"Add a heckin' big bulldozer" is essentially how developer Funday Games summarized its vision for Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor's first expansion, and the studio is delivering exactly that. The Heavy Duty DLC, set to launch on April 30, introduces the Demolisher, described as the first brand-new playable class ever added to any game in the Deep Rock Galactic series.
A Class Unlike Any Other in Deep Rock Galactic
Every existing class in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor fights on foot, making the Demolisher an immediate standout. This dwarf goes to war mounted on a vehicle called the Rock Dozer, a weaponised bulldozer that ploughs through cave terrain to carve new pathways and crushes alien bugs directly under its treads. The key here is that the Demolisher doesn't just fight differently, it physically reshapes the battlefield in ways no other class can.
Funday is keeping the Demolisher's full ability set under wraps for now, but the studio has confirmed that players will choose from three distinct class mods that shape how the character plays:
- Contractor focuses on maximising mining output
- Gridrunner emphasises mobility and speed
- Operator improves the efficiency of your machinery
Funday has also confirmed two "major, unannounced features" are still coming to the Heavy Duty expansion, with details to be revealed at a later date.
What Heavy Duty Adds Beyond the New Class
The Demolisher isn't the only addition arriving with the expansion. Heavy Duty also brings 10 new weapons usable by all classes, covering a range of combat styles:
These additions give veteran players fresh build options across every existing class, not just those who gravitate toward the new Demolisher.
Heavy Duty's 10 new weapons
Context: Why This Expansion Matters
Here's the thing about Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor. It launched as a Vampire Survivors-style autoshooter built around the mining mechanics of the original Deep Rock Galactic, and it found a strong audience by taking that formula seriously rather than treating it as a quick spin-off. The base game earned significant praise for how it blended the tactical depth of action roguelikes with DRG's distinct identity.
With the main game already out of early access, Heavy Duty represents Funday's first major statement about the future of Survivor as a live product. Adding a vehicle-based class is a meaningful structural change for a genre where every character typically operates the same way at a fundamental level. The Demolisher's terrain manipulation alone could alter how players approach map routing and enemy crowd control in ways the existing four classes simply cannot.
No pricing for the DLC has been announced yet. The base game is currently discounted 30% on Steam until March 18, bringing it down to $9 (£7.70).
Source: Pcgamer
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When does the Heavy Duty DLC release for Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor?
The Heavy Duty expansion is scheduled to launch on April 30. No specific pricing has been confirmed by Funday Games at this time.
What is the Demolisher class in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor?
The Demolisher is the first new playable class introduced in any Deep Rock Galactic game. Unlike other classes, the Demolisher rides the Rock Dozer, a weaponised bulldozer that flattens terrain and enemies. Players can further customise the class through three mods: Contractor, Gridrunner, and Operator.
What new weapons are included in the Heavy Duty expansion?
Heavy Duty adds 10 new weapons available to all classes, including the electrically charged Arc Burster, the fire-based Dragonstorm Incinerator, and the automated Chainlinked Slither Drone, among others not yet detailed.
