Killing Floor 3 Release Date Postponed Further into 2025 After Closed Beta Disappoints
The much-anticipated survival horror co-op FPS, Killing Floor 3, has faced a significant setback with its release now delayed to later in 2025. This announcement comes just three weeks before the game was set to launch on March 25th, following a less-than-stellar closed beta phase.
Killing Floor 3 Delayed For Later 2025 Release
Cites Disastrous Beta Test Phase
On March 7th, 2025, Tripwire, the developer behind Killing Floor 3 (KF3), made a surprising announcement via the game's official Bluesky account. The team revealed that the release of this eagerly awaited survival horror co-op shooter is now pushed to an unspecified date later in 2025. This decision follows a disappointing closed beta test that highlighted several areas needing improvement.
"We’ve made the decision to postpone Killing Floor 3’s launch to an undecided date later in 2025. After taking the time to gather and discuss feedback from our recent closed beta, we’ve realized that we missed the mark. Our goal isn’t just to make Killing Floor 3 an ambitious step forward for the franchise, but also to maintain the core experience that you’ve come to know and love," Tripwire stated. They are now focusing on addressing key issues like performance/stability, UI/UX, lighting, and weapon feel, which were major points of feedback during the beta.
The community's reaction was swift and vocal on social media platforms. Players described the beta build as "insanely clunky and clumsy" and an "unpolished, glitch-ridden, vomit-inducing wreck." On the game's subreddit, a user known as Captain_Pugman criticized the developers, stating, "At what point did you forget what made Killing Floor special? Because right now, Killing Floor 3 looks like it’s trying to be everything except the one thing it should be: a Killing Floor game." Additional feedback highlighted a shift away from the series' traditional horror elements towards a more futuristic sci-fi theme, and dissatisfaction with the character and class selection system, which locked classes to specific characters during the beta.
Despite the setback, Tripwire remains optimistic, expressing hope for a more polished version of Killing Floor 3 in the future. "We look forward to another opportunity to show you a more polished version of Killing Floor 3, and when we’re ready to share more details, you will be the first to know. Until then, we thank you for your continued patience and overwhelming support," they concluded.
Pre-Orders Will Be Refunded Automatically Except For Steam
In response to the delay, Senior Community Manager Yoshiro provided details on the Tripwire Interactive Killing Floor 3 forums regarding the handling of digital pre-orders. Once the delay is updated across all platforms, the refund and cancellation process will commence.
For users on PlayStation, Xbox, and the Epic Game Store, pre-orders will be automatically canceled and refunded without any action required from the user. However, PlayStation users in the United States have the option to either cancel their pre-order for a refund or keep it for the new release date. If no action is taken within a specified period, the pre-order will default to cancellation and refund.
Steam users, on the other hand, will need to manually initiate a refund by canceling their order and submitting a refund request through Steam's support system. Those who pre-ordered through third-party platforms or vendors not mentioned above will need to coordinate directly with those services, adhering to their specific refund policies.
