20-year-old Gunz the Duel gets Steam re-release, receives harsh criticism over network issues and suspected use of generative AI

Cult classic third-person action game Gunz the Duel has made its return to Steam, bringing back a title first released in 2006. Developed originally by MAIET Entertainment and brought to modern platforms by publisher Masangsoft, the resurrection of the genre-defining game had built up organic hype among older PC players over the last few years. However, its weekend release on Steam has been met with a wave of harsh criticism from players encountering technical hurdles and design concerns.

Among the primary complaints are significant network and connection problems. Players have reported experiencing over 2,000 ping in matches due to unaddressed NAT connection issues, alongside the reappearance of old bugs from the original beta phase. Community members also noted that in-game events and gifts have failed to function properly, while core gameplay mechanics—such as the flinching and staggering behavior when slashing a blocking enemy—feel inconsistent compared to the original title. Furthermore, players on Steam and the long-running Gunz the Duel Reddit hub have highlighted the presence of hackers who appear invulnerable to damage, a plain-looking user interface, and apparent developer silence on the community Discord server.

Adding to the backlash, players have accused the developers of utilizing generative AI throughout the game without providing the disclosure required by Steam guidelines. Despite the heavy criticism, not every player's experience has been entirely negative, with some fans taking the rough aspects in stride simply to play an old favorite once more. The game has undergone a stretch of server maintenance aimed at improving networking issues, leaving players hopeful that Masangsoft can address the technical shortcomings moving forward.