Exit Ways is a post-apocalyptic PvEvP survival extraction shooter that combines first-person shooting, exploration, looting, crafting, base building, survivor rescue, and multiplayer competition. Developed and published by ASKES, the game places players in a world affected by a zombie apocalypse where surviving is only part of the challenge. Players also have to collect resources, improve their equipment, rescue survivors, develop their community, and successfully escape dangerous areas.
The game entered Steam Early Access on September 7, 2026, giving players access to its core survival and extraction systems while the developers continue working on additional content and improvements. The current Early Access version includes three maps, 25 quests, 169 loot items, nine enemy types, nine craftable buildings, two NPCs, PvEvP gameplay, and online co-op.
What Is Exit Ways?
Exit Ways is a survival extraction shooter set during a zombie apocalypse. The basic gameplay revolves around entering dangerous areas, collecting valuable items, completing objectives, fighting enemies, and escaping before losing everything.
Unlike a traditional single-player zombie game where the main objective is simply to eliminate enemies and move forward, Exit Ways creates additional pressure through extraction mechanics. The loot you find during an expedition has value, but it is only truly useful if you manage to leave the dangerous area successfully.
The game also adds PvEvP elements, meaning players can face both AI-controlled enemies and other human players. This creates situations where a location may already be dangerous because of zombies or contaminated creatures, but another player can make the same area even more unpredictable.
Game Information
- Title: Exit Ways
- Developer: ASKES
- Publisher: ASKES
- Release Date: September 7, 2026
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Extraction Shooter, Survival
- Game Mode: Single-player, Online PvP, Online Co-op
- Perspective: First-person
- Platform: PC
- Store: Steam
- Release Status: Early Access
- Setting: Post-apocalyptic zombie world
Story Overview
Exit Ways takes place in a world devastated by a zombie apocalypse. Civilization has been severely damaged, and surviving communities are forced to operate in dangerous environments filled with contaminated creatures and limited resources.
The player becomes part of a group of survivors trying to establish a future in this hostile world. Survival is not only about finding weapons and ammunition. Building a functioning community becomes an important part of the experience.
One of the central ideas behind the game is the Reclaimers, mysterious immortal clones who exist outside the normal concept of death. These characters can provide quests, rewards, and reputation opportunities, adding another unusual element to the game’s post-apocalyptic setting.
Gameplay
The gameplay in Exit Ways is built around a simple but tense cycle: prepare your equipment, enter a dangerous area, explore, collect resources, complete objectives, deal with enemies and other players, and eventually reach an extraction point.
Every expedition carries a certain amount of risk. The longer you remain in the world, the more opportunities you have to collect valuable loot, but staying longer can also expose you to additional enemies and opposing players.
This creates an important decision-making system. Players need to constantly consider whether they have collected enough resources to justify returning home or whether they should continue exploring for better rewards.
The extraction mechanic gives even ordinary loot runs a sense of tension because surviving the journey is not enough. You also need to successfully get out.
PvEvP Combat
One of Exit Ways’ most important features is its PvEvP structure. Players have to deal with both environmental enemies and human opponents.
PvE combat can involve contaminated creatures and other hostile enemies. These encounters require players to manage ammunition, positioning, health, and equipment.
PvP creates another layer of danger. A player may spend several minutes fighting enemies and collecting valuable equipment only to encounter another player who wants the same resources. Veterum
Extraction System
Extraction is at the heart of the Exit Ways experience. Players enter dangerous locations because they want resources, but those resources are not truly secure until the player manages to escape.
This creates a risk-versus-reward system. You can continue searching for better equipment and more valuable loot, but every additional minute can increase the possibility of losing everything.
Knowing when to leave is therefore an important skill. A player who understands when to stop exploring can potentially make more consistent progress than someone who always takes unnecessary risks.
Loot and Resources
Loot plays a major role in progression. The current Early Access version contains 169 loot items, giving players a variety of objects to find during expeditions.
Loot can be useful for crafting, improving equipment, expanding the base, or supporting the player’s community.
Searching abandoned areas is therefore an important part of gameplay. Players need to explore buildings and other locations while deciding which items are worth carrying.
Inventory management can become an important consideration because carrying capacity is never completely unlimited. Players need to prioritize valuable resources and avoid filling their inventory with items that provide little practical benefit.
Crafting
Crafting allows players to turn collected resources into useful equipment and structures.
The game currently includes nine craftable buildings, giving players options for developing their base and community.
Crafting connects the different parts of the gameplay loop. Exploring provides resources, resources allow crafting, crafted equipment improves survival, and stronger preparation makes future expeditions more manageable.
This gives players a reason to continue returning to dangerous areas even after they have completed the basic objectives.
Base Building
Base building is another major feature of Exit Ways. Players can develop their own camp and place structures according to their preferences.
One of the game’s advertised building features is freedom of placement. Instead of being restricted to predetermined building slots, players can place structures where they want them.
This makes the base more than a simple menu or loading area. It becomes the central point where players prepare for their next expedition and manage the resources they have successfully extracted.
Survivor Rescue
Survivor rescue is another important part of the game. The player is not simply searching for personal loot; they are also trying to grow their community during the apocalypse.
Rescuing survivors can help expand the player’s settlement and contribute to the larger survival experience.
This gives exploration a secondary purpose. A dangerous area may contain more than weapons and resources. It may also contain people who can become part of the player’s growing community.
The combination of rescue missions and base development gives Exit Ways a stronger survival-management identity than a traditional extraction shooter.
