Pioner has released a new trailer. The studio from Serbia showcases the PvP and PvE content of their new MMO shooter with fresh gameplay. An important announcement is made as well: The beta starts in October, and the game is scheduled to fully launch in 2025.
What kind of game is this?
- Pioner is heavily inspired by the popular Stalker franchise, but aims to combine its survival elements with MMO content.
- You play on an island cut off from the mainland, which is still in the Soviet era and where you can find various NPC factions. Exploration and crafting are two of the central features of the game. Previous gameplay was somewhat reminiscent of The Division with zombies.
- Initially, Pioner was scheduled to launch in 2023 but has been delayed multiple times. Since then, it has landed on over 100,000 wishlists on Steam. The current target release is still 2025.
This is what Pioner shows now: In the latest trailer, PvP and PvE content of the game can be seen. With various weapons, you fight your way through facilities that strongly resemble Escape from Tarkov and face off against players or NPC enemies.
PvP is restricted to zones like the “Shadowlands,” so it is probably mostly optional, similar to Fallout 76 or The Division. The gameplay also features a social hub, a small settlement where players gather and form groups.
Along with the new trailer, there is the announcement of the Open Beta on Steam, which is set to start in October. A concrete date is still pending. The release is still targeted for 2025, also without a specific date. Consoles will receive the release at a later time.
Pioner blends RPG, survival, and MMO shooter
At its core, Pioner is a shooter when it comes to pure gameplay: You almost always have a weapon in hand, which you can also customize through crafting. Realism plays an important role here. For instance, you do not have a health bar or traditional levels.
However, you can also complete quests with the various factions on the island and presumably gain reputation. Dungeons will also be scattered around the environment, offering additional loot.
Despite the focus on realism, Pioner has a strong fantasy or mystery component with occult rituals, zombie-like mutants, cults, and some rather strange weapons like those with Tesla coils.
Pioner apparently aims to appeal to both shooter players and survival fans, similar to how the big predecessor Stalker already did. If you are looking for more great games in the genre, you can find a wide selection in our list: The 31 best survival games of 2025 for PS5, Steam, and Xbox
