Star Citizen, the controversial crowd-funded space sim from Cloud Imperium Games, has been in alpha for almost six years. The game has slowly but steadily expanded over that time, with new ships, features, and systems for Star Citizen's ravenous fanbase to consume.
One long-hinted addition that is on the way to Star Citizen is the Pyro system, an unclaimed planet system that is dangerous is almost every way. Whether it's constant, devastating solar flares or one of the largest and most ruthless pirate stations in the galaxy, players have plenty to be concerned about when visiting Pyro. Unfortunately, the lore for Pyro has already changed a few times in Star CItizen's long development, so this information may not be fully accurate when the new system actually launches.
The Planets of Pyro
There are technically six planets in the Pyro System, though one of them is currently being subsumed into another. There are also multiple moons, with the largest orbiting the gas giant Pyro V. The violent solar flares of Pyro's sun mean that many of these worlds are unsuitable for human habitation, though most support life in some form and a few are host to small, transient human communities.
Pyro I
The closest planet to Pyro's sun, Pyro I is not much more than a charred black rock being slowly torn apart with each new solar flare. The dangers of these flares threaten all but the most heavily-shielded ships, but some Star Citizen criminals have set up bases to utilize their energy to fuel a makeshift refining process. Players can expect to find opportunities around these illicit refineries, either working alongside them or raiding them on behalf of another pirate faction.
Pyro II
The coreless planet Pyro II was the once considered the most important planet in the system, as initial scans revealed substantial metal deposits. However, after the quick and dirty mining operations of the initial rush shredded the surface, the deposits ran dry. Pyro II is now only inhabited by a small transient population, hoping to discover any veins that were overlooked in the rush. This may mean that enough deposits remain for Star Citizen players to make money fast on Pyro II.
Pyro III
Although it hasn't suffered as much as Pyro I, Pyro III's exposure to solar flares has left in undesirable for human habitation. There is evidence that Pyro III's surface once supported a larger ecosystem, which it lost when an unknown event shifted the planet's orbit closer to the dangerous sun. Originally in Star Citizen's development Pyro III was meant to be covered in lava, but the new version will allow players to actually land on the surface.
Pyro IV and V
The rocky proto-planet Pyro IV is slowly being consumed by the gas giant Pyro V after a massive meteor strike drove it from stable orbit. While this makes Pyro IV ultimately doomed, the incredible phenomenon of a gas giant swallowing another planet cannot be found anywhere else in Star Citizen's setting. Pyro IV does support plant life, with its main biome being similar to the low grass, mosses, and heathers of the Scottish Highlands.
Pyro VI
As the most distant planet, Pyro VI is somewhat protected from the effects of Pyro's sun. Because of this, Pyrotechnic Amalgamated built a Gold Horizon terraforming space station around the planet in the early days of Pyro's colonization, but soon abandoned it when the initial hype over the new system died down. The station was later overrun by outlaws, and eventually became the pirate haven known as Ruin Station.
The Factions of Pyro
As the only notable human settlement in Pyro, Ruin Station defines the lawless character of the system. Ruin Station is a haven for pirates, fugitives, and bounty hunters, where feuding gangs rise and fall in a constant struggle for dominance. While the stable pirate station Spider operates on a policy of honor among thieves, Ruin is all about survival of the fittest, where the strong and ruthless rise to the top. Recent reports suggest that the pirate pack XenoThreat currently have majority control of the station, though this could change at any time.
While the violence and anarchy of Ruin Station make Pyro a poor choice for tourists, explorers, or honest businesspeople, the system can be lucrative for pirates, smugglers, and others who operate on the wrong side of the law. A lot of the system's activity is centered around the Akiro Cluster asteroid field, both as a mining site and the favored hunting ground of Ruin Station's pirates.
Particular highlights of Ruin Station itself include Corner Four, a series of drug factories where clients can acquire less-than-ethical medical treatment at a cut-price, and Neutrality, the station's most popular bar and widely-respected neutral ground. Players will be able to explore these areas themselves with the eventual launch of Star Citizen's Pyro update, seeking underworld opportunities in the worst hive of scum and villainy that the galaxy has to offer.
Star Citizen is available on PC.