Today we finally broke our vow of silence (blame it on sound not traveling through space), we hosted our STARSEEKER Direct livestream to deep dive into what kind of game STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions will be and even had a “one more thing” moment to share more details about ASTRONEER’s Megatech DLC.
There’s still much work left to be done, but we’ve just been too anxious to share it with you all! Bear in mind, though, that some things are still works in progress and might change between now and launch.
STARSEEKER Gameplay Reveal
If you haven’t had the chance to watch the STARSEEKER Direct yet, you can watch the full VOD on our YouTube channel!
It’s only a few weeks ago at PAX that we gave players a small glimpse of STARSEEKER, but today we’ve shared a much larger overview of what the vision of STARSEEKER is meant to be; its gameplay loop, some of its mechanics, and even a few of the creatures you might encounter. But...
What is STARSEEKER?
We’ve given you the broad idea before, this is a game about discovery, cooperative expeditions, and camaraderie. Exploring deep space on the ESS Starseeker, you will need to work together with the entire crew of the space station to complete planet-wide objectives across a multitude of star systems wielding advanced future tech.
To be more specific, you’ll be teaming up with other members of the ESS Starseeker into 4-player squads to embark on expeditions. These are timed planetside adventures for you and your squad to explore, complete objectives, then finally loot and scoot, but you’ll most likely get into some delightful shenanigans along the way.
While on a planet’s surface, you’ll run into dangerous creatures, unique encounters, and precious materials to scoop up. But be warned, players are not always expected to succeed! You will need to use all of your advanced tech and collaborate with your crew if you want to return to the ESS Starseeker with your hard-earned goods.
If you do manage to survive an expedition, then you’ll return up to the space station to earn all of your sweet rewards and rep gains from the Fronteer Force, the legendary superteam of absurd action science heroes in charge of the Starseeker. But you can never take the desire for adventure away from an Astroneer, so gear up and plan for your next expedition.
Moment to Moment Gameplay
Your goal on an expedition is not to come in guns blazing to save humanity from an intergalactic threat - our heroics aren’t quite so violent, but still action-packed. Treacherous terrain, troublesome flora and fauna, and of course the ever-present limited oxygen that sets a timer to any expedition are just some of the challenges you’ll face.
To face these challenges, you can pack a veritable Swiss army knife of gear for every occasion (though you may need to prioritize). ASTRONEER veterans will already be familiar with the trusty EXO Tool, which is still key to your expeditionary kit, but it’ll do more than just dig up terrain or scoop up resources (which it also does).
Through a variety of nozzle upgrades, your EXO Tool can aid you in a variety of ways, like keeping rowdy critters at bay with a powerful air blast or water hose (or squad members too, if you’re feeling mischievous). You can also get creative - use your air blasts for mid-air jumps, chuck globs of soil to build bridges, or combine tools for unique effects.
And this isn’t the only tool in your kit. Your trusty backpack will be able to receive a variety of mods as well, but we’re not quite ready to go over those just yet. Do consider, however, that we’ve also added new mobility options. Climbing, swimming, and diving are just some of them, but also soaring through Tephra’s skies thanks to the cool new glider we’ve teased in previous communications.
Alien Worlds & Creatures
Fascinating creatures, hazardous flora, and more await you on your expeditions. The Starseeker’s first destination is the planet Tephra, a colorful world teeming with life. This is a carefully crafted planet and not procedurally generated as we’ve done before, with different biomes and hidden secrets to discover as more landing zones unlock.
The current vision is that once the crew of the Starseeker has finished all of its science-y goals on one planet, it will then move on to the next one, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves yet, there’s still plenty to talk about with Tephra. In addition to the wild vegetation that would be the dream of any xenobotanist, you’ll also run into a variety of alien creatures (some of which are at least partially vegetation as well).
Some of the alien fauna can be quite dangerous and will require teamwork to fend off. You’ll run into lumbering brutes that see red at anything that gets too close to them. Other creatures might be just as territorial, choosing instead to launch slowing goop at you from a distance.
But not all creatures you encounter are hostile, they’re all likely to respond to your presence in different ways. Some of them might just ignore you entirely, like the curious Carrotlings. They’re an enigmatic bunch, but they’re mostly harmless. Mostly.
One Crew, One Shared Goal
Last, but not least, this is a game about camaraderie, as we mentioned earlier. You’ll experience this every time you head out on an expedition with your squad, but it goes beyond that. We want to offer a game experience that breeds altruism, where it feels good for you to help out, not just other players, but the whole crew of the Starseeker.
One way we’re doing this is with community goals, shared missions with the whole Starseeker community of players. Heck, diving into an alien planet for exploration, conducting research, and gathering resources takes a village (or a space station). All this effort will go towards new rewards, unfolding new mysteries, and driving the story forwards.
