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Hyperscape: Here’s everything you need to know about new battle royale game

Hyperscape is the latest entry into the ultra-popular battle royale genre of gaming (think Fortnite, PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds, and Call of Duty: Warzone), and it’s doing things a little differently by adding things like Twitch functionality, where you can gain experience points by just watching streams, among other features.

The free-to-play game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal, the studio behind many of the Far Cry sequels, and it’s currently in beta for PC.

Here’s everything you need to know:

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What is Hyperscape about?

Hyperscape is a game set 30 years in the future, where humanity is crammed into “megacities.” A company called Prisma develops technology to allow citizens to participate in “The Hyper Scape,” a futuristic internet.

Players battle in a virtual city Neo Arcadia, where the last ones standing can get fame and fortune. However, there are hacks in the system and there’s a dark secret about the game waiting to be uncovered.

How does Hyperscape work?

After players pick an avatar, they can choose a game mode (team or solo) and try to eliminate other players and be the last surviving ones. There’s a main battle royale mode where the last player wins, and a Crown Rush Squad mode, where a crown spawns later in the game and the player that can hold on to it for 45 seconds will be the victor.

The city will decay as the match progresses, eventually only allowing for a small gameplay area. Players can use special abilities called hacks to help their gameplay, and weapons will automatically upgrade if a player picks up a duplicate.

How does Twitch participation work in Hyperscape?

Hyperscape allows for players to progress by watching Hyperscape livestreams on Twitch. Players can also vote on events that can affect the game, like low gravity or infinite ammo. Simply link a Ubisoft account with a Twitch account to receive perks and participate in events.

When can I play Hyperscape?

Hyperscape is currently available to play in its beta for PC only. The PlayStation and Xbox versions will drop soon, but there’s no set release date.

The beta has a Crown Rush Solo mode, which is a 100-player version of its main Crown Rush mode, and two limited-time modes: Hack Runner Squad and Turbo Squad mode. It features a new hack called Shockwave and a new weapon called the Harpy.

The open beta includes a free 30 tier battle pass and a shop in the game with ways to customize an avatar.

How does Hyperscape gameplay work?

The battle arena is meant for vertical gameplay, and players can also battle in the streets or in buildings. Hacks are special abilities to help you in the game, and they include Teleport, Heal, Wall, Invisibility, Mine, Armor, Reveal, Ball, and Shockwave.

There are jump pads for mobility, and most buildings have multiple floors to battle in. Interactable objects like doors and windows in the game are easily recognizable in yellow. If you die in the team game, you become what’s called a memory echo, where players can still move and ping enemies for teammates but can’t use a weapon. Players can be restored by finding a dead body and being restored by another player, which takes about five seconds.

Jon Silman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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