Prospect for resources and other riches on an abandoned alien world ravaged by a deadly storm, inhabited by monsters, and frequently raided by other ambitious Prospectors.

Welcome to Fortuna III, a forsaken world where the stakes are high and the rewards higher!

Drop down onto the surface and fill your pockets with treasures and resources. Be wary though, only those who make it out alive are allowed to keep their spoils. Keep an eye out for bloodthirsty beasts and greedy players – or set out to actively hunt those and steal their hard-earned prizes for yourself.

Secure a seat on the nearest evac ship to safeguard your loot. Upgrade your gear, purchase new equipment and complete faction-based contracts to increase your gains and unlock new combat options. Prospecting is a risky venture, but greed is sometimes rewarded by the promise of glory. After all, fortune favors the bold in the eye of the storm.

YAGER has announced that the final closed beta for its high-stakes first-person shooter The Cycle: Frontier kicks off today on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

The Cycle: Frontier’s new closed beta runs today through April 4, featuring:

• New In-Match Activities: Fortuna III is getting even more dangerous! Call down laser drills and oil pumps (teased in today’s new trailer) to mine for resources, but be ready to defend your big payday from all those coming to steal it out from under you.
• New Faction Campaigns: Three new faction campaigns will guide you through your first steps on the surface, all while unlocking valuable new gear and insight into the lore of The Cycle: Frontier.
• New Monster Variations: Familiar fauna return with a few (deadly) surprises. New creature variations provide even greater challenges and rewards for those bold enough to take them on.
• New Map Design: Both Bright Sands and Crescent Falls have been revamped for better traversal, with improved visuals to strike the perfect balance between Fortuna III’s danger and beauty.
• New Enhancements: Experience improved combat balance, enemy AI, loot, and tutorials, as well as visual and audio optimizations, bug fixes and more, all driven by community feedback.

Faction campaigns

Last beta, you had been doing odd-jobs for Korolev, Osiris, and the ICA, the 3 different factions of Prospect Station. These contracts were a great way of building up a reputation and earning a few extra bucks but weren’t the most narrative experience around.

This time you will be able to experience 3 brand new faction campaigns, one for each faction. These campaign missions will guide you through your first steps on the surface and will eventually lead you into the usual contracts, all the while granting you a little bit of insight into the lore of The Cycle: Frontier.

You will also unlock valuable gear as you progress through the campaigns, so make sure to see them all through!

New surface activities

We’ve received a lot of praise about meteors and how they tend to derail casual drops, both in a rewarding and dangerous way. We want to integrate more of these activities to make Fortuna III the most exciting planet around.

For now, we are ready to introduce you to a previous fan-favorite, reworked and improved, something that will surely please both older and newer fans of the game: the Korolev Laser Drill.

Once you’re done with their campaign, Korolev will offer you contracts allowing you to call on a Laser Drill on the surface. These contracts can be very rewarding, but you should always stand ready for a fight, as anyone in the vicinity can see the Drill coming down and decide to grab a share for themselves!

Monster variations

You’ve met the cute little Striders, the disgusting Rattlers, the monstrous Crushers and, of course, good old Jeff. Facing these beasts was a tough ordeal at first but with time you’ve learnt how best to deal with each of them. What more could there be to fear? We’re so glad you asked.

Expect to see the Fortuna III fauna in a new, sturdier, deadlier light. Creature variations will provide an even greater challenge to those bold enough to explore the less welcoming area of the planet.

Of course, greater challenges often come with greater rewards. After all there has to be a reason these “elite” types decide to hang around specific places eh?

Map refinement

Last treat for today, we’ve taken another deep look at Bright Sands and Crescent Falls. Both maps have been reworked, revised and overall refined, based on the feedback you’ve provided us.

New paths have been added while a lot of other existing ones have been tweaked. We’ve also smoothed out a lot of specific spots, making edges easier to climb and making sure you won’t remain stuck in certain areas. Traversal will overall be easier.

Loot has also been revised in several places, balanced out between contract requirements and what you would expect to find in some points of interest.

Finally, we are constantly refining the visuals of the planet, making sure Fortuna III is striking that perfect balance of threat and beauty.

The life of a Prospector is full of danger, but any extra peril is sure to be worth it. You can go it alone or team up but be wary, the more valuable your haul the bigger the risk. Tread recklessly and risk attracting the attention of a pack of sneaky Striders or a monstrous Crusher. Cause too much noise fending off the wildlife and you may give away your position to another trigger-happy player. Remember, losers come home empty-handed, so watch your back.

Fortuna III is a lush, mysterious planet on the edge of the galaxy. Once prized for its natural resources, it was ravaged by the Cycle, a radioactive storm that quickly wiped-out civilization, leaving behind ghost settlements and forcing survivors to retreat to the orbiting station. The storm is still a threat and yet the surface is full of spoils and treasures. Will you hunker down to survive the stormy night or use this risky opportunity to look for rare materials?

Returning to the relative safety of Prospect Station will allow you to secure your spoils and turn in your completed contracts. Use your newfound resources to improve your personal quarters with permanent upgrades and purchase new equipment. Tune up your favorite weapons with a neat array of mods and gear up with the perfect tools for your next drop. This may not be a corner of paradise but it’s home. Your home.

The official release of The Cycle: Frontier is planned for the first half of 2022.