Community Progression
Growing the community is one of the game’s main long-term goals. As players rescue survivors and improve their settlement, the base can become more developed and useful.
This progression gives players something to work toward beyond simply collecting better weapons.
The community system also fits naturally into the game’s post-apocalyptic setting. The world has collapsed, so rebuilding some form of organized society becomes part of the player’s journey.
This makes the player’s progress feel connected to the story and setting rather than being only a collection of statistics.
Quests and NPCs
Exit Ways currently includes 25 quests and two NPCs in its Early Access version.
Quests provide additional objectives that can guide players through the world. Instead of simply entering an area and collecting whatever they can find, players can have specific tasks to complete.
NPC interactions can also provide rewards and reputation opportunities. The Reclaimers are particularly important because they can offer quests and improve the player’s reputation.
As Early Access continues, the developers plan to add more quests and expand the game’s lore, giving the world greater narrative depth.
Reputation System
Reputation is connected to the game’s community and NPC systems. Building a positive relationship with certain groups can provide additional opportunities and rewards.
This encourages players to think about how they approach different activities instead of treating every encounter as a simple shooting challenge.
The reputation system can also create a sense of long-term progression because actions performed during one part of the game can influence future interactions.
Weapons and Ballistics
Exit Ways features first-person shooting designed around a more approachable ballistics and damage system. The developers specifically highlight a more friendly approach to these mechanics.
Weapons are important for dealing with contaminated enemies and defending yourself against other players.
Good positioning, aiming, movement, and equipment management are all important during combat. Because ammunition and resources are valuable, blindly shooting at every enemy may not always be the best strategy.
The PvEvP structure also means players need to think about the noise and attention created by combat. Fighting enemies can potentially reveal your position to other players nearby.
My Personal Experience
The most appealing aspect of Exit Ways is the way it connects extraction gameplay with community development.
In many extraction games, the main reason for collecting loot is to improve your next loadout. Exit Ways adds another reason: your resources can also contribute to the development of your base and community.
This makes successful extraction feel more meaningful. Bringing resources home is not simply about increasing an inventory number. It can help build structures, improve your preparation, and support the survivors you have rescued.
The PvEvP design also creates the possibility of unexpected encounters. A normal supply run can quickly become a serious fight when another player appears.
Graphics and Visual Style
Exit Ways uses a stylized post-apocalyptic visual presentation built around first-person exploration. The world includes areas designed for scavenging, combat, exploration, and extraction.
Its visual identity supports the survival theme by presenting a world where civilization has been damaged and resources have become valuable.
Different maps provide players with varied environments to explore. The Early Access version currently includes three maps, while additional locations are planned for future development.
Is Exit Ways Multiplayer?
Yes. Exit Ways supports multiplayer, including online PvP and online co-op. It also includes a single-player option.
The co-op system allows players to experience the survival and extraction gameplay together, while PvP creates competition between players during expeditions.
Playing with friends can make resource gathering and survivor rescue more manageable because teammates can cover different areas and support one another during combat.
Platform Availability
Exit Ways is currently available for Windows PC through Steam. Steam lists the game as an Early Access title and supports single-player, online PvP, and online co-op.
At present, the PC version is the primary platform. Players interested in the game should check the official Steam listing for future announcements regarding additional platforms.
Early Access
Exit Ways launched into Early Access on September 7, 2026. The developers describe Early Access as a way of developing the game alongside the community and using player feedback to make improvements.
The current plan is for Early Access to last approximately six to twelve months, with development focusing on balancing, performance improvements, and additional features.
The full version is planned to include additional locations, more quests, smarter enemy behavior, new mechanics, and further polishing.
No-Wipe Progression
One feature that may appeal strongly to extraction-game players is the developers’ statement that Exit Ways will have no wipes.
This means the progression players build during the game is intended to remain rather than being regularly reset through seasonal wipes.
For players who dislike losing long-term progress, this can make the community, base-building, and equipment systems feel more meaningful.
It also gives players a reason to invest time in developing their settlement because progress is designed to carry forward.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Exit Ways has a strong combination of survival and extraction mechanics. The ability to rescue survivors and build a community gives the game a progression system beyond simply collecting weapons.
The PvEvP structure also creates unpredictable encounters because players have to deal with both zombies and other players.
Base building is another appealing feature because players can freely place structures rather than being limited to predetermined building slots. The developers also state that progression will not use wipes.
Cons
The biggest consideration is that Exit Ways is still in Early Access. Some systems are incomplete, and the developers are continuing to work on balancing, performance, content, and new features.
The current version has a relatively small number of maps and NPCs compared with what is planned for the full game.
Latest Update and Current Status
Exit Ways officially launched into Steam Early Access on September 7, 2026. The current version includes three maps, 25 quests, 169 loot items, nine enemy types, nine craftable buildings, and two NPCs.
The developers are planning to expand the game with more locations, quests, enemies, mechanics, and story content. The Early Access period is expected to focus heavily on balancing and performance improvements.
Because the game has only recently entered Early Access, its long-term quality will depend heavily on how effectively the developers respond to player feedback and expand the existing systems.
Final Verdict
Exit Ways combines several popular survival-game mechanics into a single post-apocalyptic experience. Its extraction-shooter foundation gives every expedition a sense of risk, while zombie enemies and PvP opponents make the world unpredictable.
The addition of survivor rescue and community development is what gives the game its own identity. Players are not simply searching for weapons to improve their next match. They are collecting resources that can help develop a base and grow a community.
The base-building system adds another layer of progression, while crafting gives collected resources a practical purpose. The ability to place buildings freely also provides players with more control over how their settlement develops.