Anime Vanguards Update 1 release date details – Everything we know

Anime Vanguards Update 1 has been a long time coming, with news regarding its potential release date finally beginning to simmer.

The first big update for one of the stand-out Roblox experiences of the year is a given. Releasing to incredibly high metrics in the second half of 2024, numbers have since tempered due to a longer-than-average update schedule. Here’s what we know about the long-awaited update expected to breath new life into the viral Roblox hit.

Anime Vanguards Update 1 details

Official Anime Vanguards UPD 1 details began to drop in the second week of October. That’s almost a full month after the release of UPD 0.5.

News came via Anime Vanguards developer and Anime Vanguards Discord administrator Pyseph on October 6. Another statement was issued on October 10.

Here’s the rundown of what that means for Anime Vanguards 1.0:

What is the Anime Vanguards Update 1 release date?

A date for Anime Vanguards UPD 1.0 hasn’t been set due to the numerous missed release dates of the base game earlier in the year.

Because the developers know they’re guilty of missing public deadlines, they’ve chosen only to set a release date for Anime Vanguards UPD 1 once they know they can meet it.

Anime Vanguards was initially set to launch in May. It was delayed into June, again into July, and finally August. The game released at the very end of that month.

What is the theme/anime for Anime Vanguards Update 1?

The theme for Anime Vanguards UPD 1 hasn’t been revealed. This is due to the high likelihood of copycat games using the information to release games with similar new units, systems, and gameplay elements.

According to Pyseph, “the whole point of not posting it until the next update is so that they don’t have time to copy it.“

Another reason is the desire to use sneak peeks to build hype closer to the release of an update the “same way as Anime Adventures” did in the past.

Does anyone know what Anime Vanguards Update 1 will be?

Only the developers working on the game know what’s set to be included with Anime Vanguards UPD 1. According to Pyseph, “not even testers or staff (admins and mods) are queued in on update details early, whether it be the timing or the theme of the update.”

What they have revealed, though, is that a new game mode “with unique and rare rewards” is finished. The Paragon mode has been reworked to be “more balanced, challenging, and fair” with “new modifier cards to keep it interesting.”

The “biggest hurdle” is “adding all the new units.”

It will also include a “a new gameplay feature” to help gain evo items “without resorting to macros.” The team still won’t attempt to stop macros but will instead focus developing updates that flow in a way that makes macroing feel like less of a necessity.

Why is Anime Vanguards Update 1 taking so long?

Developer Pyseph revealed on October 10 a couple of reasons as to why Anime Vanguards’ first update has taken so long to develop.

Twitter posts by other AV developers suggests that hiring for the game increased in early October. Prior to this, the team only had one person working on models for every unit in the game. As of that date, they still had “a lot of unit and enemy models, VFX, animations, and sound effects left to add” due to the understaffing issue.

The team has also had to sit in on “a bunch of meetings with Roblox platform engineers,” covering topics like botting, macros, and even why the game “caused the platform to break a bit.”

Is Anime Vanguards 1.0 bigger than 0.5?

On the subject of how UPD 1 will differ in size to UPD 0.5, Pyseph explained that Anime Vanguards UPD 1 is “a full update” with “new gameplay mechanics that affect every existing stage and unit.” Update 0.5, which came just a few weeks after the game’s launch, was described as being “smaller in comparison.”

Will the time between Anime Vanguards updates be shorter after Update 1?

Since the game’s release, the development team has doubled in size, with the studio still looking for “experienced developers” to bring on board. They’ve hired new modelers, animators, and VFX artists.

While there’s no guarantee this will speed up future updates given the potential for increased scope, but it’s certainly possible.

Need to catch up before the big update? Check out the latest Anime Vanguards codes, or the ever-changing Anime Vanguards tier list. And to clear the first leg of the story, you’ll need to know how to beat the God Statue in Act 3.