The Riftbreaker News

We’ve got fantastic news to share today – our Closed Co-Op Beta is going strong, and we’re about to ramp things up! Thanks to your feedback, our network architecture and Survival Mode gameplay are shaping up nicely. We're now ready to speed up the invitation process and welcome even more of you into the action. In this post, we’ll walk you through what’s happening next and why we’re still keeping things closed – for now. Let’s dive in!



[h3]Everyone gets in![/h3]

Over 12,000 players signed up for the Closed Beta through Google Forms – and we can’t thank you enough for that. If you’re one of them and haven’t received your key yet – don’t worry. You’ll get your invite by the end of April.

Once that’s done, we’ll close the form and switch over to Steam Playtest sign-ups. That doesn’t mean the Beta is over – quite the opposite! You’ll be able to join the test through our Steam Store Page, and the first wave of Steam invitations will go out right after the first weekend of May. After that, we’ll keep rolling out keys regularly every couple of days.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/780310/The_Riftbreaker/

Click 'Request Access' right below the demo option on out Steam Store page to sign up for Beta.



[h3]Why not just go Open Beta already?[/h3]

We hear you – and we get the excitement! But there are a couple of good reasons we’re still keeping it invite-only for now:

• The Closed Beta doesn’t yet reflect the final quality of online co-op. Bugs are expected, and sometimes new builds cause more issues than they solve. It’s all part of the process – and we want to make sure that only players who are OK with that kind of chaos are diving in.
  
• By limiting access, we can respond to feedback faster. Every report matters, and we don’t want anything slipping through the cracks. A smaller test group lets us iterate in a more controlled way.
  

[h3]What’s next?[/h3]

If all goes well, we’re planning to launch an Open Beta in early Summer. No promises – but that’s our current goal.

This next phase will focus on Campaign Mode Co-Op, and we’ll make it available through the experimental branch of The Riftbreaker on Steam. That will be our big stress test before calling the update ready for prime time.



[h3]Thanks for being here[/h3]

We’ve come a long way – and it’s been quite the journey.

We started working on online co-op back in 2021, rewriting huge chunks of our engine to support a custom-built network architecture from the ground up. It was a massive challenge, but we knew it was worth it.

Our journey is well-documented in our "Co-Op when" articles – you can find them all here.

Thanks to your support, we ran our first tiny PVP connectivity test in August 2023. That laid the groundwork for the full-scale Survival Mode Co-Op Beta that began a year later – and we’re only gaining momentum from here.

Your feedback, patience, and enthusiasm have made this progress possible. We’re beyond grateful.



We’re just getting started – and we can’t wait to show you what’s next.

EXOR Studios

We have just published a new update for the Closed Beta build of The Riftbreaker. It features a new Survival Mission in the Acidic Plains biome, the prologue mission adapted from single-player, as well as a lot of fixes and improvements. Full changelog below.

[h2]The Riftbreaker Closed Co-Op Beta Update, April 28th, 2025 Changelog:[/h2]
[h3]Changes[/h3]

• Added the Acidic Plains Survival Mission to the mission pool in the Closed Beta. We will be grateful for all error reports regarding this new biome.
  
• You can now find Mech Upgrade modules with additional randomized and unique Item Drops. The stats are very far from finished, and there might be some OP combinations - let us know if you find anything that is out of order.
  
• All melee weapon attacks and some projectile weapon attacks are now treated with lag compensation mechanisms, which should provide you with instant input response and a much smoother experience. Please let us know about all the issues you encounter with mech attack animations, inconsistent hitboxes, phantom hits, etc. This change has the potential to break a lot of things before it does its job properly.
  
• Added the Prologue mission to the Beta build. Try to break it - we're pretty sure it works fine, but we'd like to get a confirmation on that!
  
• Decreased the lightning strike Omega skill spawn frequency and damage.
  
• Added a new Omega skill - Cryo Orb.
  
• Changed the visual and sound effects for finding underground treasures.
  
