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Hunt: Showdown Web of the Empress: Rotjaw, Pacts, and Horrors

Last Updated: October 26, 2025

Hunt: Showdown's Rotjaw emerging from the murky waters of the bayou.

The eerie, fog-drenched swamps of the Louisiana Bayou were forever changed when Crytek's acclaimed PvPvE horror shooter, Hunt: Showdown, unleashed one of its most transformative in-game events: Web of the Empress. Running from late October to late November 2023, this event dragged players deep into the dark heart of the bayou, challenging even the most seasoned hunters with the game's first-ever wild target, a revolutionary Pact system, and terrifying new creatures.

The event's narrative centered on a rising "Cursed Empress," a shadowy figure who unleashed her grotesque "Bileweavers" upon the landscape. But the true star of the show was a monstrous beast that redefined the hunt itself: Rotjaw, the amphibious wild target. This update was far more than a simple content drop; it was a fundamental evolution of the core gameplay loop that continues to influence the bayou today.

Rotjaw and the Bileweavers: A New Reign of Terror

The core appeal of Hunt: Showdown has always been its unparalleled atmosphere and the constant, creeping dread of its monstrous inhabitants. The Web of the Empress event amplified this tension by introducing Rotjaw, the game's first wild target. Unlike traditional bosses confined to laired compounds, Rotjaw is a massive, alligator-like monstrosity that stalks the open waters of the bayou.

This design fundamentally altered player strategy. No longer was a boss encounter a predictable siege on a building. Hunters now had to scan the murky depths of rivers and swamps, exposing themselves in open terrain to track and fight this new threat. Defeating her required new tactics, as players had to contend with her powerful lunge attacks and the environmental disadvantage of fighting in water. Successfully killing and banishing Rotjaw yielded a single bounty token, creating a new high-risk, high-reward objective that could turn the tide of any match.

Accompanying this formidable new boss were the Empress's heralds: Bileweavers. These grotesque, spider-like creatures were a new AI threat found guarding clues and points of interest. True to their name, they spewed noxious poison and protected their destructible egg sacs. Hunters quickly learned to dispatch these arachnid horrors and destroy their nests to earn valuable event points, adding another layer of tactical complexity and resource drain to traversing the map.

Pacts and Burn Traits: The "Tarot Card" System Revealed

One of the most innovative and game-altering additions from the event was the "Pact" system. Initially teased as a mysterious "Tarot Card system," this mechanic introduced a new layer of in-match progression and player choice. At the start of the event, players could pledge allegiance to one of three distinct Pacts: The Demented Pact, The Death Pact, or The Infernal Pact.

Throughout a match, players could earn Pledge Marks by completing various objectives, such as destroying Bileweaver nests, interacting with event-specific altars, or banishing targets. Once enough marks were collected, hunters could visit an altar to activate incredibly powerful, match-specific abilities known as "Burn Traits." These temporary boons offered game-changing advantages, such as:

  • Remedy: Allowed a hunter to heal their teammates while in Dark Sight.
  • Indomitable: Prevented a hunter from dying as long as they had at least one uncharred health chunk remaining, leaving them with 1 HP instead.
  • Shadow: Monsters could no longer see the hunter, though they could still hear them.

This system forced players to think on their feet, adapt their playstyle on the fly, and engage with the bayou's dangers in entirely new ways. The Pact system was so successful that it has become a foundational element of subsequent Hunt: Showdown events, proving its immense value in enhancing replayability and strategic depth.

Rewards, Engagement, and the Evolving Bayou

Beyond the groundbreaking gameplay additions, Web of the Empress featured a robust battle pass with both free and premium reward tracks. Active participation was rewarded with a host of exclusive items, including Legendary Hunters like The Centipede and The Cardinal Riman, and a cache of unique weapon skins and charms. The event was further supported by a Twitch Drops campaign, allowing viewers to earn even more loot by watching their favorite streamers brave the bayou.

The Web of the Empress event underscored Crytek's profound commitment to evolving the Hunt: Showdown experience. It was not just an infusion of content but a bold step forward in the game's mechanical and narrative development. The introduction of a wild target in Rotjaw permanently altered the map flow, while the Pact system introduced a dynamic layer of strategy that has had a lasting impact on how events are structured.

This event stands as a testament to the game's enduring appeal and Crytek's willingness to take risks to keep the experience fresh and terrifying. It reinforced the dynamic and ever-present threat that defines the bayou, ensuring that hunters can never feel truly safe or complacent. For those who stepped into the Empress's web, it was a chapter that redefined what it means to hunt in the bayou, leaving a legacy of waterlogged battles and super-charged hunters in its wake.