Back 4 Blood October update adds new horde UI and No Hope matchmaking

Co-op zombie game Back 4 Blood has a meaty October update out now, and the first thing you’ll probably notice about it is the new Halloween decorations around Fort Hope. The jack ‘o lanterns aren’t the only thing that’s changed, though – the Back 4 Blood October update includes all-new features and a boatload of bugfixes and improvements.

First, there’s a new set of UI elements to give you a better sense of situational awareness when a horde is approaching or attacking your group. The new icons in the heads-up display will let you know if you’re being hit by a normal horde and how long that attack will last, or indicate when a timed horde will appear with a gauge that gradually fills up. You’ll also see a pulsing indicator when an end-of-level infinite horde shows up, as well as a horde waypoint that indicates where the horde is coming from.

The October update also adds matchmaking for No Hope difficulty, the hardcore ironman mode introduced with the Tunnels of Terror expansion in April. Up until now, you’ve had to enter that mode with a hand-picked team that’s ready to take on a full start-to-finish run in a single go. Now, Back 4 Blood will matchmake those No Hope runs – but be prepared to feel the pain.

You’ll also find some seasonal activities in Fort Hope, plus a few seasonal caravans that will be running throughout October and part of November. There are exclusive Halloween-themed skins to pick up for completing these, so hustle on over and sign up.

As mentioned above, there’s a laundry list of bugfixes, tweaks, and improvements included in this update as well. Cleaner skills have gotten some adjustments – for instance, Heng now causes 10 extra food items to spawn, will heal an additional trauma when eating food, and will receive the effects of food items picked up by other cleaners in the party. Jim’s primary weapon has been changed to the Phoenix 350L bolt-action sniper rifle.

Check out our guides to the best Back 4 Blood cards and the Back 4 Blood golden skull secret locations if you need to get brushed up on intel before jumping back in.