POST-LAUNCH SUPPORT AUDIT · VERIFIED
Lords of the Fallen (2023)
Hexworks · 2023 · Souls-like action RPG
Did the studio keep supporting this game after launch? This page is the evidence.
AFTERCARE SCORE
87
Tier A · Excellent
Pattern: Recovery
See it on SteamStore link opens Steam in a new tab.
LAUNCH CONDITIONPoor
AFTERCARE PATTERNRecovery
AUDIT STATUSVerified
One of the clearest redemption arcs in the genre: a technically troubled launch salvaged by more than 70 free updates over two and a half years.
01Score breakdown
Patch speed19 / 20
Maintenance quality17 / 20
Communication16 / 20
Player responsiveness18 / 20
Follow-through17 / 20
Five categories, 20 points each, 100 total. Full method on the methodology page.
02The evidence
Lords of the Fallen launched Oct 13, 2023 with crashes and stuttering on every platform, earning a Mostly Negative Steam rating and shipping an outdated build on Xbox. Hexworks then patched near-daily, delivered 70+ free updates including Master of Fate (V1.5), Version 2.0 and Version 2.5, and closed support with a billed-as-final definitive update while the sequel entered full production.
- 70+ free post-launch updates over 30 months: near-daily patches at launch, then major drops (Master of Fate V1.5, Version 2.0, Version 2.5), all free for every owner.
- Performance actually got fixed: Steam reviews climbed from Mostly Negative to Mostly Positive, and players confirm the launch-era crashes and stutters are resolved.
- Community shaped the roadmap: boss rush, the modifier system, shared-progression co-op and the free Friend's Pass were direct responses to player feedback, with Q&As and dev blogs throughout.
- It ended cleanly: Version 2.5 (Dec 2025) was billed and delivered as the definitive final update, with Hexworks moving on to the sequel; no publicly promised content appears to have been cut.
03Sources
01CI Games launches Lords of the Fallen Version 2.0: the definitive update free for all ownersOfficial announcementVisit02Lords of the Fallen adds Veteran difficulty and more in 2.5 updatePress reportVisit03Lords of the Fallen celebrates Mostly Positive recent Steam reviews after months of Mixed receptionPress reportVisit04Lords of the Fallen's most difficult boss is... performance problems on every platformPress reportVisit05Next Free Lords of the Fallen Update Turns the PS5 Game into a RoguelitePress reportVisit
04Audit record
- Launch date
- Oct 13, 2023
- Evidence coverage through
- Mar 2026
- Methodology
- v1.0
- Audit confidence
- Medium
- Why this confidence
- Patch counts and update contents are confirmed by the studio and multiple press outlets, but I did not independently audit every patch note or verify current Steam review aggregates, and the exact date of the most recent small patch is approximate.
- Score band
- Excellent (Tier A)