Phasmophobia custom difficulty coming this month on its updated roadmap

Phasmophobia roadmap diagram for later 2022 and 2023
(Image credit: Kinetic Games)

Phasmophobia developer Kinetic Games has released an updated roadmap outlining its development plans for the remainder of 2022 into 2023. It has also revealed that the game's long-awaited custom difficulties are coming this month alongside a big update.

"We've squeezed in loads of extra things and even a few new [REDACTED] for you to enjoy, all will be revealed when the update trailer drops very soon," the post says. Per the updated roadmap that includes new map sunny meadows alongside a report system.

Originally scheduled to release earlier this year, complexities with Phasmophobia's VR rework delayed it. The team instead released a few small minor patches with bits of content in between, like new ghosts, a truck overhaul, and new spots to hide from ghosts.

The difficulty update will now release this month, but what else will come this year? The Progression updates will be pushed into 2023, but instead an URP Upgrade is on the way, introducing new weather effects and volumetric lighting alongside some optimization. In a game that's all about the spooky, more environment is always welcome.

That URP update is composed of stuff that was supposed to come in the Progression updates scheduled for this year, but embiggened and broadened as its own thing.

That 2023 bit of the roadmap now has space for three progression updates, with new player models, new equipment, a new version of the levelling system, and new challenges to master. Kinetic calls it the "biggest programming and art overhaul that Phasmophobia will ever receive, with many systems, models, and animations getting completely reworked or created from scratch." The idea behind splitting that material into three updates is to avoid one massive overhaul patch that takes half a year or more to arrive.

 Later 2023 updates include Horror 2.0, New Locations, and New Equipment. What does Horror 2.0 even mean? I'm already afraid, thanks. "We'll be replacing all of the ghost models and adding a plethora of new effects, events, sounds, and interactions to scare you out of your skin," says Kinetic.

You can read the full update for yourself on Steam.

Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.