MARKET GARDEN news & patch notes

Hello friends! 👋

I’d like to let you know that, as I’m not able to actively develop or update Market Garden at the moment, the game will soon transition to a Free to Play model.

This is also the moment where I feel I should apologize for the lack of communication and updates over the past few months.

This change is meant to ensure the continued availability of the game and make it accessible to a wider audience.

If you’re planning to purchase the game, please wait a few days, as the process should take around a week.

If you already own the game, nothing changes for you - thank you sincerely for your support

Take care, and thank you for being part of this journey. ❤️

All the best,

Tom | Icy Bayts

Hello friends! 👋

📢 I've scribbled a letter - letter for you ✍️✉️

🟧 1: INTRODUCTION

My name is Tom - I’m the creator of Icy Bayts, a tiny one-man studio behind the game Market Garden, and I’m on a mission to bring back old-school WW2 FPS games - the kind where history, which I’m deeply passionate about, is treated with the respect and authenticity it deserves.

And today marks one of the most important milestones in that mission - the release of my very first game - MARKET GARDEN. On this occasion, I’d like to share a few words about what I intended MARKET GARDEN to be.

But before I do, I want to thank all of you for your time, feedback, and shared enthusiasm.

This game wouldn’t exist without you and your support.

⬅️ 2: PAST

A big part of my childhood was spent playing forgotten, budget WW2 games - the kind you’d find on a CD at a newspaper stand, often bundled five in a single oversized cardboard box, costing next to nothing. Despite their flaws, those games left a mark. They sparked my love for history - and for gaming.

Then, after earning a yellow belt in karate, my parents bought me a PlayStation 2 - and with it, access to a whole new level of historical shooter experiences: Medal of Honor, Call of Duty, and others. I remember wondering, “Just imagine how incredible historical games will be ten years from now!”

But somewhere along the way, something went wrong. Those stories stopped being told - or when they were, they no longer treated history with the respect and authenticity it deserves. The magic is gone.

🕗 3: PRESENT

I’m perfectly aware that, as for today, I’m just another budget WW2 game - the kind you might’ve found at a newspaper stand (if those still existed). I know MARKET GARDEN has its shortcomings and imperfections. There are many things I didn’t manage to deliver - documentary-style mission intros, a longer campaign, more polished vehicle combat, more cinematic moments… the list goes on.

With that said - every journey has to start somewhere - and I truly hope this debut evokes that feeling of pulling your old PS2 out of the drawer and booting up Medal of Honor: Vanguard or some other timeless WW2 shooter. And I hope it leaves you wanting more.

💵 4: PRICE & INVITATION

I also hope that the low price is a pleasant surprise for you! ❗

And I don’t want the low price to be seen as a compromise or a sign that the game is any less special.

I’d rather you see it as an invitation! ✉️

Just like I was once drawn into this world by fairly and accessibly priced games, I’d love for MARKET GARDEN to leave a mark on you - and maybe even reignite your love for history and for historical FPS games.

➡️ 5: FUTURE

MARKET GARDEN is just the beginning. And the more of you that accept this invitation and join me on this mission, the closer we’ll get to restoring the golden age of historical shooters.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

All the best,

Tom | Icy Bayts

Hello friends! 👋

📢 It’s time for a big announcement — are you ready?

The moment has come… 🎉

I'm thrilled to officially announce the release date of MARKET GARDEN!

🚨 MARKET GARDEN launches on August 1st!

For this occasion, I'm really excited to share a new Release Date trailer, which shows some never-before-seen locations!

🎬 You can watch release date trailer here:

🛠️ Also, feel free to check out the refreshed MARKET GARDEN Steam Store page — with new GIFs, updated screenshots, fresh info, and plenty of exciting news!

I hope you’re as excited as I am — and that you’ll have a great time playing when the game launches!

All the best, Tom | Icy Bayts

Hello friends! 👋

Your feedback over the past few days has been absolutely priceless — thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤️

This update brings a mix of bug fixes, ultrawide monitor support, community-suggested changes, and a range of quality-of-life improvements.

📝 Note:

It’s not required to delete your old profile and create a new one — but it’s recommended, especially if you run into any issues.

• ✅ Ultrawide monitors support added

  Improved experience for ultrawide monitor users. This feature is still experimental — if you run into any issues, don’t hesitate to reach out!

• ✅ Seamless input switching

  Improved behavior when using both a controller and mouse/keyboard. You can now switch between them at any time — no need to disconnect your controller!

• ✅ Music volume setting

  Adjust music volume to your liking.

• ✅ New aim sensitivity option

  Customize sensitivity while aiming for better precision.

• ✅ Bolt-action improvements

  No more instant snapback! After firing, the view now stays zoomed-in briefly so you can see if your shot landed before entering the reload animation. Also, when holding the right mouse button, you’ll automatically return to aiming after cycling the bolt.

• ✅ Invert controls (vertical axis only)

  Invert mouse option now works as intended — only the vertical axis is affected.

• ✅ Custom key bindings for weapon switching

  You can now rebind keyboard keys for switching weapons.

• ✅ Pixelization effect disabled by default

  I noticed many of you turning pixelization off right away — I hear you! It’s now set to 0 by default for a crisper look.

• ✅ Faster item pickup

  Items are now picked up more quickly for smoother gameplay.

• ✅ Smoke grenade performance improvements

  Reduced the performance impact of smoke grenades, especially on Steam Deck.

• ✅ MP40 aim alignment adjusted Improved alignment for better accuracy.

• ✅ Friendly fire from allies disabled Allies will no longer deal damage to the player.

• ✅ Steam Deck mouse support

  Due to new seamless input switching - mouse now works correctly on Steam Deck.

• ✅ Improved AI line of sight behavior

  AI now handles obstacles and line of sight more intelligently.

• ✅ Reload bug fix after UI change

  Resolved issue where reload prompt could behave incorrectly after weapon change.

• ✅ Various minor fixes and polish

If your suggestion didn’t make it into this update — don’t worry!

This is just one of many improvements to come. If you run into any issues or have an idea, feel free to reach out!

Thanks again to all of you — and have fun playing the improved MARKET GARDEN demo!

Dear friends,

I'm excited to announce that the free MARKET GARDEN demo is now available — just in time for the June Steam Next Fest!

🎬 Watch the new demo trailer here:

🔥 Welcome to Arnhem, 1944

This first demo gives you a taste of the action with one level set in the iconic city of Arnhem. You’ll fight as a member of the 1st Airborne Division, pushing through enemy defenses to reach the legendary bridge.

Keep in mind — this is just the beginning. You’ll get to explore more of Arnhem in future levels when the full game launches.

✅📣 Craving for your feedback

I’d love to hear what you think! Whether it’s bugs, thoughts, ideas, or suggestions — I’m all ears. Feel free to reach out via email, Steam discussions, or even in a Steam review. Don’t be a stranger!

📬 Email:

[email protected]

🎦 YouTube:

🦤 X (Formerly Twitter):

https://x.com/IcyBayts

⚙️ Steamdeck, Steam Cloud

MARKET GARDEN plays great on Steam Deck — while I'm still waiting on the official Steam Deck Verified badge, the game has been thoroughly tested and is fully supported by me.

☁️ The demo also features Steam Cloud support, so your progress carries across devices. Whether you're playing on desktop or Deck, your saves will sync seamlessly — play however you like.

🎖️ Thank you for your support

This project is a solo-developed passion project, and your support truly means the world to me. I hope you enjoy this first look at MARKET GARDEN — there’s much more to come.

Have a great time — and thanks for playing!

— Tom / Icy Bayts