I think my MMO hiatus may soon be over as gritty, realistic FPS Pioner sets its release date

I'll never proclaim to be a 20-year WoW veteran with five-figure playtime hours racked up, but I've certainly been pulled into the MMO-sphere on plenty of occasions. Everything began with exploring Runescape as a youngster, but my greatest and most recent vice was Destiny 2. I've had some great times with Bungie's shooter, but like so many others in recent months, I've left it to gather dust, and I've not picked up another MMO since. However, that may soon change - and not because a Star Wars-themed expansion is hitting Destiny 2 next week. A release date has just been set for Pioner, a post-apocalyptic MMOFPS with Escape From Tarkov levels of intensity that I'm very keen to play. Thankfully, that opportunity will be arriving extremely soon indeed.

Pioner looks brutal and bleak in the best possible ways, and it feels like an aesthetic and tonal blend of the aforementioned Tarkov, Stalker 2, and Fallout. Set on a huge 50km² island with zones for PvP and PvE combat, as well as social hubs too, developer GFA Games says that a huge disaster and remnants of the Soviet Empire combine to create a punishing "alternate reality." The narrative is inspired by gritty science fiction, but GFA says that players' actions will shape the evolution of the island.

When Ed tried the game out earlier in the year, he was blown away by not just the atmosphere, but the difficulty, too. With challenging PvE bosses, slow and realistic movement and inventory management, and risk-reward extraction mechanics, Ed said at the time that "at its best, as well as Tarkov, it also feels a little like Hunt Showdown or Rust."

Currently in the grip of Arc Raiders, which delivers slightly softer and more forgiving action, I'm keen to try a more hardcore experience with the added social layers that Embark's shooter currently lacks (outside of proximity chat and 'Don't Shoot!' pings during matches, that is). Luckily, I don't have long to wait.

Coinciding with the news that it's surpassed half a million Steam wishlists, GFA Games has just confirmed that the Pioner release date will arrive on Tuesday, December 16. The game will be launching in Steam Early Access.

As well as a standard edition, a deluxe edition will also be available with some bonus rewards for those wanting to look the part. You'll be able to get an exclusive character skin, the Renegade; a series of assault rifle weapon skins; a weapon charm; and a "retro-futuristic" Japanese watch. On top of those cosmetics, you'll also get some premium currency to spend on more in-game goodies and be bestowed with an exclusive player title that'll show up in the game's social areas.

So, just three weeks to wait until I'm back in the MMO saddle. I'll be interested to see just how deep the MMO systems run here and how well the experience flows in terms of moving from combat zones to social spaces. If the gameplay can tear me away from Arc Raiders for a substantial amount of time, that'll also be the most glowing endorsement it could receive. I'll keep you posted.