FragPunk Finally Coming to Consoles After Technical Delays

After a short delay, NetEase's flashy hero shooter FragPunk is officially launching on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on April 29. The free-to-play 5v5 game is already making waves on PC, and now console players can finally dive into the neon-drenched chaos later this month.

Why Was FragPunk Delayed on Consoles?

Originally slated to release alongside the PC version in early March, FragPunk’s console debut was pushed back to fix unexpected technical issues. With those problems resolved, the game is now ready for a simultaneous rollout on both major console platforms.

What Sets FragPunk Apart from Other Hero Shooters?

In a crowded market dominated by games like Valorant and Overwatch, FragPunk breaks the mold with its card-based modifier system. Players can use over 150 Shard Cards to dynamically change the rules of each match—boosting jump height, shrinking heads, flipping maps, or even turning bullets into chain lightning.

Each round becomes unpredictable and chaotic, giving FragPunk a fresh identity in the genre. IGN praised the system as “fascinating and chaos-inducing,” while PC Gamer called it a “rule-breaking twist on competitive shooters.”

FragPunk features 13 playable heroes called Lancers, each with unique movement and combat abilities. Unlike other hero shooters, FragPunk simplifies gunplay with a shared weapon pool of 20 guns, including SMGs, shotguns, and snipers. There are no ultimate abilities, shifting the focus to speed, creativity, and constant movement.

The core mode, Shard Clash, blends bomb-defusal gameplay with rapid 2.5-minute rounds. But there’s more:

• Outbreak Mode: A zombie survival experience.

• Team Deathmatch: Classic kill-focused fun.

• Duel Master: Intense 1v1 battles.

Players will battle it out across seven stylized, multiverse-inspired maps, praised for their readability and unique design.

Free-to-Play, No Pay-to-Win — But Monetization Concerns Linger

FragPunk is free-to-play and all Shard Cards can be unlocked through regular gameplay, keeping things fair and accessible. However, the game has been criticized for its complex monetization system, which uses multiple in-game currencies: Gold, Glunite, and FragPunk Coins.

While early Steam reviews were “Mixed” (67%) due to these concerns, positive reception of the gameplay helped bump that up to “Mostly Positive” (73%) from over 33,000 reviews.

FragPunk enjoyed a strong debut on Steam, peaking at 113,946 concurrent players by March 9 and landing in the Top 10 Best-Selling Games on the platform. Its momentum, driven by word-of-mouth and standout gameplay, bodes well for its console release.

Console Players Get Launch-Day Rewards

To thank console players for their patience, NetEase is offering exclusive gifts at launch. These include time-limited event rewards from the start of Season 1, available automatically to all newly registered PS5 and Xbox players.