[2022] How will PC updates be handled now crossplay is in ?

Hi! First of all, console is still a ways away (the release on the 29th is for PC Game Pass, while Xbox won't be released until early 2023).
As for patching, we will still keep the Public Test Branch in use, as we think it's a good way to let some users try out stuff before everyone gets access to it. Both testing and releasing will always be done with both multiplayer and singleplayer - no build will be locked to only allow solo play.
And it should only be the bigger updates that need thorough checking and validation before release, while hotfixes should still be possible to release on shorter notice. Even if hotfixes would need to be checked, it shouldn't affect the Default version of the game much, as it's ideally only the PTB that will be unstable. And the validation time isn't very long either, so there's no cause for worry! :)

Originally posted by GunsForBucks:

Originally posted by Tyrael: Nobody is freaking out but probably annoyed and think IG stopped game dev to work on cross platform but im pretty sure they had a separate team do it. At least I hope so or I'll be among the annoyed that all we did was fund a console port for an unfinished game.

But again im about 99% sure they had a different team do the crossplay

That is my understanding as well. The console part was outsourced.

But ongoing how will that change or will it? Will they be able to develop them together or will it be ...
Dev team makes beta update
goes on beta test track public
Wait for bugs to be worked out
Send final update to console devs to do the console port and validation.
Release both concurrently after console validation.

Seems the most logical and cost effective so you don't have the outsourced devs doing multiple console updates as the bugs are worked out for the computer version.

I would say conservatively that would probably be at least a month long process after the computer update is done.

IDK honestly and don't mind the extra time, but it would be nice to have some kind of expectation framework for the console port process.

Is a month too short? Would it be too long?

The porting to console will be happening parallell with the development of an update (with an external team doing the porting, and Iron Gate doing the core development), so that it can be ready for console almost as soon as it's ready for a Steam build - we definitely don't want to sit on a ready Steam version without releasing it any longer than we absolutely need to.
When both versions are ready, the console version will be sent for validation. The process of validating is a matter of days rather than months, which is what I meant when I said the process won't be long. I'm sorry if that was a bit vague! While we're waiting for the validation, we can do some extra testing too, so no time will be wasted!
This whole system will require a bit more planning on our side, but we will do our best to make sure this doesn't affect you players.