Reclaim X-Isle from VEKTR in Issue #2: Dark Arrival!

GRAIL’s down, but they definitely ain’t out. Having uncovered the perpetrator behind the sudden attacks in the finale event of Issue #1, it’s time to take the fight to Issue #2: Dark Arrival and push back against the encroaching forces of VEKTR. Whether you’re a veteran Renegade or a new recruit, this is the perfect jumping-on point to play HAWKED!

Loot your way through the next chapter of HAWKED with a menacing wave of VEKTR enemies to thwart, the highly requested PvP Ranked Mode, playstyle-boosting Class Cards, more GRAIL Legend tiers, new Artifacts, Gear, Weapons, and much more!

And we’re not just jumping over to a new Issue, but traversing new platforms too. New Renegades can now join the hunt and play HAWKED for free via Epic Games Launcher and Xbox One, with full crossplay available on all platforms.*

Read on to discover Issue #2: Dark Arrival, and for more information about this major update, check out the 2.0 Update Notes.

Flip the Page on Issue #2: Dark Arrival!

VEKTR’s bombardments have left GRAIL’s finest scrambling to pick up the pieces. Embark on a new Questline in Venture 1 of Issue #2: Dark Arrival, and discover more about GRAIL’s leadership as you aid Cynthia in winning over its board. Partner up with Nellie and her do-or-die plans to take the fight to VEKTR, and help Bjorn repair the Riftwake with his list of requests more suited to a Renegade’s toolkit.

Issue #2: Dark Arrival arrives with:

• An All-New Questline: Help Cynthia, Nellie, and Bjorn bring the Renegade mission back on track, receiving the Ballistic Bag as a reward for completing the Questline.
• Fearsome New Enemies: Fight the forces of VEKTR, including the GAMMA vanguard, the ranged BETA units, the tanky DELTA, the parasitic EPSILON, the sturdy THETA, and the self-destructing OMICRON. Be wary, intel also suggests a deadly killer lurks in the wilderness, waiting for opportune moments to dispatch entire Renegade squads with worrying ease. It’s uncanny, really…
• New & Altered Locations: Many locations across X-Isle are now under VEKTR control. Defeat Champion DELTAs and collect data keys to unlock Depots, and break through the defenses of the VEKTR Outpost to permanently secure the Extraction Point for yourself.

It'll be a tough hunt. As VEKTR’s forces continue to sink their metallic claws into X-Isle, they’ve set up Outposts and fortified their way to the Heart of the Island. But there’s plenty of treasure still out there, and quitting ain’t in the Renegade handbook!

Be prepared — read up on what you can about this new tech-clad menace in The Definitive VEKTR Design and Destruction Manual.

Ranked Mode: Test your Treasure Hunting Talent in PvP!

Looking for an all-out PvP extravaganza? Renegades Player Level 10 and above now have access to Ranked Mode. Squad up and rise from Rookie to Legend across six Ranks, each consisting of five Divisions.

You won’t drop ranks until you reach Iconic, but it is possible to lower your division within your rank — so stay sharp.

Of course, what’s a risk without reward? Earn exclusive animated Weapon Patterns and Player Banners reflecting your prowess, proving your skill on sight before even firing a shot!

Channel Heroic Power with Class Cards!

Inspired by legendary and infamous Renegades from GRAIL history, we’ve analyzed the best Loadouts to create Class Cards – collectibles that grant boons to whoever follows in their footsteps. Unlock them by using the right combination of Gear and Artifacts, and use them to enjoy new abilities on your hunts. There’s a Class Card and playstyle to suit every Renegade!

From The Hardened Guardian to The Mad Dash Dynamo, pick a card, any card – there are over 10 to choose from! They’re a great way of trying out or switching between new or different playstyles. Complete objectives to raise their Mastery and upgrade your favorites!

Unleash New Gear & Weaponry!

Take the fight to VEKTR with new tools at your disposal:

• Unleash the Power of New Exo & Ward Gear: Lock and load with impressive abilities, some even improvised from VEKTR tech! Deploy gravitational anomalies to pull in enemies with the DEVOIDER (Exo), or secure unlimited ammunition and stable weapons with the Bang-O-Matic (Ward). You can also deploy an impenetrable shield called the Blockade Ram (Exo), or roll for initiative with the Loaded D20 (Ward) and let the dice decide your luck.
• Wield 6 New Weapons: Amp up your loadout with the latest firearms, including three new Assault Rifles—the FARpoint 15, BTAR 33, and Satyr—and VEKTR’s energy-based Twin Eclipse Sniper Rifle, Solar Flare Shotgun, and Pulsar Grenade Launcher. Also, you’ll never sacrifice firepower for an Ultra Hammer again thanks to a new weapon slot for Armaments only.

