In the latest Q&A during Gamescom, on August 20, the devs behind Fellowship shared a few big updates on how matchmaking, difficulty, and progression will work going forward. From a fast new Quickplay mode to a full league-based system, the goal is to make grouping easier, reduce queue times, and give players more meaningful progression – without gear getting in the way.
If you are new to Fellowship and are not sure what kind of game it is, we have a full overview article here that explains what to expect from the upcoming ‘dungeon crawler’.
Quickplay: Fast, Scaled, No Gear Required
One of the biggest changes is the Quickplay system, built for fast, low-friction dungeon runs. In Quickplay:
- Difficulty is normalized (e.g. everyone plays at a set level like +5).
- Gear is irrelevant – all players are scaled up or down.
- Progress is earned via tokens, gold, and crafting mats instead of loot drops.
- Dungeons are short, single-boss fights with quick loops: “Play, get stuff, get out.”
This mode is meant to solve issues like players being stuck with empty gear slots or long queues due to fragmented difficulty settings.
League Mode: Bronze to Platinum Seasonal Progression
Normal Mode will now follow a league structure, inspired by games like Starcraft and MOBAs:
- Players start in League 1 (Bronze) at the beginning of each season.
- Leagues are grouped buckets for matchmaking, massively reducing the number of queues.
- Each league ends with a 3-boss “milestone dungeon” to unlock the next.
- Difficulty is chosen after matchmaking based on the group’s gear and comp.
- Once all leagues are cleared, you enter infinite progression, similar to PoE-style scaling (e.g. +30/+32).
Leagues are character-specific, and you cannot rank down. However, lower-league friends can be carried through milestone dungeons to catch up.
Gear, Tokens & Progression
Instead of dropping gear, Quickplay and League runs reward tokens, which can be spent at the Quartermaster (name still TBD). The goal is to:
- Let players gear up at the start of a league (not get full BiS gear instantly).
- Support alt characters with faster gearing using previously earned tokens.
- Reduce RNG gaps through currency-based progression without locking items behind paywalls.
All currencies and materials are account-wide, and devs hinted at light bad-luck protection for filling missing slots.
Open Beta Begins September 18
The next big step for Fellowship is the Open Beta, officially set to begin on September 18. Although an earlier private test was hinted at for late August, the team has made it clear that flexibility is important to them. Internal testing will continue as needed until the open beta rolls out.
Players can expect further refinements to systems like Quickplay, leagues, and progression pacing before that date. The devs also emphasized that community feedback will remain a big part of development during early access – so now is the time to stay involved if you want your voice heard!
What Else Was Revealed?
- New heroes will be free – no paywalls or unlock currency.
- Seasonal leagues may include cosmetic rewards as goals (like “reach Platinum”).
- Mega dungeons and raids are being considered, but not in development yet.
- Devs are planning monthly devstreams, possibly inspired by Warframe and The Division.
- Ideas like dungeon journals, player profile pages, and supporter perks are being discussed.
- “First Look” will not be used for open beta, only for private testing and post-launch content previews.
Watch the Full Q&A + Join the Discussion
If you want to hear the devs explain these systems in their own words, you can watch the full Q&A recording on YouTube. It is a casual but insightful update from the team directly.
Want to share your thoughts or ask questions? There is also a Reddit thread below where you can jump into the discussion with other players and fans and talk about this Q&A:
Fellowship’s Q&A gave us a very good look at how the game is going to handle matchmaking and long-term progression. With flexible tests, league goals, and a casual-friendly quickplay mode, the team is clearly trying to provide a better early access experience. More updates will follow ahead of the open beta on September 18.
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