• Custom Difficulty settings have been temporarily removed from the Beta build
  
• Reduced the Easy and Normal Tropical Zone survival mission difficulty - Omega creatures will arrive later than before.
  

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• Fixed GUI button hitboxes for both gamepad and keyboard and mouse navigation on many screens.
  
• Fixed some issues with the Load Save option in the Lobby.
  
• Fixed gamepad navigation issues in many places, but it's not final yet.
  
• Fixed chat layout and color coding.
  
• You should now only see the base stats for mech upgrades during crafting.
  
• Fixed some issues with the Decompressor production display and equip menu.
  
• Fixed mismatched icons for Root Gun Extreme and Superior.
  
• Fixed an animation glitch that caused weapons to behave strangely.
  

EXOR Studios

Last week, we gave you a glimpse into the structure of the new Expanded Story Campaign endgame. It was the first time we showed off our megastructures. Constructing these massive buildings will be the main point of your new mission on Galatea 37. Adding such an enormous extension to the structure of the Story Campaign requires us to reflect on various areas of the game and introduce improvements wherever necessary. You could already read about the overhauls of the weapon and loot systems and the addition of the Randomized Mission Generator. Today, we will tell you about another area of the game that will receive a makeover to facilitate our endgame design - the research system.

Click the image to view it in higher resolution. Here you can see two new additions to the research screen - a bar with all your stored resources and a fourth research tab. The megastructure research items are located in that additional tab. You will only see that tab if you enter the endgame.

Let’s start with the most significant change to the research system in the history of The Riftbreaker. Starting with the 2.0 version, all research items in the Story Campaign will cost not only time but also resources. Adding a research item to the queue will require you to pay a one-time resource fee. We understand this will sound controversial, but hear us out. In a rework as extensive as the one we are attempting, we must ensure that all elements are in harmony. The addition of the new loot system, the abundance of biocaches, the ability to generate infinite numbers of missions, and the increased rewards you’ll get from the Omega creatures have drastically increased the pace at which you can fill your resource storages and progress through the Campaign. Adding resource costs to research items adds more meaning and incentive to stockpiling resources and building up your economy.

Hovering over an item will reveal its cost. The amount of required resources will gradually go up as you progress through the research tree.

The one-time payment for research items also allows us to solve an additional issue. Previously, a player could add all the research items to the queue without worrying about the order. It was simply a waiting game before they unlocked all the items from the current tier. The new system adds a degree of strategy and depth to setting up the research queue. You must prioritize the technologies you need over those that could be useful later. Resource costs will also necessitate maintaining the economy for the entire campaign duration, as you will always have a use for the advanced and rare resources previously used only for specific buildings and weapons. It is also worth pointing out that these changes will only affect the Story Campaign. The rules stay the same in Survival Mode.

If you can't afford a research item you will be notified about it in the tooltip, as well as a small icon representing the missing resource next to the research item node on the research tree itself.

To make research management easier, we have also added one quality-of-life feature you requested. The research screen now features a search option. Simply click the magnifying glass icon in the bottom-right corner and type in what you’re looking for. The search option will highlight the research items corresponding to what you typed. It works for the name of the research item and the individual buildings or weapons that research grants you. For example, you can type in ‘Liquid Resources Handling’ and ‘Pipe’ - both will show you where to look for that technology.

The search bar will highlight all tech items that are relevant to your search. The search sticks when switching between pages, so you can check out all the branches without having to type again.

This is a significant change, which might seem radical. However, after playtesting the campaign several times, we concluded that it makes gathering resources much more rewarding. We encourage you to approach this change with an open mind. Not too long from now, we will start an Open Beta of the Campaign Mode on the Riftbreaker’s usual experimental branch, which will allow you to test these changes ahead of time and provide us with valuable feedback. If you want to know about this first, sign up for our newsletter, join our Discord at https://www.discord.gg/exorstudios, and watch our streams at https://www.twitch.tv/exorstudios every Tuesday and Thursday at 3 PM CEST. That way, you won’t miss any exciting news coming your way - and we have some great news coming at the beginning of the next week!

