Looking Back...

With 2024 having come to a close, we find ourselves looking back on an incredible year for Arma Reforger. Between major updates, new members of the community, and our expansion of player resources about the game for users, 2024 could be best described as one of learning and growth. With over 1,000,000 copies sold and nearly 150,000 daily active users by the end of last year, it's truly been incredible to see how far things have come. We would like to take a moment to revisit some of those milestones that shaped our journey here and look ahead to an exciting future for the game.

Major Updates

Last year saw some significant strides in new content, assets, features, fixes, and more. One of the first milestones came in March with the release of the 1.1 Major Update: Resistance Ops. This update introduced the Combat Ops game mode, which allowed players to join the FIA guerrilla resistance to liberate the island of Everon in a dynamic, solo or cooperative scenario. It added new weapons such as the US M16A2 Carbine and the FIA’s UK-59L machine gun, as well as armed UAZ vehicles expanding FIA's arsenal. Even further we added new civilian clothing and vehicles to give more options for Game Masters or scenario creators. With this update also came improved AI behaviors, like seeking cover from fire and deploying smoke grenades to aid comrades, which no doubt added some difficulty that gave players a surprise. Later on, we even added suppressing fire and other small improvements, and we look forward to expanding the functionality more in the future.

Later in June, we released the 1.2 Major Update: Reinforcements. Adding a host of long-awaited features and items from our Roadmap, such as AI driving and commanding, enabling players to recruit AI soldiers to their squad and lead them into battle. Defensive helicopter weapons, flares, explosive charges, and bayonets were added in this update to give players new tactical options in all sorts of situations, such as night fighting, destroying enemy assets, and close-quarter combat. Game Master also saw some upgrades with cycle and linking waypoints and the addition of civilian factions for more immersive on-the-fly scenarios. Another big change was the inventory system receiving a complete overhaul, improving not only the looks but functionality and performance compared to its predecessor. 

Other Changes and Improvements

In the past year alone, we've rolled out 9 minor and 14 experimental updates alongside our major updates. While we've made continued progress in ticking off items from our Roadmap, this year's focus wasn’t just about adding new content. It was also about refining and optimizing existing features to elevate the overall experience. Covering all the changes would take far too long, but it’s worth mentioning that thousands of bugs were addressed, hundreds of builds were created, and much of this was possible thanks to our experimental application, from which we gathered valuable feedback from the community.

We even introduced some new features and gameplay elements that weren’t originally on the Roadmap. For instance, we were excited to finally introduce server queues, a highly requested feature that eliminated the need for frantic button-spamming. While we know there’s still room for tweaks and improvement, we hope this first iteration will help ease the frustration for many. Another fun addition was the ability to overturn vehicles. Perfect for when that friend who always says, "I can drive," launches you straight off a cliff and rolls you down a hill. Even though it’s just a basic iteration, we've been happy to see players making use of it in the field.

Audio and lighting were also key areas of focus this year, with major changes to enhance immersion. We introduced a dynamic reverb system, emphasized the sounds of traveling projectiles (e.g. RPGs), and improved vehicle bullet impact sounds - so much so that players might not even remember what it was like before these changes. The new dynamic audio adapts to the spaces you’re in, providing more detailed feedback on where shots are fired and where they land. Lighting improvements also brought more picturesque sunrises and sunsets across Arland and Everon, with new clouds casting more realistic shadows in cloudy weather. The lighting now enters buildings more vividly (no more blinding light looking outside), and foliage obstructs sunlight much more naturally, even from a distance.

Of course, we can't overlook the introduction of a wide array of new assets, clothing, vehicles, and weapon attachments, such as suppressors. Players can now attach and detach suppressors on various rifles, making stealth gameplay more viable than ever. New civilian and FIA vehicles are now scattered across Everon. US and Soviet forces have also received new protective and cosmetic clothing, as well as upgraded equipment. Everything from armored vests to new gloves. Pilots can even fully gear up in their flight suits, allowing them now to look the part.

Many changes were also made to impact Conflict and other game modes directly. We added full TrackIR support, adjusted over-encumbrance mechanics, reworked radio signals, changed base building and dismantling, implemented more moderation options, and so much more. It’s been an exciting year, and if you want to learn more about everything we’ve added, head over to our website to explore the full changelogs.

PlayStation Release

One of the most notable and historic moments of last year (and probably Arma history) was the launch of Arma Reforger on PlayStation 5. This marked the first time an Arma title was introduced on the platform, opening the door for an entirely new wave of recruits eager to experience the series. With over 250,000 new players joining the ranks, we were thrilled to welcome these fresh soldiers into the community. While mods are not yet available on PlayStation, we're actively working with Sony to bring this feature to the platform in the future. In the meantime, we've enjoyed sharing intense battles across Arland and Everon with our new comrades, and we can't wait to see how the community continues to grow in the new year.

Dev Reports

Our Dev Reports carry forward from the previous year, offering insights into our ongoing plans. In 2025, we will continue to keep you informed about Arma Reforger's progress, focusing on topics that address what we've been working on and offering some sneak peeks at what is on the horizon for our upcoming developments. For example, be sure to read our latest Dev Report #22 for some of the details related to the 1.3 update coming later this year.

