The Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s bloody splash into the asymmetrical horror gaming scene has left other stalwarts like Dead by Daylight looking dull in comparison. With over 1.3 million players carved up by Leatherface‘s roaring chainsaw just a month after launch, this brutal multiplayer masterpiece has secured its seat at the head of the table.
But the feast has only begun, as Gun Media plans to keeps fans hungry for fresh meat with new maps, characters, and sadistic surprises primed to hack the burgeoning meta to bits.
Developer Priorities: Squash Bugs First, Then Bring the Carnage
The rabid excitement around The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has brought growing pains, including bugs and server strain from the prolific playerbase. But Gun Media CEO Randy Greenback has a plan.
"The team is currently prioritizing bug fixes and server stability," said Greenback in a recent Twitter thread update.
This communicates a commitment to nip issues in the bud before diverting resources to pumping out additional content. An encouraging sign of thoughtful leadership at the helm of this runaway horror juggernaut.
And that patience looks poised to pay off, as dataminers have uncovered clues pointing to substantial updates in store for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre once technical troubles get ironed out…
Leaked Details Reveal Bloody New Playgrounds
For starters, the leaks reference an entire new map, currently codenamed "Junkyard," plunging victims into tighter environments littered with hazards:
With compact zones full of places to hide amongst piles of scrap and sharp debris, this map promises white-knuckle gameplay ripe for ambushes around every tetanus-laden corner.
There are also cryptic yet sinister references unearthed in the files pointing to something called "Maria‘s Revenge." This likely relates to a key death from the original 1974 Texas Chainsaw movie for those familiar with the franchise‘s twisted roots.
Could this mean playable vengeful spirit characters? Or perhaps ghostly influences that can aid the killer cannibal clan? Either way, the developers seem intent on capturing the true ruthless horror spirit of Leatherface‘s twisted legacy in this new mode.
Whatever macabre mayhem manifests, the Junkyard map itself should provide a thrilling, dangerous new playground for the cat and mouse slaughter.
New Survivors and Killers Bring Next Level Strategies
In addition to fresh environments, the leaked contents of future The Texas Chainsaw Massacre updates reveal upcoming playable characters for both survivors and killers. These unique new avatars promise to deepen the gameplay.
For victims, there is Danny, a scrappy survivor whose ability allows him to permanently unlock environmental objects like generators or phone fuses without needing item consumables. By repeatedly applying this power, he can severely inhibit reliance on scarce resources.
"Danny‘s unlocking skill almost eliminates the item metagame entirely in skilled hands," said prominent pre-release gameplay analyst Matt McMullen.
This could disable certain killer shutdown strategies and force adaptations from Leatherface families used to leveraging limited use items. Danny also comes prestocked with a medkit, defibrillator and ammo satchel by default, making him a versatile threat.
On the killer side, there is Nancy – an elderly woman whose "Spy" power enables her to temporarily view survivors‘ perspectives at the cost of stunning herself briefly afterwards. Expert ambush setups could thrive on this information.
Her default weapon – a vicious looking gardening hoe – also promises brutal bloody highlights for compilation videos. Never underestimate grandma!
But perhaps the most terrifying inbound family member is Sissy and her affinity for homemade barbed wire traps. These mines she can deploy whip survivors passing nearby for blood curdling damage and alerts.
_"Sissy completely shifts the tempo of survivor play,"_ said competitive player KillerKyle. _"One wrong move and suddenly you‘re leaving a blood trail right to her house as the screen shakes with injury effects. Absolutely demonic!"_
And due to needing to verbally communicate with other family members to avoid accidentally triggering her own traps, Sissy requires expert teamwork to fully capitalize on. This should separate decent killer crews from the next level mains.
With their unique attributes, these new characters seem poised to deepen The Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s strategic competitive space. Their designs indicate the developers are playing for keeps! No complacency here even in the wake of their smash early success.
Cosmetics Incoming So You Can Slay (Or Survive) in Style
Of course, no modern game serves today‘s enthusiasts without some drip. The devs at Gun Media understand that long term player retention and community building revolves around character customization and individual expression nowadays.
That‘s why leaks confirm upcoming cosmetic DLCs in the works, including alternate outfits for resident family members Anna, Connie and Julie. Expect the usual recolors so you can really personalize their looks.
But the most intriguing tease comes from rumored weapon skins, like a more battered and blood drenched variant of Leatherface‘s iconic chainsaw. Just imagine the salt when getting dismembered by someone flexing this status symbol!
While cosmetics may not alter mechanical gameplay directly, they massively up the social ante and prestige for dedicated players to chase by proving their skills off while looking stylish. These incoming cosmetic drops should spur competition and participation.
So while Gun Media squashes bugs currently causing havoc behind the scenes, players await some severe content to sink their weapons into shortly. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre show‘s creative directing promises to deliver butcher‘s bill level upgrades. Strap in!