PLAYERUNKNOWN Productions has launched the open beta for Prologue: Go Wayback!, a single-player open-world survival game now available on Steam and the Epic Games Store. The project comes from Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene, best known for PUBG, and serves as an ambitious testbed for procedural generation technology.
The beta features a 64 km² procedurally generated wilderness inspired by the taiga and Czech Bohemian landscape. Each new session generates terrain using machine learning tools trained on real-world Earth data. Built in Unreal Engine 5, the game focuses on realism and emergent exploration rather than scripted missions or combat encounters.
Players start with minimal gear and must survive harsh conditions while navigating with only a map and compass. The objective is to reach a distant Weather Tower to signal for rescue. There are no quest markers or tutorials, meaning players must rely on reading the environment, tracking landmarks, and adapting to changing weather patterns.
Weather shifts dynamically between rain, snow, hail, and blizzards, forcing constant adjustments to travel plans. Players must manage body temperature, hunger, and thirst while avoiding injury in rough terrain. A sudden storm can make progress dangerous, while freezing temperatures and dwindling food supplies create constant pressure.
Hands-on impressions from GamesRadar describe the game as punishing but immersive, with one tester recounting how they nearly collapsed from thirst just meters from shelter. The difficulty is deliberate, according to Greene, who wants players to experience the tension of real survival and the satisfaction of overcoming it without artificial guidance.
The open beta is more than a marketing launch. Greene’s team views it as an extended public playtest following months of closed community trials. Upcoming updates will add a map editor, world settings customization, and a save system to support longer sessions. The beta will continue until the game moves into early access, which is expected within the next year.
Prologue: Go Wayback! is the first step in a three-game development plan that leads to Project Artemis, Greene’s long-term vision for a vast shared world driven by AI. This initial installment tests terrain generation, while future titles are expected to introduce AI-driven populations, dynamic economies, and multiplayer ecosystems.
With the open beta now available, the game offers a realistic and challenging survival experience in a world that changes with every playthrough. For veterans or anyone seeking an escape, its vast landscapes and self-paced exploration provide an opportunity to reset and immerse in a space far removed from the noise of everyday life.
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