Killing Floor 3 Release Date Postponed Further into 2025 After Closed Beta Disappoints

The highly anticipated survival horror co-op FPS, Killing Floor 3, has faced a significant delay, now set for a release later in 2025. This unexpected shift comes just three weeks before its original launch date, triggered by a disappointing closed beta phase. Dive deeper to understand the reasons behind this decision and what it means for fans eagerly awaiting the game.

Killing Floor 3 Delayed For Later 2025 Release

Cites Disastrous Beta Test Phase

Image from Killing Floor 3’s official Bluesky account

On March 7th, 2025, Tripwire, the developer behind Killing Floor 3 (KF3), announced via the game's official Bluesky account that the release of the eagerly awaited survival horror co-op shooter has been pushed back to an unspecified date later in 2025. This announcement, made just three weeks prior to its original March 25th launch date, was necessitated by the feedback received during the closed beta testing phase.

"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 in their Bluesky post. They are now focusing on rectifying key issues identified during the beta, such as performance and stability, UI/UX, lighting, and the feel of weapons.

The community's reaction on social media was swift and vocal, with many players expressing their disappointment. The beta build was described as "insanely clunky and clumsy," "unpolished, glitch-ridden, vomit-inducing wreck." On Reddit, user 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." A common grievance was the shift away from traditional horror elements towards a futuristic sci-fi theme, which many felt deviated from the series' roots. Additionally, the inability to choose characters and classes independently, as they were locked during the beta, was a significant point of contention.

Tripwire ended their announcement on a hopeful note, promising a more refined 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."

Pre-Orders Will Be Refunded Automatically Except For Steam

In response to the delay, Senior Community Manager Yoshiro from Tripwire Interactive provided details on the Killing Floor 3 forums about 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 the need for any action from the user. However, PlayStation users in the United States will have the option to either cancel and receive a refund or keep their pre-order for the new release date. If no action is taken within a specified period, the pre-order will automatically be canceled and refunded.

Steam users, however, will need to manually cancel their pre-orders and initiate a refund request through Steam's support system. Those who pre-ordered through third-party platforms or vendors not mentioned will need to coordinate directly with those entities, subject to their respective refund policies.