Stars Reach Enters Early Access on Steam

Stars Reach, the sandbox MMO from Raph Koster and Playable Worlds, has launched into Early Access on Steam after several years of backer testing.

The game is built around old-school MMO ideas: players shaping the world, taking on self-directed roles, and interacting with systems rather than following a strict theme park quest path. One of its bigger hooks is terraforming, with players able to alter parts of the environment as they explore and settle into the game’s universe.

Access is being sold through three paid packs on the Steam page. The Firstlight Pack costs $29.99, the Voyager Pack is $49.99, and the Cosmonaut Pack is $79.99. Each tier includes different cosmetics and in-game extras.

Playable Worlds is positioning Stars Reach as a player-driven MMO, so Early Access should give the team its first larger test of how those systems hold up with more people online at once. As usual with Early Access, expect rough edges and changes over time, especially for a game leaning this hard on simulation and player freedom.