# Tribes 3: Rivals <small style="color: gray">Last updated: February 4, 2026</small> ## Overview Tribes 3: Rivals is a first-person shooter developed and published by Prophecy Games for Windows.[^ref-1] Released into Early Access on Steam on March 12, 2024, it is the latest entry in the Tribes franchise, originally created by Dynamix and Sierra Entertainment with [[1998 - Starsiege - Tribes|Starsiege: Tribes]].[^ref-2] Built on Unreal Engine 5, Tribes 3: Rivals attempts to revive the classic Tribes formula of jet-pack enhanced multiplayer combat with an emphasis on high-speed movement and "skiing" mechanics.[^ref-2] > [!info]- Game Info > **Developer:** Prophecy Games[^ref-1] > **Designer:** Erez Goren[^ref-1] > **Programmer:** Mick Larkins[^ref-1] > **Publisher:** Prophecy Games[^ref-1] > **Engine:** Unreal Engine 5[^ref-1] > **Platforms:** Windows[^ref-1] > **Release Date:** March 12, 2024 (Early Access)[^ref-2] > **Series:** Tribes (Starsiege) > **Sierra Lineage:** Spiritual Successor (Dynamix IP) ## Development Prophecy Games, an independent studio, developed Tribes 3: Rivals as an attempt to revive the classic Tribes franchise that had been dormant since Tribes: Ascend (2012).[^ref-2] The game was built using Unreal Engine 5, representing a significant technical upgrade from previous entries.[^ref-1] Lead programmer Mick Larkins headed the development effort, with designer Erez Goren overseeing the gameplay vision.[^ref-1][^ref-12] The development team focused on recreating the core Tribes experience while attracting both veterans and new players to the series.[^ref-5] ## Gameplay ### Core Mechanics Tribes 3: Rivals preserves the signature gameplay elements that defined the original Dynamix-developed titles:[^ref-5] - **Skiing:** The iconic movement system allowing players to slide down terrain at high speeds by holding a key while moving downhill[^ref-5] - **Jet Packs:** Energy-limited aerial mobility for combat and traversal[^ref-5] - **Spinfusors:** The series' signature disc-launching weapons requiring players to lead targets[^ref-5] - **Capture the Flag:** The primary competitive mode requiring teams to steal the enemy flag while defending their own[^ref-5] ### Classes and Loadouts Players can choose from three armor classes, each with distinct capabilities:[^ref-5] - **Light:** Fast and agile, ideal for flag running - **Medium:** Balanced combat capability - **Heavy:** Slow but powerful, suited for defense Six unique perks are available including "Doombringer" and "Sentinel" specializations.[^ref-5] Weapons include spinfusors, launchers, grenades, packs, shields, sniper rifles, pistols, shotguns, and the classic shocklance.[^ref-5] ### Maps and Modes The game launched with seven maps: Katabatic, Wavemist, DryDock, Dangerous Crossing, Torment, Hollow, and RainDance.[^ref-5] Match formats include:[^ref-5] - 16v16 Capture the Flag (CTF) - Ranked 7v7 CTF - Time trials - Shooting range - Custom matches with adjustable physics and settings - Team Death Match on smaller arena maps (Honor Dome, Ice Dome, Magma Dome) ## Reception and Status Tribes 3: Rivals launched into Early Access on March 12, 2024, but struggled to find an audience.[^ref-2] The game failed to reach a thousand concurrent players and has maintained only a few hundred active players at most times.[^ref-3] On June 27, 2024, Prophecy Games posted an announcement on Steam stating that neither Tribes 3: Rivals nor their other title Starsiege: Deadzone "had enough success yet to support the studio."[^ref-4] The developer announced that updating the game would no longer be their main focus, effectively putting the title on indefinite hiatus.[^ref-4] | Metric | Status | |--------|--------| | Peak Players | Under 1,000[^ref-3] | | Current Status | Development paused[^ref-4] | | Steam Reviews | Mixed | The official website provides gameplay tutorials and FAQ documentation for new players.[^ref-6] IGN and other outlets covered the game's early access launch.[^ref-8] Player communities track statistics through SteamCharts[^ref-7] and discuss strategies on the official Discord server.[^ref-11] ## Downloads **Purchase / Digital Stores** - [Steam (Early Access)](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2687970/TRIBES_3_Rivals/) **Official Links** - [Official Website](https://www.tribes3rivals.com/) - [SteamDB Charts](https://steamdb.info/app/2687970/charts/) ## See Also - [[1998 - Starsiege - Tribes|Starsiege: Tribes]] (1998) – Dynamix/Sierra - [[2001 - Tribes 2|Tribes 2]] (2001) – Dynamix/Sierra - [[2002 - Tribes - Aerial Assault|Tribes: Aerial Assault]] (2002) – Inevitable Entertainment/Sierra - Tribes: Vengeance (2004) – Irrational Games/Vivendi - Tribes: Ascend (2012) – Hi-Rez Studios - **Tribes 3: Rivals** (2024) – Prophecy Games ## References [^ref-1]: [Wikipedia – Tribes 3: Rivals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribes_3:_Rivals) – developer, publisher, engine, release info [^ref-2]: [Rock Paper Shotgun – Tribes 3 Early Access Launch](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tribes-3-rivals-is-out-in-early-access-now-for-another-shot-at-making-tribes-popular) – launch announcement [^ref-3]: [SteamDB – Tribes 3: Rivals Charts](https://steamdb.info/app/2687970/charts/) – player counts [^ref-4]: [PC Gamer – Tribes Revival Struggles](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-latest-attempt-to-revive-tribes-looks-cooked-after-three-months/) – development pause announcement [^ref-5]: [Steam Store Page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2687970/TRIBES_3_Rivals/) – game description, classes, maps [^ref-6]: [Official Website](https://www.tribes3rivals.com/) – how to play, FAQ [^ref-7]: [SteamCharts](https://steamcharts.com/app/2687970) – concurrent players [^ref-8]: [IGN – Tribes 3 Review](https://www.ign.com/games/tribes-3-rivals) – coverage [^ref-9]: [PCGamingWiki – Tribes 3: Rivals](https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Tribes_3:_Rivals) – technical info [^ref-10]: [Reddit r/Tribes](https://www.reddit.com/r/Tribes/) – community discussion [^ref-11]: [Prophecy Games Discord](https://discord.gg/tribes) – official community [^ref-12]: [Developer Interview – Mick Larkins](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tribes+3+rivals+developer+interview) – development insights [^ref-13]: [YouTube Gameplay](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tribes+3+rivals+gameplay) – gameplay videos [^ref-14]: [Tribes Wiki](https://wiki.tribesdepot.com/wiki/Tribes_Wiki) – series information [^ref-15]: [SteamBase Charts](https://steambase.io/games/tribes-3-rivals/steam-charts) – additional statistics [^ref-16]: [Prophecy Games Official](https://www.prophecygames.com/) – developer info [^ref-17]: [IGN Coverage](https://www.ign.com/articles/tribes-3-rivals-preview) – preview coverage [^ref-18]: [Gamerant – Tribes History](https://gamerant.com/tribes-franchise-history/) – series background [^ref-19]: [Metacritic User Reviews](https://www.metacritic.com/game/tribes-3-rivals/user-reviews/) – community reception [^ref-20]: [Steam Community Hub](https://steamcommunity.com/app/2687970/) – player discussions