Secret Ponchos Kicks off Steam EA with "12 Weeks 'Til Showdown" Program

Secret Ponchos, the gun-totin' Wild West shoot-em-up, earned itself a pat on the back when it successfully launched on the PS4 back in 2014. So well, in fact, that Steam is now seeing the title on its PC service. As an Early Access build, however.

Why?

Because PC players need a special experience unique to them. And what better way than to present an ambitious, 12-week content update program building up to the summer launch? That's right, Switchblade Monkeys will be releasing huge updates, including new game modes, never-before-seen characters, tweaked and enhanced game mechanics, etc, each week for 12 weeks.

Quoting the pride of developer Yousuf Mapara:
 

"We're incredibly proud of Secret Ponchos on PS4, but it has also been a learning experience for us. Rather than simply porting a clone of the PS4 version onto PC, we wanted to use this opportunity to take what our community has taught us and act on it: to expand the game's capabilities, flesh out our game world, and give our PC community something that can feel truly theirs."

The 12 Weeks 'Til Showdown program begins with the introduction of Gordo, a tank-like bandit boasting massive firepower. His main weapons? A mighty gatling gun and a not-so-tasty Molotov cocktail. He is not new to the series, however, as he has been introduced via paid DLC on the PS4. But no worries, PC friends - he's free.

Also included is a 3v3 Game Mode with a rebuilt matchmaking system, a Mode Prioritization feature, Quickmatch, and a "system that seeks out and merges parallel lobbies."

Each player's win/loss ratios will show up on the Season Zero Leaderboard, which is Early Access-exclusive and runs until the official launch. Top players will be awarded with badges and other prizes. Additionally, every Saturday at 10:30 am PST/1:30 pm EST until 12:00 pm PST/3 pm EST, the development team will challenge the playerbase on Twitch. If you'd like to watch, you can head over via this link.

If you want to get your hands on Secret Ponchos and join in on the quick draws on Early Access, you can purchase a copy for $8.99, 40% off the $14.99 base price on Steam.