Short answer
Stanton is usually the most accessible introduction for new players because it is more controlled and easier to understand than Pyro. Pyro is rougher and more dangerous. Nyx is also useful as lore and broader context; check current official information before assuming that a particular location is playable.
The universe and its locations
Star Citizen is not a single map but a collection of star systems with very different atmospheres. Some locations are controlled, commercial and densely developed; others are dangerous, rugged or largely beyond government control. New players must therefore learn both the mission systems and the distinct character of each location.
Stanton
Stanton is the main point of entry for many players. Large corporations shape the system, which combines industrial zones, megacities, commercial space and privately controlled territory.
Stanton introduces many basic processes: navigating spaceports, landing zones and stations; taking simple missions; trading; and making longer flights. Its major cities can still be overwhelming because of their routes, performance demands and scale.
ArcCorp is an intensely urbanised world dominated by city, industry and infrastructure. Area18 is one of its best-known locations and captures how dense, loud and commercial Star Citizen can feel.
Hurston is harsher and more industrial. Owned by Hurston Dynamics, the planet is associated with factories, weapons manufacturing, pollution and difficult working conditions. Lorville accordingly feels heavy, dusty and less inviting than other major locations.
Crusader is a gas giant with a distinctive atmosphere. Instead of conventional land masses, floating platforms and the city of Orison define the experience. Crusader feels brighter, airier and more elegant than Hurston or ArcCorp.
microTech is cold, modern and technological. New Babbage looks cleaner, more futuristic and more orderly. The planet offers strong contrasts of high-tech architecture, snow, ice and wide landscapes.
Pyro
Pyro is a much harsher counterpart to Stanton. The unclaimed system is more dangerous and shaped by outlaws, factions and survival. For beginners, it demonstrates how different Star Citizen's systems can be.
New players should treat Pyro as a more advanced area. It can be highly atmospheric, but it demands greater caution, better preparation and realistic expectations about security, supplies and technical stability.
Pyro I lies close to its star and represents a harsh, extreme environment. Rather than a comfortable starting point, it shows that not every celestial body in the 'Verse is intended to be welcoming.
Monox, or Pyro II, has only limited habitability. It illustrates that accessible does not mean safe: locations here are more dangerous and less controlled than Stanton's familiar landing zones.
Bloom, or Pyro III, provides a more hospitable contrast within the system. It shows that even a dangerous system can contain more than barren rocks and ruins.
Pyro IV is unusual because it is described not simply as a conventional planet, but as an outer moon of Pyro V. That helps make Pyro feel astronomically and atmospherically more alien than Stanton.
Pyro V is a gas giant with several moons. Its surrounding region feels large, remote and dangerous, matching the character of the wider system.
Terminus, or Pyro VI, embodies much of the system's harsh, lawless character. Factions, stations and survival all matter here, reinforcing Pyro's identity as a frontier where safety is never assured.
Nyx
Nyx differs clearly from both Stanton and Pyro. It lies near a dark nebula and is also unclaimed, making it feel less like an orderly commercial region and more like a refuge beyond the UEE's reach.
Nyx helps beginners understand the breadth of Star Citizen's setting. Treat details about Nyx, Delamar and Levski cautiously: some are tied to lore, earlier builds or developing content and may change during the Alpha.
Nyx I is notable in the lore for its connection to terraforming and experimental technology. It reflects the long-term, unfinished nature of many locations in Star Citizen's universe.
Nyx II is a smog-covered planet with a toxic, corrosive atmosphere. It is a hostile world that illustrates how varied celestial bodies in the 'Verse can be.
Nyx III is an ice giant and the system's large outer planet, representing Nyx's cold and remote character.
Delamar is especially important within the Glaciem Ring. It is home to Levski, an independent settlement built into a former mining facility. Levski represents a different side of Star Citizen: less polished and corporate, more remote, defiant and independent.