Fast path
Enter the tutorial, wait briefly, then leave the match.
- Start the tutorial normally.
- Press Escape to open the pause menu.
- Keep the menu open until Leave Match becomes available. September 10 players reported roughly 15 to 30 seconds; use the live button state, not a fixed timer.
- Select Leave Match and confirm the exit.
The button may appear immediately but remain disabled during the short leave timer. Wait for it to become active instead of restarting the game.
What happens after you skip it
After the exit completes, the main menu should expose Deploy and the server browser. The skip gets an experienced player into live matches faster; it does not replace the game knowledge covered by training and the in-menu lessons.
Skip, open Deploy and use the server browser or join a friend through Steam.
Consider finishing the tutorial once, then use the beginner guide for economy, objectives and team roles the training may not fully explain.
You can return to training later
Player reports place the tutorial under Learn to Play after the first launch. Use that route if you skipped too quickly, want to test controls safely or need the tutorial-specific achievement path.
Menu labels can move during Early Access. If Learn to Play changes in a later build, use the current in-game training entry rather than an old beta shortcut.
Why am I doing the tutorial again in Season 2?
Returning players still report the tutorial appearing again after the update. Recent Steam reports describe the same pause-menu exit route. These reports do not establish whether completion is stored per account, device or another setting; do not delete saves to test that theory.
Wait for the on-screen Leave Match countdown rather than relying on an exact 15-second promise. Keep the menu open and stop moving while waiting. Leaving training gets you out of that session; it is not proof that the game has permanently marked every tutorial objective complete.
If Escape does not open the menu
A leave-button timer and a pause-menu input problem are different symptoms. Check the menu/pause action in Controls when you can access settings. Restart once if the UI is frozen; do not repeatedly force-close or edit configuration files at random. If the game itself crashes, use the startup guide.
After Deploy becomes available, a join failure belongs in the connection guide. Once inside a match, Enter zone to sync is a separate Season 2 rule, not a request to repeat training.
Common questions
Can I skip the tutorial before it starts?
The current community-tested method is to enter the tutorial first, open the pause menu and wait for Leave Match to unlock.
Why is Leave Match disabled?
The tutorial inherits a short match-leave delay. Keep the pause menu open and wait for the option to become active. The reports do not establish a fixed deadline.
Does skipping unlock the server browser?
Released-build guides and player reports say returning to the main menu exposes Deploy and the server browser. If those remain unavailable, restart once and confirm the current build before treating it as a tutorial problem.
Sources and verification
Developer information and community observations are labelled separately. A player report is not a guarantee from the developer. Use the stated source-check dates; a later page edit does not recheck the underlying game data.
- Season 2 Steam player reports: TUTORIAL - AGAIN?! · October 21Recent first-hand reports about being sent back to training and leaving through the pause menu. This is community evidence, not a developer guarantee or proof of permanent tutorial completion.
- Steam discussion: Skip the tutorialSeptember 10 player reports, reread for wording only; no official timer guarantee.
- GamesHorizon: WARDOGS tutorial skipIndependent released-build walkthrough confirming the short wait before Leave Match becomes available.
- Official WARDOGS FAQDeveloper-pinned FAQ confirming that WARDOGS is live in Early Access; old beta access instructions are no longer the current path.