EXOR Studios

We have just released a patch for The Riftbreaker Closed Co-Op Beta. The full changelog is available below:

[h2]The Riftbreaker Closed Co-Op Beta Update, April 14th, 2025 Changelog:[/h2]
[h3]Changes:[/h3]

• Removed Grid Culler from various medium-sized trees and other props to make building large structures easier. You won't have to cut down all the trees before you set up your HQ anymore.
  
• Removed the 'Drop' button from the inventory screen.
  
• Bomb Cascade and Lightning Cascade Omega skills now have lower speed and decreased splash radius to better match the warning signs.
  
• Removed the loading hint about modding towers, as this option has been removed altogether.
  
• Damage reflection limit has been added to Gulgors to prevent them from getting one-shot by reflective armor builds.
  
• Removed the 'Healing Aura' Omega skill from Omega spawners.
  
• One rock removed.
  

[h3]Fixes:[/h3]

• Introduced multiple improvements to network code and prediction algorithms.
  
• Fixed some issues with the DPS value display.
  
• Fixed issues with healthbar display for Fungor Omegas.
  
• Fixed localization issues on the statistics screen.
  
• Fixed an error that prevented other players' stats from showing up in the Statistics screen.
  
• Fixed several crashes and small bugs.
  

EXOR Studios

[h2]We have some exciting news for you right off the bat. We are speeding up the delivery of your beta keys. We want to give access to everyone who signed up for the beta via our Google Form by the end of this month. Additionally, you can now sign up for the Closed Beta of the Co-Op mode via the Steam Playtest access request right on the store page of The Riftbreaker. This is an additional option for those who can’t or don’t want to sign up via Google Forms. If you sign up this way, you will be granted access to the beta next month.[/h2]

You can request Beta Access here:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/780310/The_Riftbreaker/

[h3]And now, back to the regular preview content![/h3]

Most of the time, when we talk about the features of the upcoming Riftbreaker updates, we talk about the Co-Op Multiplayer mode. Working on this part of the project has made up a large portion of the last three years for us. Still, Co-Op is only one part of The Riftbreaker 2.0. Another considerable part of this free release will be the new endgame portion of the Story Campaign. It will expand and enhance the game's single and multiplayer experience, and we can’t wait to see you play it! This is a huge topic, and we can’t cover it all with just one news piece. Today’s article will give a general overview of the main objectives and the new activities we have prepared for you. Then, we will expand on the extra buildings, tech, and activities in additional articles. Let’s dive in!

[h3]!!! STORY SPOILER ALERT !!![/h3] Please bear in mind that this article will contain technical and lore spoilers for the ending of The Riftbreaker’s main Story Campaign and the new endgame expansion. If you want to discover these parts of the game yourself, we recommend skipping this article for now!

The ending of the main branch of the Campaign gives you a choice: you can either go back to Earth and call it quits or stay on the planet and prepare it for the inevitable arrival of humanity. If you decide to return home, your Galatean adventure is over. You go back to your friends, family, the Riftbreaker command, and await your next assignment. The new, expanded endgame campaign starts if you stay on Galatea. Ashley mentioned several times in passing that she had a much better alternative for this planet - one that doesn’t involve turning Galatea 37 into a shell of its former glory by stripping it clean of its ample natural resources. It will take some time for humans to re-establish a connection with Galatea, so you have some time to work with.

Setting up the Rift Station is going to feel like child's play compared to what you are going to build in the endgame.

During previous Riftbreaking operations, humans always followed the path of least resistance. Instead of trying to understand, preserve, and protect their new colony world, their only goal was to build more factories, power plants, and dwellings. There was no ill intent behind these actions. Humanity has its needs - this is simply the quickest way to fulfill them. It comes at a cost - every new planet quickly becomes a carbon copy of Earth - a giant, sprawling city, with little trace of its natural ecosystem. Ashley hopes that she can prevent it when it comes to Galatea 37.

This GIF kinda gives you an idea of the sheer scale of these structures.

