Off The Grid's long-awaited Ranked Protocol update officially launched on December 13. This new patch brings Ranked Mode to the cyberpunk-themed shooter and splits the game into competitive and casual experiences. Alongside the ranked rollout, the update reworks game systems across the board, introduces Legendary Cyberlimbs, and unlocks a wave of gameplay enhancements.

Ranked Mode Arrives in the Off The Grid December Update

Ranked Mode is now live in Off The Grid, offering players a structured PvP system based on skill matchmaking. The mode features rank progression, entry fees, and a reward system that scales with performance. Every match costs rank points to enter, which players must earn back through kills, extractions, or surviving. Players who perform well can climb the ladder and unlock exclusive cosmetics, boosters, and profile badges.

The mode runs as an Extraction Royale format for trios, with 10 squads per match. Campaign elements and randomized loadouts are disabled here, and high-rarity HEXes are more likely to drop than in Casual matches. Ranked also comes with tighter limits, allowing just 1 free respawn per match before a timed shutdown event locks out remaining tokens.

According to the team, this mode is not immediately available to new players. You must first play several Casual matches and create a custom loadout to gain access. The system is designed to ensure that players entering Ranked have the skill and gear to compete.

Ranked Protocol operates on a 2-month season cycle. Progress is soft-reset between seasons, letting players keep some of their earned rank while maintaining the competitive pressure. Early quitters will now face penalties that affect their standing on the Ranked ladder.

Casual Mode Gets Its Own Space

Along with Ranked, Casual Extraction Royale now exists as a separate mode for both Trios and Solos. This version is a successor to the standard Extraction Royale and drops the rank-based progression system. Casual matches are a better fit for relaxed play and loot hunting.

HEX drops are scaled down in this mode compared to Ranked. Players won't see as many high-rarity HEXes, and rewards are tuned to support slower-paced, progression-based sessions rather than high-stakes matches.

Cyberlimbs Rebalanced, Legendary Versions Debut

Cyberlimbs have been reworked across the board. Gunzilla adjusted their damage and cooldowns to shift their role from main weapons to support tools. The goal is for limbs to help set up kills, rather than replace standard gunplay.

On top of this, the update adds the first Legendary Cyberlimbs, available only within a match. These include enhanced versions of the Javelina, Ghost, Recon Drone, PainKilla, Buzzkilla, and Hookshot. Each comes with major twists like expanded targeting, permanent stealth, or improved healing, offering powerful late-match options for skilled players.

New Economy and Loot Features

The patch introduces a long list of new systems to expand player options. First is the Item Conversion feature, which lets players destroy old items to generate a random HEX. Advanced recipes can yield higher rarity HEXes, giving your unused gear a second life.

Custom Servers are also live. Players can now host their own games with modifiers and rules, using OTG Twist modifiers or single tweaks for precise control. These sessions are ideal for practice, community matches, or controlled PvP battles. 

Consumable Boosters are now available as well. These can increase account and Battle Pass XP, making them valuable for those who want to level up faster. Boosters are found in the lobby and can appear in Infinite Loop levels and rewards.

Huge Changes to Teardrop Island and Gameplay

The world of Off The Grid is also changing. The city of Little Kyiv received a major overhaul, with buildings demolished to make way for OTG-themed zones and ad boards. The island is more dynamic now, filled with visuals tied to game modes and in-game media.

Gameplay has seen sweeping updates. Players now deploy unarmed and must scavenge quickly. Respawn rules are stricter, with automatic revives turned off during Stage 2. There are fewer Redeployment Terminals and loot containers have been redistributed, especially in interiors.

High tier loot zones now feature turrets and flares, and a second zone activates mid-match. The HEX Extraction system is more secure, with terminals shutting down if generators are damaged.

New Campaign and Story Progress

The update adds the new Killswitch campaign to OTG's narrative offerings. Players can switch between this and the original Kill the Feed storyline, with achievements added for both. These campaigns continue to unfold in Teardrop's war-torn setting, offering another route for solo and co-op play.

A new help screen has been added (F1 or double-tap DPad-Down) to display mission details, equipped limbs, and HUD info for both players and spectators.

Balance Adjustments Across Combat, Weapons, and Movement

Off The Grid's combat has undergone deep tuning. Aim assist has been rebalanced across platforms, while aiming offset issues and bullet trajectory logic have been improved for better accuracy.

The Jetpack Dash now works with all scopes while aiming down sights, and has better responsiveness. Flight has been updated to remove the need for "Dolphin Diving," making vertical movement more consistent.

Weapons have been trimmed to 2 slots per player, removing the dedicated pistol slot. Pistols and sniper rifles have been rebalanced to compensate. All weapons have updated recoil, damage, and bullet behavior. The update also introduces a bullet penetration system, where rounds can pass through players and certain materials with reduced damage.

Sniper rifles now only use first-person mode when aiming, part of a broader shift toward making long-range combat more deliberate and less hybrid.

Limb Changes and New Gear Rules

Cyberlimbs like Buzzkilla, Bouncebomber, Cyberlancers, Ghost, Hookshot, and more have all been re-tuned with adjusted damage, durations, cooldowns, and effects. Some of these changes aim to reduce visual clutter, improve performance, and encourage better timing rather than constant spam.

Limb cooldown backpacks have also been nerfed slightly, reducing the cooldown reduction from 33% to 20%.

On top of that, item behavior has changed: weapons now auto-equip when unarmed, and loot rarity no longer scales as aggressively during a match. Armor kits and Adreno Shots drop less often, and mission rewards have been tuned to reduce the number of high-rarity HEXes.

UI, HUD, and Interaction Overhauls

The HUD has new settings, including customizable colors and reworked Redeployment Terminal and HEX Extractor UIs. Pings and markers now behave differently when aiming, with better visibility and animations.

Doors now open automatically when sprinting toward them. Giving up when knocked down takes longer, which affects how quick you can re-enter the action. Several terminal interaction bugs have also been addressed.

Spectator mode shows weapon and limb states, while mission objectives now include a compass timer to track time-limited tasks.

Ranked Protocol Is Now Live

This December update marks a full rewiring of the Off The Grid experience. Ranked Protocol brings a competitive ladder, overhauled progression, and a new separation between Ranked and Casual gameplay. With deep balance changes, world updates, and the arrival of Legendary Cyberlimbs, Gunzilla has kicked off a new chapter for OTG. The patch went live on Saturday, and is playable on all supported platforms.