Developer Crema revealed Temtem: Pioneers at the Triple-i Showcase on April 9, and it's a significant pivot for the studio. After six years building Temtem as a Pokemon-style MMO, Crema is now going full open-world survival crafting, complete with resource gathering, base building, and real-time action combat.
From turn-based battles to real-time action
Here's the thing: this isn't just a reskin of the original Temtem formula. Crema is scrapping turn-based combat entirely in favor of a fast-paced real-time system where you can field up to 3 Temtem simultaneously, swapping between them on the fly. The goal, according to the official press release, is to "chain abilities, dodge incoming attacks, and create powerful combos as you adapt to constantly shifting encounters."
That's a meaningful design departure. The original Temtem built its identity specifically on being a more polished, MMO-friendly take on Pokemon's grid-based battles. Pioneers isn't trying to iterate on that. It's a separate game with a separate vision.
What the Downbelow region actually offers
The new setting is called the Downbelow, and the world premiere trailer introduces two new Temtem native to the region: Bellora, a dairy cow-like creature with a flower tucked into its fuzz, and Dracub, a large-eared bat covered in crystals. Crema says the full roster will include over 200 Temtem, mixing brand-new species discovered in the Downbelow with familiar faces from the original game found roaming in the wild.
Beyond creature collecting, Pioneers leans hard into the survival genre's core loop. Players will scavenge for resources, construct settlements, and take on the kind of open-ended sandbox goals that have made games like Palworld and Valheim so sticky. Crema describes four distinct playstyles the game supports: explorer, strategist, builder, and caretaker. Whether those feel meaningfully different in practice is something only hands-on time will answer.
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Temtem: Pioneers is planned for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. No release date has been announced yet.
Kickstarter is already live and moving
Crema launched a Kickstarter campaign alongside the reveal, targeting $104,965. As of the announcement, the campaign had already surpassed the halfway mark. Co-op play is confirmed as a feature for the final game, which positions Pioneers squarely in the same social survival space that Palworld occupied so effectively.
The visual direction has also shifted noticeably. Where the original Temtem used cel-shading to carve out its own identity, Pioneers adopts 3D models that sit much closer to Palworld's aesthetic. That's either a smart move to meet player expectations for the genre, or a sign that Crema is chasing a trend rather than setting one. The Kickstarter campaign will be the first real test of whether the existing Temtem community is ready to follow the studio into this new direction.
For players who want to track the project's progress or keep up with the latest gaming news, browse the latest gaming news for more coverage as the Kickstarter develops. Crema has not confirmed a release window, but with the campaign live and the reveal generating attention, expect more details to surface in the coming weeks. The Kickstarter page is the best place to watch right now. Make sure to check out more:
