update · March 26, 2025
Hunt: Showdown 1896 Update 2.3 Launches Garden of the Witch Event
Hunt: Showdown 1896 Update 2.3 deploys the Garden of the Witch event, silenced carbines, Obrez match variants, and combat overhauls.
Hunt: Showdown 1896 Update 2.3 introduces the Garden of the Witch event, custom ammo adjustments, network optimizations, and weapon balance changes.
Garden of the Witch Event and Pledge Marks
The Garden of the Witch event pits Bruja and Welder hunters against bayou corruption. Players earn Pledge Marks by gathering event points, banishing boss targets in Bounty Clash, or surviving in Soul Survivor. Pledge Marks cap at six and unlock event traits like Blademancer at Rare Supply points. A 38-level battle pass includes new weapon variants and hunter skins.
New Weapons and Silencer Damage Reduction
Update 2.3 adds the 1865 Carbine Silencer, Mosin Obrez Match, and Mosin Obrez Sharpeye, alongside 1865 Carbine Subsonic ammo. Base damage for all silenced weapons drops by 10 percent compared to standard counterparts. Hand crossbow revive bolts are removed from the game with full refunds.
Gunplay and Combat Changes
Hit validation timeout limits drop from 800ms to 450ms to reduce damage delay behind cover. Unstick damage against players increases to 42 for the upper torso. Rifle spreads and cycle times are adjusted across Berthier, Lebel, Martini, Sparks, Centennial, and Vetterli families. Throwing knives, axes, and spears receive rebalanced damage against AI enemies.
Trait Reworks and Hunter Customization
Freshly recruited hunters start with 10 upgrade points instead of three random traits. Solo conditional effects for Lightfoot and Surefoot are removed, while Fast Fingers expands to Maynard Sniper and Martini-Henry families. Blast Sense and Poltergeist enter standard progression.
Bounty Clash and Audio Enhancements
Bounty Clash limits team counts to four, adds Arden Parish and Darrow Livestock to the compound pool, and removes nighttime conditions. Audio updates reduce underground occlusion in Mammon's Gulch, mute non-essential ambient noises in combat, and add distinct landing sounds tied to fall damage intensity.
Why this patch matters
Update 2.3 reshapes combat encounters by penalizing silencer damage, expanding hunter build flexibility, and launching the Garden of the Witch event.