Icarus, the new sci-fi survival game from DayZ creator Dean Hall’s New Zealand studio RocketWerkz, has been delayed to November so the team can spend more time ensuring “the game is the best it can be our players.”
In an update post on the game’s official Steam page, RocketWerkz said that in keeping a close eye on the development cycle, the team “decided that we want to give Icarus more love by delaying the game, and improving upon our Beta process by spreading it across multiple weekends, with each having a specific focus.” Though it’s been delayed a few months, the studio will hold a series of beta weekends available to those who preorder Icarus on Steam.
The first runs from August 28-29, giving players a taste of the world by only opening the Forest biome and disabling Torrential Storms, sporadic weather events that impact the environment. The second will be available from September 11-12 and enables these climate irregularities. There will be a beta on every other weekend until November 6, which kicks off Icarus’ final beta before the game’s launch.
Check the full list of beta weekends and their respective focuses below.
Icarus Free Beta Weekends
- This will be your first weekend playing Icarus! It’s also an opportunity to begin making the YouTube and Twitch content that you’ve been eager to share with your communities. So get base building and learn to hunt, Prospector.
- Torrential Storms are disabled.
- Forest biome only.
- Now that you have spent time on the surface of Icarus, prepare for mother nature to do her thing. Torrential Storms are now enabled and, as seen on our Twitch streams, ensure you have your fire whacker and repair tool handy in case lightning strikes your base! Better yet, go mine some boulders to shelter in.
- Torrential Storms are now enabled.
- Forest biome only.
- Brace yourself for the cold, for you now have access to the forbidding and demanding temperatures of the Arctic biome. It’s time to put your skills to the test as you prepare a survival plan for your journey.
- Arctic biome unlocked.
- Arctic animals and blizzards.
- We don’t expect you to have mastered the Arctic biome just yet – perhaps you can take a break from the frigid weather and visit the Desert for some R&R. Just kidding, there is no relaxation anywhere on Icarus.
- Desert biome unlocked.
- Desert animals and blizzards.
- What does it mean to be a Prospector? This weekend you will get your first taste of Icarus’ political lore. Various factions and corporates have an interest in Icarus, but need someone expendable to run errands for them. In return for completing a series of objectives planetside they’ll reward you handsomely.
- Faction Missions unlocked.
- Our final beta weekend will celebrate our community with a giveaway and a few other surprises. Hang tight for more information on this!
- Special Community Event.
- Prizes.
Icarus was originally planned to launch on August 12. While it’s been delayed until November, RocketWerkz has yet to nail down an exact release date.
Icarus is a “session-based PvE survival game for up to eight co-op players.” Players must survive on Icarus, a savage alien wilderness humanity has tried–and failed–to colonize. Now that the planet has terraformed, players must harvest resources and craft equipment to survive on the dangerous location.
The game combines elements of survival sims and first-person shooters, fitting neatly alongside other open-world exploration titles such as Ark: Survival Evolved and Conan Exiles. Those interested in playing any of the beta weekends can preorder Icarus for 20% off until August 20 on Steam.
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