the default mode. Pick a landmark as your regroup point.
2. Use the next 35 minutes to compare two approaches. Try a route through the streets, then one through the buildings. Have one player watch crossings or upper floors while the others move.
3. Use the last 15 minutes to repeat the better route. Agree on two or three callouts and one place to regroup after a respawn.

Find teammates for your first Sabatulo run

On Teamplay, post that you want an hour of infantry runs on Sabatulo with short callouts. Add your region, time zone, voice language and whether beginners are welcome. If you want Limited Mode, say so in the post so everyone knows what to look for in the server browser.

Sources

BULKHEAD · Road to Season 3 on Steam · November 6
BULKHEAD · Road to Season 03 developer video · November 6
BULKHEAD and Team17 · Season 3 press release via Saving Content · November 6
WARDOGS Updates · Graphics settings clarification · November 7
BULKHEAD · The Hotzone episode 2 · November 10
WARDOGS · Patch-notes timing · November 10
BULKHEAD · Road to Season 02 developer video · October 9
BULKHEAD · Season 02 patch notes · October 14