In our last MechWarrior Online update we spoke about the special custom mech the developers had added to the game as a method to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. Since that time, two major updates have significantly altered the PvP gameplay of MWO.

The game not only received a new map and important changes to the heat mechanics of mechs that help balance the weapons, but the latest update has increased player counts in matches by 50% and added another new mech.

On July 30th, the 22nd open beta update released, adding the new Terra Therma map (video below of it) and heat penalties to players who attempt to fire large amounts of the same weapon at the same time (called an Alpha Strike), along with several tweaks to the modules players can unlock and equip via experience they earn by playing the game.

The big update yesterday however, made a few key additional changes that have been in testing for quite some time:

  • 12 vs. 12 gameplay - all Assault and Conquest matches are now 12 vs. 12 instead of 8 vs. 8. First Victory Of the Day Bonus: As a way to encourage players to branch out from their preferred battlemech, the first win on each different mech a player owns will grant a 2x XP bonus (per day). This way players with a large contingent of mechs in their MechBay have an incentive to play and win with each mech each day they play the game. New hero mech, the “Golden Boy” (see above video). It’s a Kintaro class medium mech.

Other notable tweaks:

  • Medium/Large pulse lasers shoot quicker. PPCs generate more heat. SRM6s and SRM4s (short range missiles) now share the same heat penalty when more than 3 of them are fired at same time. Capture points/bases in Assault and Conquest modes now takes longer.

Full patch notes can be head here.

This latest update lays more groundwork for the game’s exit out of beta and full release on September 17th, just over a month away. That will also be the beginning of the meta game, dubbed Community Warfare, where players will be able to join the great houses from BattleTech canon, form their own mercenaries groups and take contracts to earn money and battle for planets among the Innersphere for all sorts of unique rewards and bonuses. Much is still unclear about how the game will shape out and how the different stages of Community Warfare will roll out, but it will be a lengthy process considering the beta has been running for well over a year.

Stay tuned into Game Rant for more on MechWarrior Online!

MechWarrior Online is available now (for free!) and releases out of beta September 17th for PC.

Follow Rob on Twitter @rob_keyes.