By Sagar V. Mankar 
Delta Force, the tactical first-person shooter developed by Tencent’s TiMi Studio, has made significant waves in the gaming community since its beta release in China on September 26, 2024. According to Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad, the Chinese beta attracted over 40 million players, showcasing immense popularity in its home market. While the game’s Western launch was considered somewhat underwhelming, the numbers in China tell a different story.
In less than two months, Delta Force saw its registered user base nearly double, reaching 25 million registrations by October, as officially reported by Tencent. The game also achieved impressive daily active user (DAU) figures, with a notable user retention rate, signaling its long-term potential in the competitive gaming landscape. Tencent expressed optimism about Delta Force’s performance, emphasizing its potential as an “evergreen” title.
On the global stage, Delta Force has also shown strong performance on Steam. During its initial release week, the game peaked at nearly 119,000 concurrent players, placing it among the top 20 most popular new releases of 2024, as per SteamDB. For the week ending December 10, the title secured the 22nd spot on Steam’s sales chart, sharing rankings with well-known games like World of Warships and the Euro Truck Simulator 2: Greece expansion.
On streamers’ fronts, the game quickly became the fourth most-viewed title on Chinese streaming platforms, surpassing established shooter games like Apex Legends, PUBG, CrossFire, and CS2.
However, the game’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. Upon launch, Delta Force received mixed reviews on Steam, with an initial score of 55%. Many players voiced concerns about the game’s anti-cheat system. In response, developer Team Jade actively addressed these criticisms, and the review score has since improved to 70%.
Delta Force was officially rebranded as Delta Force: Hawk Ops during its showcase at Gamescom 2024, after being initially introduced as Operation Delta in 2023. The game was designed with cross-platform compatibility in mind, catering to PC, console, and mobile players. This approach allows users to enjoy seamless cross-progression, ensuring progress carries over across different devices.
Tencent has also announced that Delta Force will launch on Android and iOS platforms on January 20, 2025. Pre-registration is already open on respective app stores, signaling growing anticipation for the mobile version.
One of the game’s standout features is its emphasis on teamwork and strategic gameplay. Delta Force supports massive 48-player battles, where players can choose specialized roles, customize real-world-inspired weapons, and engage in intense combat scenarios. Additionally, the Operations mode offers cooperative missions against AI enemies, rival teams, and bosses, with opportunities to secure valuable loot. Players can also trade items in the Auction House without relying on real-world transactions.
Source: Niko Partners China Games & Streaming Tracker