Find New Ways to Hunt & Obtain Even More Shiny Artifacts!

You’ve got competition, but you’ve still got a job to do:

• Complete New Encounters: As VEKTR encroaches on the wilds of X-Isle, they’ve seized a few Glyphs for their own, setting up laser locks, ambushes, and other puzzles to keep them secure. Just makes looting the Glyphs from right under their olfactory drives that much more fun!
• Loot 6 New Artifacts: X-Isle may be buzzing with action, but let’s not forget what we’re here for! Word has it six new Artifacts have been discovered across the island, see if you can’t get your hands on the shiny new discoveries and find a use for them in your Loadout. You’ll find one rewarded at the end of the story questline, while the rest can be looted from Caravan Cargo or
• Find Air Drops: GRAIL’s devised a way to ‘boost Renegade productivity for minimum risk’. You may find Air Drops of supplies dropping from the skies throughout matches. Catch ‘em and loot ‘em to find a mix of weaponry, armaments, mods, or consumables.
• Obtain a New Glyph: Embrace the Haste Shroom with the Fungi Glyph, prolonging the consumable’s effect by an extra 5 seconds. We’ve also reworked a bunch of Glyphs from Issue #1 and adjusted their bonuses.
• Obtain Issue #1 Artifacts: GE-0’s kept a carbon copy of every Artifact found through Issue #1: Renegades. Visit the Riftwake's resident robot to buy them for Hawks, even if you haven’t extracted them yourself before!

Unlock 50+ Exclusive Rewards from the New Renegade Pass!

Brave new challenges with the Renegade Pass #2! The Free Track is available to all players, with an upgrade to the Premium Track available in-game for 150 GE-0 Cash. Complete Quests and loot X-Isle to unlock over 50 rewards, including the Samaran Avatar salvaged from leftover VEKTR tech and enough GE-0 Cash to fully cover your purchase of the next Premium Renegade Pass!

To discover everything on the Renegade Pass #2, take a look at our dedicated article.

Twitch Drops: Watch & Earn!

Celebrate the release of Issue #2: Dark Arrival with Twitch Drops! Tune in, tally up time, and earn the Neon Ninja Outfit, a VEKTR Heart Souvenir, GRAIL+ subscription, and more.

• GAMES Content Creators: May 23, 16:00 CEST/07:00 PDT to June 1, 16:00 CEST/07:00 PDT
• Content Creators + All Drop-Enabled HAWKED Streams: June 1, 16:00 CEST/07:00 PDT to June 10, 09:00 CEST/12:00 PDT.

For more details and to find out how to link your account, check out our dedicated article.

Become a GRAIL Legend!

If you’ve already climbed to the highest reaches of Renegade infamy, you can become a GRAIL Legend! Once you reach Player Level 100, you can forfeit your Artifacts, Gear, and Boosters, and empty your coffers of Wonderium and Hawks to raise your GRAIL Legend level and pursue new challenges. Each Legend level comes with an animated player banner and unique account level icon!

Still Reading? X-Isle Awaits!

This is just the start for Issue #2: Dark Arrival. With each Issue consisting of four Ventures, starting with Venture 1 as of May 23, there’s a bunch more exciting updates, Quests, and features in the works and coming soon. So, whether you’re a veteran Renegade or a new recruit, now’s the time to join in on the ultimate treasure hunt!

Want intel like this sent to your inbox? Sign up for the official newsletter and get the edge on other Renegades with news about updates, events, special offers, and more, not to mention the occasional free goodie like the Ace Archaeologist Hat!

In the wake of VEKTR’s attacks, GE-0 has deployed a little helper bot to assist in communications on Facebook. This chatty little thing has a knack for paper folding and is giving out an Origami Omicron Souvenir to every Renegade who says hello. Comment on our Facebook posts and you might be lucky enough to receive one of your own!

Or, if you’d like to meet the wider Renegade crowd and find fellow hunters to squad up with, Discord is the pulse of our growing community. You can also follow HAWKED on TikTok, Reddit, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Time to show VEKTR how we do things here on X-Isle. Play HAWKED Issue #2: Dark Arrival for free today on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC via MY.GAMES Launcher, Steam, and Epic Games Launcher!

*Cross-progression between different platforms is not currently available (except PS5 to PS4, or Xbox Series X|S to Xbox One). Renegades playing on Epic Games Launcher will be starting their treasure-hunting career from scratch.