Temtem, which was praised for filling the void left by the Pokémon series with its monster-catching and MMORPG systems while simultaneously being criticized as a derivative work, is being reborn as an open-world survival game.

Crema, the developer of 'Temtem,' unveiled its new open-world survival crafting game, 'Temtem: Pioneers,' during the Triple-i Initiative 2026 showcase on the 10th.

As the name suggests, this is the third title to utilize the IP of Crema's online monster-collecting MMORPG, Temtem. While the first game focused on Pokémon-style battles and the second, Temtem: Swarm, was a 'bullet heaven' game—often called a 'Vampire Survivors-like'—this new entry shifts the focus to survival and crafting set in an open-world environment.

Although many similar games have appeared since Palworld, this title distinguishes itself by allowing players to directly control the monsters. Players can bring up to three Temtem into battle. Notably, once combat begins, players take direct control of their monster to dodge enemy attacks and execute various combo attacks by leveraging elemental types. The reveal trailer shows players manually inputting commands to move, attack, and use skills.

The developers also stated that the game will faithfully include core survival-crafting elements such as resource gathering, management, base building, and tool crafting. The trailer also featured gameplay showing players teaming up to face enemies and embark on adventures together.

Beyond the introduction of survival and action elements, the series' signature monster-catching system remains. Crema announced that the game will feature over 200 creatures, each with unique growth paths and distinct abilities.

Alongside the game's announcement and the launch of its Steam page, Crema also kicked off a Kickstarter campaign. The funding goal was set at €90,000, and the project achieved a major milestone by surpassing that target within eight hours, thanks to over 1,000 backers.

The first game in the series, Temtem, which officially launched in 2022, was well-received for its monster-catching system and enhanced combat mechanics inspired by the Pokémon series. However, it also faced limitations for closely mirroring the features of the Pokémon franchise, which the developers have openly acknowledged as an inspiration.

'Temtem: Pioneers' is scheduled to be available on Steam and the Epic Games Store, though an exact release date has not yet been announced. However, the game is listed as supporting Korean, suggesting that, like its predecessors, it will be playable in the language.