Escape From Tarkov Creator Reveals New Hardcore Sci-Fi Shooter

Nikita Buyanov's next project takes the extraction shooter formula into space

Fans of hardcore tactical shooters have a new game to keep an eye on, particularly if they've spent hundreds of hours navigating the brutal world of Escape from Tarkov. Nikita Buyanov, the game director behind the popular extraction shooter, has finally offered a proper look at his next project, and it takes the familiar formula somewhere very different.

Called Fragmentary Order, the upcoming sci-fi tactical shooter just received its first gameplay reveal, featuring 14 minutes of in-engine footage. Set across the Solar System in 2251, the game imagines a future where warfare has become an outsourced business, with players controlling remotely operated clones rather than putting their own lives on the line.

What is Fragmentary Order about?

In Fragmentary Order, players control remotely operated clones known as RepEnts, which are deployed across large combat zones to carry out dangerous missions. Losing one of these clones isn't necessarily the end of the road. In this world, death is simply another business expense, although that doesn't mean players can afford to be careless.

The game features large-scale environments, changing environmental conditions, vehicles, drones, and advanced technological systems. Players will also be able to team up in squads of up to four, with careful coordination and planning playing a major role in surviving encounters.

The gameplay footage also offers a glimpse at looting, inventory management, weapon customization, and firefights that should feel familiar to anyone who has played Escape from Tarkov. It's difficult not to draw comparisons between the two games, although the new project swaps Tarkov's familiar environments for a much more futuristic setting.

Buyanov has ambitious plans for the project, saying in a statement: "We're not building a match you play. We're building a world you live in, for years." He added that he hopes Fragmentary Order will remain just as engaging a decade from now as Escape from Tarkov has been.

Alongside the gameplay reveal, Buyanov announced Prime Batch, a paid closed testing program that gives dedicated players an opportunity to participate in the game's development.

There are two available tiers:

• Candidate ($44.99): Includes access to alpha sessions, major technical playtests, a Candidate ranking designation, and an exclusive in-game package.
• Founder ($79.99): Includes everything in the Candidate tier, along with earlier access to experimental builds, roadmap visibility, a Founder package, and access to a private community with direct developer access.

The first closed alpha testing wave is planned for later this year and will take place under a nondisclosure agreement. However, Fragmentary Order does not yet have a confirmed full release date. For now, fans can watch the 14-minute gameplay showcase and decide whether Buyanov's latest project has what it takes to recreate the appeal of Escape from Tarkov in an entirely different setting.