Hello Rebels!

Time for a fresh update on what's happening with STRIDEN and the progress we’ve made!

With the Open Beta still fresh in our minds, we've learned a lot. First off, implementing a new network code can introduce new challenges but ultimately, it boosts performance. So, what caused our network issues?

We’ve made several updates to hit registration to create a more consistent and satisfying gunplay experience. We’ve also reworked the progression system and increased server tickrates. While these changes were necessary, they did affect server reliability and had a negative impact on proximity chat and servers. But after a lot of hard work, we’re now in a much better place with nearly everything back on track.

To ensure stability, we’ve partnered with Nortify, a QA company that’s stress-testing our game with long sessions and full servers. We’re determined to make the next playtest a rock-solid experience for all of you.

We also fixed one of our most frustrating bugs "The Terminator Bug" which caused some players to become immortal. A nasty glitch that made it look like people were cheating. Not anymore.

While analyzing kill and death events, we also squashed the annoying kill trade bug. No more mysterious simultaneous kills during hectic firefights!

Gunplay now feels tighter and more responsive. We’ve added first-person tracers to better visualize spread and bloom, and improved third-person tracers so you can clearly see where enemies are firing from.

Now, for the big news:

STRIDEN is launching into Early Access on July 11!
This is a huge milestone for us. After more than three years of development (and over 600 hours of internal playtesting on my part alone), we’re finally ready to open the gates.

So what does Early Access mean for STRIDEN?

It’s the beginning of our journey with you—the community. We’re releasing a solid first version of the game, and we’ll keep building from here, actively listening to your feedback. A roadmap is on the way, outlining our plans through to full release about a year from now.

Your voice will help shape the game. You’ll be able to vote on things like the next map or weapon, beyond what’s already planned. We want to develop STRIDEN with the community—not just for it.

About us:

5-Fortress is a small indie studio based in northern Sweden. At our largest, we’ve been 8 developers; for the past 8 months, it’s been just 3 of us, supported by talented interns from local game development programs. Recently, we’ve partnered with Yahaha Games, which is allowing us to scale up again. They’re also helping us with backend infrastructure for launch—ensuring we deliver on our promises.

Our goal: a high-quality indie FPS looter-shooter that stands out from the AAA crowd. No pay-to-win. No paid battle passes. A fresh take on familiar mechanics with a tight, fun gameloop—and always developed in conversation with you, the community.

Here’s a sneak peek of what we’ve been working on lately:

☢️ New Radioactive Fog/Storm
The old green fog was… fine. But now, the radioactive storm brings dynamic weather that affects visibility, atmosphere, and the soundscape of the entire map. Way more immersive—and way more intense.



🧰 New Lobby System – Customize Your Class
You’ll now be able to tailor your class to your playstyle—pick your construction items, outfits (coming soon!), and most importantly, your Powerspike. Only one Powerspike per match, making for deeper team strategy. Plus, this system sets the stage for adding more content in the future.



🗺️ New Tactical Map – Plan to Win
A redesigned map interface makes it easier to navigate, issue commands, and coordinate with your team. Zoom in and out, mark objectives, and take control of the match flow like never before.

🦅 Polished Powerspikes
We’ll have 5 Powerspikes available in Early Access. The newest? Birds. Yes, really.
“Eagle Hook” can fly teammates across the map—or drop enemies from altitude.
“Bomb Eagle”? Just what it sounds like.
We're also revisiting old favorites like the Bear and Moose, improving movement and fixing spawn logic (no more Moose Tanks inside Strongholds).



🌆 New Map – Urban Combat
Our amazing interns are working on something epic: a nuked town full of massive ruined buildings and hidden military bunkers. Think brutal, intense, and full of tactical opportunities.

🎶 Our own soundtrack
We are removing all placeholder music and going full scale on a own STRIDEN soundtrack.

There’s even more exciting content coming soon. We’re going all in on this and hope you’ll enjoy everything we’re building.

We’re planning one last Open Playtest before the Early Access launch on July 11—stay tuned!

Please help us spread the word—tell your friends, tell your rivals—and make sure to Wishlist STRIDEN and follow us on Steam. Don’t forget to join our Discord for weekly updates and to share your feedback directly.

Take care,
/Johan