BULKHEAD has released Launch Stability Hotfix #1 for WARDOGS. If you were unable to join a server, were unexpectedly kicked, or faced an extended login queue, the official instruction is to close the game when prompted, install the latest client update, relaunch, then wait in the login queue while players are admitted in controlled batches. The studio says it is monitoring the situation; the announcement does not guarantee an immediate fix for every player or server.
Which launch problems does the hotfix target?
BULKHEAD's official launch-day post names three issues the small client update is intended to address:
- Being unable to join servers.
- Being unexpectedly kicked from a server during play.
- Extended login-queue times.
The wording matters: “intended to address” is not the same as a confirmed universal resolution. It is too early to claim every join failure, disconnect or queue delay is fixed, or that it has one identical cause.
Official update and restart steps
- Close WARDOGS when the update requires it. BULKHEAD says currently logged-in players are forced to close and restart after the client update.
- Install the latest client update in Steam. Relaunch only after Steam has completed the download.
- Expect the login queue after relaunch. The hotfix process returns all players to the queue; seeing it again does not by itself mean the update failed.
- Wait for controlled admission. The studio says it will let players through in batches, then increase the number after confirming server entry and population are working.
- Check official channels for status changes. The team says it is actively monitoring the post-hotfix situation.
Why did the queue return after the update?
According to the announcement, returning players to the queue is part of the controlled rollout, not an instruction to bypass it. The studio plans to increase throughput gradually after it sees players entering and populating servers successfully.
That means a long queue can still occur while the rollout is in progress. The post does not publish a guaranteed wait time, a fixed queue position threshold, or a player-side setting that reliably moves someone ahead. Avoid treating third-party “queue skip” tools, changed clients or shared launch options as fixes.
What to record if the issue continues
- The exact symptom: unable to join, kicked during play, or waiting in the login queue.
- Whether Steam shows the latest update as installed and whether you restarted after it.
- Your approximate time, region if shown, queue or server name, and any in-game error text.
- Whether the problem happens before server selection, while joining, or after entering a match.
This separates a launch-capacity queue from a reproducible join or disconnect report. Submit facts through the game's current official reporting or support route; don't present a single failed attempt as proof of a permanent ban, server closure or account issue.
What the hotfix does not confirm
- It does not promise a specific time when all queues end.
- It does not say every remaining disconnect is caused by the same launch issue.
- It does not confirm that changing graphics, DNS, drivers or launch options fixes this server-side rollout problem.
- It does not provide a public ETA for every future stability improvement.
Bottom line
For launch-day join failures, unexpected kicks and long queues, first make sure WARDOGS has installed Launch Stability Hotfix #1, then restart and allow the official queue process to run. The studio is deliberately admitting players in batches while monitoring server stability. If the problem persists after the update, record the symptom and timing for an official report rather than relying on unverified workarounds.