The technology to protect the planet's ecosystem is out there - humans just don’t bother building it because it’s expensive and complicated. Ashle’s plan is simple - do all the heavy lifting and build the infrastructure herself before other humans arrive. This involves building five megastructures. The megastructures are truly monumental facilities, much bigger than even the Rift Station itself. Each of the five structures you build serves a different purpose, but combined together, they will allow you to minimize your impact on Galatea 37 while still reaping the benefits of a brand-new colony world and its ample natural resources.

[h3]Here are your mission objectives - the five megastructures:[/h3]

Quantum Cortex Laboratory - It is the brain of the entire operation. This building houses a quantum supercomputer that will store and analyze all the data for you. Having an operational Quantum Cortex Lab boosts your research speed by a significant margin and allows you to research other megastructures from the brand-new fourth research tab.

This is the fully built-up Quantum Cortex Laboratory with the setup required to run it. Start saving up your supercharged plasma today!

Nanobot Swarm Production and Control Center - Ashley will need lots of helping hands during her mission to protect Galatea’s ecosystem. Nanobots are perfect for that purpose, and this building will serve as their base of operations.

The view from the model editor, with close-ups of some details.

Gravitational Hyper Lens - This structure will serve as a giant stabilizer for the gravitational and magnetic fields of the planet, ensuring your systems stay operational for a long time.

As you can see, the megastructures are not only unique when it comes to the size - they also come in various shapes. Each of them will require you to find a suitable spot.

Hydroponic Sustainability Lab - This Laboratory will store, replicate, and nurture all the samples and saplings collected from among the Galatean wildlife.

Is this the fanciest greenhouse you've ever seen or what?

Mystery Building - We are not quite ready to tell you what this structure is. We can't show it, either. (Totally not because the model is not finished yet). It might be a giant computer, or an antenna, or a factory of some kind. Who knows? Put your best guesses in the comments!

The stages of building up the Nanobot Center. Building megastructures piece by piece will allow you to see the progress you make in real time, and pay the cost in just five easy installments!

Construction of your megastructures will take place in stages. Each stage will add new elements to the building, allowing you to see the progress you make. Building the megastructures piece by piece also makes their cost more palatable. However, you have to know that this will be a huge investment. The megastructures have a high upfront building cost and upkeep requirements. Your existing infrastructure most likely won’t be sufficient. This allows you to put the brand-new Orbital Scanner features to good use and establish new resource mining outposts.

Our artists have done an incredible job with the details on these buildings. They are our crown jewels!

If looking at the sheer size of these structures makes you shudder at the thought of reorganizing your existing bases, fear not. You don’t have to construct the megastructures in your Headquarters. Even better - they don’t need to be on the same map! You are free to organize them the way you like! Constructing all five of these buildings is a massive endeavor, and we don’t want to limit you in any way. If you want to set up five dedicated outposts for each megastructure - that is fine. You can also try to build all five on the same map for a bit of an extra challenge. It’s a crazy idea, but we like crazy.

Naturally, we couldn't resist playing around with some nice lights and reflections (although the effects and lights are not final yet!). Enjoy!

Designing a long-term mission like the one we’ve presented to you today involves a lot of variables. This is why we’re not sharing details like resource and upkeep costs yet. However, we can state that constructing the Rift Station is going to feel like a tutorial in comparison to the megastructures. Currently, we are playtesting the endgame internally - both solo and in the co-op mode. Each playtest we make is a new iteration with tweaked costs and requirements. Once we have something worthy of public scrutiny, we will let you play all this as an experimental update. As we prepare for the experimental release, you can expect more news about the endgame expansion in the coming weeks.

You can build these structures anywhere you like. There are no biome restrictions, and they do not need to be located within the same map.

We hope that this little sneak peek at the design of the free endgame expansion for The Riftbreaker got you excited for the upcoming updates. If you want to stay on top of all the news we publish, sign up for our newsletter, join our Discord at https://www.discord.gg/exorstudios, and join our streams at https://www.twitch.tv/exorstudios - we are live every Tuesday and Thursday at 3 PM CEST. Trust us - you don’t want to miss what is coming next!

EXOR Studios