Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is giving players a grueling challenge in its latest update.

The game’s Survival Mode now has a Hardcore setting, Classic Mode is back, and a new Ranked season has started.

The patch notes said the Hardcore Survival Mode “introduces higher stakes, giving players only one chance to make it through all 50 waves. That’s right, if your team is defeated, you’re back to square one. Hardcore Mode is not for the faint of heart—it’ll take skill, close teamwork, and careful strategy.”

Other small tweaks were made to Uncharetd 4’s Survival Mode, which you can see in the list of full patch notes below.

After many fan requests (mostly badgering Tweets), Naughty Dog has put Classic Mode back into the mix. Found in the Multiplayer playlist menu, the “back-to-basics” gameplay makes you focus on combat and movement with no store, Mysticals, or Sidekicks.

New rewards are available in the latest Ranked season this update provides. Players can earn weapon skins that match the Ranked Trucker Hats, Shades, and Bandanas, which were available in prior seasons. Those who reach Gold rank or higher will also unlock a Ranked Huzzah taunt. Shiny.

The Qualifier and Master Ranks systems have also been tweaked.

“Qualifiers will focus on points earned, rather than matches won,” Naughty Dog said. “Master Rank will now have points earned based off an average of matches… This way, your progress is based entirely on your own performance.”

Have you checked out the Hardcore Mode yet? Let us know in the comments!

Uncharted 4. 1.20.055 Patch Notes:

Multiplayer

Classic Mode Returns to The Beta Test Playlist

Back by popular request, Classic Mode has returned to the Beta Test Playlist in Multiplayer. For those who missed it when it first launched in November, Classic is a back-to-basics mode that focuses on core combat and movement—there’s no in-game store, Mysticals, or Sidekicks. Find it in the Multiplayer playlist menu today.

New Ranked Season

For the competitive crowd, the next Ranked season has begun, introducing new rewards and improvements to progression. This season, you’ll have a chance to earn a new set of Ranked weapon skins to complement the Ranked Trucker Hats, Shades, and Bandanas offered in prior seasons. What’s more, this season, we’re awarding a special Ranked Huzzah taunt for those that reach Gold rank or higher. Alongside new rewards, we are also improving the Qualifier and Master Rank systems – Qualifiers will focus on points earned, rather than matches won and Master Rank will now have points earned based off an average of matches (  Master Rank will give a match rating averaging your 20 previous Ranked matches). This way, your progress is based entirely on your own performance.

New Qualifier System

• Qualifiers are now based on points earned rather than matches won.  This allows your personal performance to impact your advancement to a much larger degree.
• To pass from Gold I to Platinum III, for example, you need to earn at least 35 points over the course of 5 matches.
• Points earned are still based on your grade for that match, with an S grade on a win awarding the maximum of 40 points.
• Overachieving on points required will gives you bonus points upon advancing to the next rank (to a maximum of 50 points).
• Failing a qualifier series with negative points will penalize you by that many points.

Master Rank System Update

• We have revamped the way points are handled in Master Rank. Instead of being a grind for points, the system focuses on your average performance.
• Players will enter into Master Rank with a 200 match rating average.
• At the end of a match, you will receive a Match Rating and this will be factored into your “20 game average”. This average represents your Master Rank points.
• The maximum possible Match Rating is 1000, and the lowest is -1000. Get better scores, higher kills, revives and assists, while minimizing deaths to maximize your Match Rating.

General:

• Bug fix for awarded chests not opening for the player
• Bug fix for players that are unable to connect to multiplayer or are taking a long time to connect to multiplayer
• Fix for profile data loss
• Accounts that were affected by the profile loss will have their level restored
• Fixed several crashes
• Bug fix for multiplayer audio settings resetting when backing out to the main menu
• Adjusted weapon skins to fix bright weapon skin issues in certain levels

Survival

Hardcore Mode Introduced

Take on a new challenge in Survival’s Hardcore Mode, available now. This intense new difficulty tier introduces higher stakes, giving players only one chance to make it through all 50 waves. That’s right, if your team is defeated, you’re back to square one. Hardcore Mode is not for the faint of heart—it’ll take skill, close teamwork, and careful strategy.

Bug Fixes:

• Bug fix for clients using c4 and mines against djinn boss
• Fix for players being able to melee Disciple warlords against walls
• Indra’s Eternity no longer slows the vulnerable timer of warlord bosses while in the vulnerable state
• Fix for enemies occasionally bind posing during combat
• Fix where players will lose HUD and become invincible if the Indra Warlord’s teleport grab is interrupted by an explosion
• Fix for Explosive Expert not awarding the advertised bonus damage
• Player’s damage bonuses for level, weapon level, and boosters are now calculated correctly
• Fix for late joiner losing their gear, cash, and weapon when respawning before completing the wave
• Armor NPCs will now drop appropriate score

Balance Changes:

• Arsenal price ramp based on difficulty
  • Easy costs will be multiplied by .75
  • Normal costs will be multiplied by x1
  • Hard costs will be multiplied by x1.25
  • Crushing costs will be multiplied by x1.5

• All bosses now avoid Indra’s Eternity and El Dorado player mysticals
• Brute enemies stagger less often from headshots
• Increased grenade, mine and C4 arsenal cost
• C4 is now earned at the same rate as Grenades and Mines
• Increased the cost of Indra’s Eternity
• Decreased Sprit of the Djinn and Path of Indra price ramp when purchased from the arsenal
• Double ammo for Barok, Harbinger and Desert 5 when purchased from the arsenal
• Reduced ammo for Stoner from 150 to 100 when purchased from the arsenal
• Reduced costs of all Heavy Weapons in the arsenal
• Increased duration of Sprit of the Djinn from 20 seconds to 30 seconds
• Increased base run speed of Sprit of the Djinn
• Path of Indra now revives downed teammates