RFIs

We also continued our Reforger RFI (Request for Information) video series, where we invited the community to submit your most pressing questions for our team to answer on social media. While it’s been a while since our last episode, we’re considering returning to it at some point, so keep an eye on our socials.

Community Content

Our incredible community has continued to impress us with an array of content throughout the past year. With over 6,500 publicly available mods on the Arma Reforger Workshop for players to enjoy and more added daily, we hope 2025 will be the biggest year yet for new content. We've had the privilege of showcasing many of these outstanding works in our Community Radar (COMRAD), highlighting everything from beautiful screenshots and videos to innovative mods, scenarios, and more. We're happy to see such dedication poured into crafting such exceptional content, and we love seeing so many players explore the countless ways to experience the game. As we move into the new year, we look forward to showing off all of your amazing work in the future.

Boot Camps

2024 was a year of significant learning for both players and modders alike. In an effort to ease the transition into the game, we've published extensive guides, hosted live Q&A sessions, and provided detailed documentation to ensure that everyone, from new recruits to seasoned veterans, has the tools they need to succeed in Arma Reforger. Our commitment to accessibility and education remains a primary objective of our mission moving into the new year. 

New Tutorial

To offer a smoother onboarding experience for new players, we introduced a brand-new tutorial scenario in our 1.2.1.169 update in December. This updated tutorial not only covered the essential game mechanics to ensure players were ready for the battlefield but also incorporated our new character face rigging technology to enhance the immersive feeling of going through the training. In conjunction, we updated the Field Manual to better provide players with the knowledge they need to succeed in the field.

Boot Camp Resource Hub

Another way we hoped to help players last year was to begin the Boot Camp Resource Hub, your go-to guide for everything you need to learn about Arma Reforger. Whether you’re a new recruit or a returning veteran preparing for the fight across Everon and Arland, this comprehensive article has everything you need to get started. We’ve gathered a range of valuable resources to help you understand the game’s fundamentals, assets, systems, game modes, and tactics, ensuring you’re fully prepared for whatever comes your way. In addition, this article includes videos from our Arma Reforger Resources guide series on our YouTube channel. So, we've got you covered whether you need guidance on game modes, tips on where to start, or just assistance with navigating the map.

We plan to continue this series into the new year, addressing topics we see players struggling with. If there’s an area you feel needs more explanation, don’t hesitate to let us know.

Modding Boot Camps

Our commitment to support goes beyond just helping players play the game. We also recognize the interest of content creators and modders eager to explore the capabilities of the Enfusion engine. To assist with this, we launched the Modding Boot Camps toward the end of last year. This series is designed to teach you the ins and outs of the Enfusion engine, empowering you to bring your creative visions to life more efficiently. Developers lead live workshops, hosting Q&A sessions to cover fundamental modding principles and their practical applications. Topics include everything from animation and scripting to creating custom game modes and beyond.

Through the Modding Boot Camps, you'll learn how to modify and shape the game into whatever you can imagine using Enfusion. These workshops will continue to happen into 2025, and we announce new sessions each month, so be sure to keep an eye out for updates on our socials or Arma Discord! The Modding Boot Camps are hosted on the Arma Discord. Join and learn more about the future of modding in Arma, or watch recordings of these Modding Boot Camps here on YouTube.

Tiny Wars

We couldn’t highlight the great moments of 2024 without mentioning a special gem from last year’s April Fool’s Day joke: Tiny Wars. This playful game mode invited players to step into a whimsical world where the green and red armies clashed on a battlefield straight out of childhood imagination. Released as an official mod on the Workshop on April 2, Tiny Wars was a fun way for us to not only share a laugh with the community but also showcase some of the creative possibilities and modding potential of Enfusion. Even so, thank you for all the good laughs.

Looking Ahead...

We’re not slowing down. Our developers are working harder than ever on bringing you new features and listening closely to player feedback. As we prepare to embrace 2025, here are some of the exciting things you can expect this year for Arma Reforger:

Continued Updates

We will continue to deliver regular updates that focus on improving stability, squashing bugs, and improving the overall experience for our players. The journey to complete our Roadmap is also well underway, with exciting new content in the pipeline for everyone to enjoy. For example, the upcoming 1.3 Major Update, currently in the experimental application on PC brings mortars, offensive attack helicopters, destructible buildings and trees, ground vehicles, backblast, and much more!

Kolguyev

2025 will also see the introduction of the brand-new terrain: Kolguyev. This legendary terrain from Arma: Cold War Assault will be made available for free to all game owners upon its release! Stay tuned for more details later this year!

More in Store

While we can’t reveal all our plans just yet, we’re excited about what 2025 has in store for our players. We plan to keep Arma Reforger fresh by introducing exciting new content and experiences for players and modders alike.

Thank You!

Lastly, we want to extend our gratitude to each and every one of you who has been part of the Arma Reforger journey thus far. Your feedback, creativity, and passion drive us to keep pushing forward. We see your feedback on our socials, in our Discord, and more, and it’s clear how passionate you are about this project. We’re excited to show you all the thrilling developments we have in store for the new year. Stay tuned — 2025 is shaping up to be the best year yet for Arma Reforger.

Here’s to another year of Arma Reforger fun! As always, from all of us on the Arma team, we’ll see you on the battlefield.