OK, let me stop you right there. You were about to come yell at me in the comments that I spelled “Pioneer” wrong. But no sir: This game is actually called Pioner, and the Belgrade-based team has a very good reason for making all the English-speakers in the MMO audience blink in confusion as we do with Dofus: Google translate says pioner/pionir is just Serbian for pioneer.
Pioner is billed as a “post-apocalyptic MMO first-person shooter” by Serbian studio GFA Games, which has unveiled the game today with its Steam release plans for 2025 – an apparent delay.
“PIONER immerses players in a grim and expansive world where survival depends on exploration, crafting, and smart resource management,” the team says. “Combining MMO, Survival, and FPS elements, the game offers engaging PvE missions, competitive PvP zones, unique crafting systems, a vast arsenal of weapons, character progression supporting a variety of playstyles, and a richly developed story.”
Worth noting is while the game sounds like a survivalboxy FPS, the devs are very specifically calling it a “socially driven MMO.”
“PIONER invites players into a sprawling open-world, an eerie, alternate-reality post-apocalypse where remnants of Soviet-era structures dot a desolate island called Tartarus. In this richly atmospheric setting, realism takes priority over conventional gameplay mechanics like health bars or character levels. With a vast map spanning over 50 square kilometers—and countless hidden dungeons waiting to be uncovered—players will navigate a world brimming with mystery, danger, and dynamic opportunities. Story quests and faction missions shape relationships and loyalty rewards, creating a deeply immersive experience. As a socially-driven MMO, PIONER blends player-driven storytelling with intense PvE and PvP action. Whether embarking on narrative-rich missions or building alliances with in-game factions, players influence the evolving world around them. PvP confrontations reach their peak in the “Shadowlands”, high-reward zones brimming with valuable loot and open to unrestricted PvP, where players can attack others freely, except for faction or clan members. It’s a chaotic free-for-all, offering a true battleground for aggressive playstyles.” [Emphasis ours.]
Beta signups are live on the official site.
