An optional beta is currently available for all Mac & Windows Steam users of Empires of the Undergrowth. This one sees some significant optimisations designed to aid texture streaming and other processes, fixes issues with Bomb Mode and the exploding ant update.

We are very appreciative of any feedback! Just post on the Steam forums or join our Discord[discord.com] to join in the chat there. Friendly, ant-loving gamers guaranteed!


If you would like to join the beta, the code is fixtheundergrowth. If you don’t know how to join a beta and would like to, follow the instructions below:

1. Find Empires of the Undergrowth in your Steam library, right-click on it and choose "Properties"
   
2. Choose the "Betas" tab
   
3. In the box titled "Enter beta access code to unlock private betas", enter fixtheundergrowth
   
4. After the "Access code correct" information appears, make sure you've chosen "Open beta" from the "Select the beta you would like to opt into" drop-down menu
   
5. Press close - the game will now update to the beta branch.

• Significant optimisations made to VRAM usage across the game, with the intent of decreasing load time and artifacting
  
• Significant optimisations to textures
  
• Fixed exploding ant ability Persistent Secretions - damage is now 50% of base explosion damage over 4 seconds as intended
  
• DPS values for new colony creatures now show when selecting them to build. Please note that these values do not account for the explosion as the DPS on that would skew the results in a way that is not representative of the actual creature’s regular attack
  
• Myrmecia ereptor now shows in the end-game victory cinematic animation if it is selected as the colony appearance
  
• Swapped position of rufa and atta in custom colony setup
  
• Queen danger termite voice line now plays for both termite types
  
• Removed falloff from exploding ant damage so it now does the same damage at the edge of the explosion as it does in the centre
  
• Exploding ants and termites are no longer revivable by Matabele medics if they have exploded
  
• Fixed hat position for the two ereptor queens
  
• Myrmecia ereptor now appears in the level selection screen
  
• Army ant’s food items have been better hidden in Front Line and No Ant’s Land
  
• Bombs should now spawn from all non-colony creatures in all levels if Bomb Mode is active
  
• Fixed an issue that would relocate singular ants without neighbours to the nest group on loading
  
• Fixed an issue with food types dropped from a killed colony not changing to something useful for the killer in custom games
  
• Disabled Bomb Mode in the tutorial and Beetles Rise Up!
  
• Exploding termite AI colonies will now start with some food storage
  
• Disabled leafcutters in Remix versions of new extra levels for the time being