PIONER, an upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO, is back in open beta until December 9, giving GFA Games the chance to optimize it before the game’s ultimate release (in early access) on December 16. This new open beta phase coincides with the release of an all-new trailer showcasing the game’s setting, the ruined island of Tartarus.
PIONER comes from GFA Games, a Serbian studio, and it promises intense, end-of-the-world action in a Soviet-era setting that’s deeply reminiscent of games like STALKER and Fallout.
PIONER Launching December 16, But You Can Play It Now
GFA Games’ PIONER is set to drop in just a couple of weeks, but if you want to play it now (exclusively on Steam), then you can simply install the open beta and give it a try.
PIONER is a little rough around the edges, but it’s launching in early access, so that can mostly be excused. It’s a very ambitious title that boasts an MMO, live-service operating model, a branching campaign, a PvPvE ecosystem, and sumptuous visuals.
The newest trailer offers a great look at the environments players will need to contend with when the game comes out on December 16:
Fans of STALKER will notice the similarities between the two games. In PIONER, which was developed by some former STALKER devs, players must contend with anomalies that are made detectable by a scanner, and to defeat them, they can throw pieces of scrap metal into them to trigger them.
Sound familiar?
It’s a bit of a copy and paste, but there’s enough meat on the bones of PIONER for it to feel unique, and the game’s combat, customization, and freedom mechanics are all top-notch.
Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord server if you’re looking forward to PIONER being released.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Bad Robot Games is making a new four-player shooter
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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