Introducing Lyn: Astroneer’s First Antagonist
It’s been nearly eight years since we launched Astroneer into Game Preview on the Xbox platform. This week, we’re proud to give an early look at our first ever big baddie, Lyn, to be featured in our upcoming Glitchwalkers Expansion!
Glitchwalkers – Our First Expansion
Astroneer has become bigger than we ever could have imagined. We’ve had the opportunity to update the game dozens of times with both community requested features and our own creations. From Jetpacks and Pets, to Rails and Custom Modes, we’ve always tried to make the game better with your help, and this time is no different.
Over the years, we’ve gotten countless requests for new places to explore… So, this expansion is focused on a brand-new planet in a new solar system, Aeoluz! Another common request is to make Astroneer a bit more challenging. That‘s where Lyn comes in.
Lyn Is In Control
Lyn is a disgruntled systems expert from the E.S.S. Elysium crew who’s created her own reality in the Astroneer universe. In this reality, you are at her mercy. A skilled hacker, Lyn can manipulate the planet itself, altering its biomes and atmosphere down to the roots. Despite the planet’s growing instability, she’s continued to make it more and more hostile to make sure no one interferes with her ploy. Alongside the planet itself, she’ll employ several different viruses and reality-shaping tools to repel potential interlopers.
Creating Lyn
We had a lot of fun with this one! It’s been a new and unique experience to create a character who’s part of the crew, while still setting them apart as a troublemaker. Following our usual process, we started with a lot of quick sketches focused on shapes, silhouettes, and key features. Once we had a solid group, we picked different bits and bobs that we liked and fused them together as more refined 2D turnarounds. Looking at the concepts, Lyn’s final design is a mix of Option K and Option O shown in the image below, incorporating a hood, but with Lyn’s physical appearance looking digitally hacked together — just like the rest of the planet.
Sticking to Our Roots
Let’s be clear: Even with some added challenge, the game you know and love is still there. Crafting, building, and exploring with friends are at core of Astoneer. And while the expansion itself is chock full of new content, there will also be a free companion update to the base game. Anyone can jump right in and experience something new!
We can’t wait for you all to face off against Lyn and explore the new planet in Astroneer: Glitchwalkers. We’re working hard towards our final launch date, which will land on Xbox and Windows 10 later in 2024. Wishlist today!
ASTRONEER
System Era Softworks
$29.99
$23.99
Xbox One X Enhanced
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass
Explore and reshape distant worlds! Astroneer is set during the 25th century Intergalactic Age of Discovery, where Astroneers explore the frontiers of outer space, risking their lives in harsh environments to unearth rare discoveries and unlock the mysteries of the universe.
On this adventure, players can work together to build custom bases above or below ground, create vehicles to explore a vast solar system, and use terrain to create anything they can imagine. A player’s creativity and ingenuity are the key to seeking out and thriving while on exciting planetary adventures! In Astroneer you can:
•Reshape the ground under your feet as though it were made of clay.
•Survive on and explore carefully crafted planets that can be entirely deformed and traversed.
•Snap together components and objects to build bases and vehicles.
•Play with friends in 4 player online drop-in/drop-out co-op.
•Discover and uncover the mysteries of the solar system
•••Deform & shape everything around you•••
In Astroneer, players use their deform tool to dig, collect, shape and build anything they wish. Use this ability to dig to the center of the planet, build a ramp into the sky, or make megaliths just by using terrain!
•••Explore an entire solar system•••
Our vast solar system includes 7 wondrous planets that players can travel between and explore every inch of, from the entire spherical surface, through treacherous layers of caves, all the way down to mysterious the core. Each of those planets has unique and challenging surface and cave biomes that offer a multitude of challenges for players on their journey.
•••Customize & build on the fly•••
Items that Astroneers craft and find in the world can be snapped and connected together to create unique creations for any situation. Customize and decorate your bases, vehicles, and Astroneer.
•••4 Player co-op•••
Astroneer is better with friends. Group up with other players and work together to create massive industrial bases or to create fun games in the extensive creative sandbox.
•••Survive & harness the power of the planets•••
Once Astroneers are ready, they may choose to attempt to understand and possibly harness the power behind mysterious structures found in the world.
Astroneer began as a Game Preview title and would not be here today if not for your support, feedback, and ideas throughout that process. Now that we have hit 1.0 we will keep our pledge to continue building on the foundation that is Astroneer with free, ongoing content updates. If you’re curious about the direction we’re aiming for, be sure to go check out our roadmap, and our development vlogs to keep updated on what we are working on!
