Boden, Sweden, April 3, 2025 — Following a successful showing at Steam Next Fest and an extensive holiday playtest, 5Fortress is excited to announce the Open Beta for STRIDEN, the upcoming first-person shooter built with player feedback at its core.
The Open Beta will run from April 4 - 6 on Steam, giving players the opportunity to experience the latest evolution of STRIDEN before it heads into Early Access.
We’ve made hundreds of changes to STRIDEN in the past few months. While not everything is in place yet — like our upcoming vaulting and mantling movement system — we’re committed to evolving the game alongside our community.
STRIDEN BETA VIDEO
https://youtu.be/x2ygVqT7UQ8
JOIN THE STRIDEN BETA AND WISHLIST
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2052970/STRIDEN/
“STRIDEN is all about going back to what made FPS games special without the chaos of over-the-top cosmetics and distractions.” says Johan Sundqvist, Game Director 5 Fortress.
New in the Open Beta – Players will get hands-on with…
- Transmit Mode (PvP) — Compete across three intense maps in a fast-paced objective mode.
- PvE Survival Mode — Team up to fend off relentless waves of enemies.
The Open Beta reflects months of player-driven development, including:
- Complete Audio Overhaul — New weapon sounds, reworked foley, and improved audio mixing create a more immersive, punchy experience. Players will also notice a slightly faster Time-to-Kill (TTK), responding directly to community requests — and yes, weapon skins have been added!
- Improved Mid-Game Joining — No more instant chaos: players can now choose their team and spawn point when joining mid-match, and the black screen bug from our holiday playtest has been fixed.
- Reworked Construction System — Enemy teams can now destroy opposing structures, with a new health and armor system ensuring strategic, dynamic base defense. Players can repair breached defenses and explore an expanded set of buildable items.
- Electron Tube Transport Mechanic — Players must now physically carry the Electron Tube to their base, encouraging teamwork and protection strategies.
ABOUT 5 FORTRESS
5 Fortress is an indie developer based in Boden, a snowball throw from the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden. The studio was founded in 2021 by Johan Sundqvist and Emil Darsbo, to develop unique FPS shooters of the highest quality. Striden has been in development for around two years.
The studio is located at Boden Game Camp, the home of the world’s most northern gaming hub. It’s a great place for creative talent, with education, incubators, funding, and studio startups. www.5fortress.com