Another way we’re bringing players together is through the ESS Starseeker itself. It’s the heart of the crew, an ever-evolving space station where players get together to plan expeditions, earn new upgrades, gain reputation with the excentric Fronteer Force leadership, and even hang out with other players where silliness is encouraged.
What’s Next?
Phew, that was a lot to take in all at once. But it’s only the beginning! We plan to dig into the details of the game much more deeply over the coming months running up to the release of the game in 2026. Keep an eye on this space and make sure to follow our channels so you’re the first to hear about any news we have to share, especially if you join our Discord. But most importantly, wishlist STARSEEKER now to show your support, it really helps.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wishlist STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions!
But wait, there’s more!
Megatech is ASTRONEER on a whole new scale!
When we announced Megatech a few weeks ago, our upcoming new ASTRONEER DLC expansion, we were admittedly light on details. This is in no small part because we’re still in active development and some things might change between now and release, but we still want to share a few more details, with the understanding that this is still a work in progress subject to some changes.
Joe already showed us a deeper look at one of the Megastructures you’ll be able to gain access to with the Megatech FREE Update, the Intermodal Terminal! (That’s the correct name 😉) We’ve teased it before, and to your credit, you figured out what it does right away. That’s right, interplanetary automation is coming soon for all players! But how does it work? More on this soon, we still have a few more updates to share running up to launch.
This isn’t the only thing coming with the Megatech FREE Update either, we’ll also be adding some nice quality-of-life improvements for all players. We will be adding player requested items like the tether dropper which will automatically place down tethers behind you at the optimal distance, and large sized gas and soil canisters (you’ll be needing them to build these massive megastructures, though they’re also great for general storage), and more!
But we also have massive additions in the Megatech DLC that we hope you’ll love as much as we already do. Megastructure projects include the expandable Biodome for you to grow your crops in and a large Museum space for you to display your achievements and favorite collections. We also have something HUGE that we’re setting aside to talk about at a later date, but let’s just say it’s too massive to place down on any of your bases, you’ll need more... space.
If you haven’t already, make sure to wishlist the Megatech DLC so you can be among the first to get it when it launches later this year. We’ll also have more information to share soon, so stay tuned!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wishlist ASTRONEER: Megatech Now!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Download the ASTRONEER: Megatech wallpaper:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Landscape (1920x1080) - Landscape 4K (3820x2160) - Portrait (1080x1920)
FAQ
STARSEEKER:
Will there be a Beta?
Yes, this is what we’re planning for. That said, we don’t have any details to share yet. Sign up here and wishlist the game to be among the first to find out more.
Is this going to be a Live Service Game?
Maybe only in the most technical sense. Sure, the game will be live at all times, but we prefer to think of it as an “expandable game,” a term coined by our friends at Devolver. In essence, this means that we’ll continue to update the game into the future, but we don't expect STARSEEKER players to be chained up to the game 24/7 or never play any other games. We want to keep you entertained, but we don’t see anything wrong with players coming and going as we get new content updates for them to check out or when they get drawn by other games in their collections.
Can I play solo?
Yes, you can head out on solo expeditions. However, you will still encounter other players on the station and on the planet. STARSEEKER is an online game designed from the ground up for squads of four, so going alone can be tougher without a crew to watch your back. If you decide to team up with others, matchmaking can help you group up, and the in-game ping system allows everyone to coordinate without requiring text or voice chat.
Can I play offline?
No, STARSEEKER is designed as a social experience and there are always going to be at least a few other players nearby. We like to think of STARSEEKER as a complement to ASTRONEER, which does allow for a solo experience.
Is this ASTRONEER 2?
Nope! While it is part of the same universe, STARSEEKER is a different type of game altogether, as we hope this blog has helped make a bit clearer.
How does STARSEEKER connect to ASTRONEER?
While the narrative might connect these two games in some ways, they are both entirely different games meant to live side by side with each other. There aren’t any ways in which these two games connect to each other in terms of gameplay or account progression.
What will happen to ASTRONEER?
It’s not going anywhere, as you can see from our Megatech announcement. We still plan to continue developing the game and adding more content over time in parallel to STARSEEKER.
ASTRONEER: Megatech
What’s the release date for ASTRONEER: Megatech?
November 2025. We’ll narrow this down once we’re closer to release.
Will existing game save files be compatible with the Megatech DLC?
Yes.
Will any free content be released with the Megatech DLC?
Yes. A free content update will be released alongside the paid DLC. We’ll break this down in detail at a later date.
How far into the game should I progress before starting the Megatech DLC?
You can access the Megatech DLC as soon as you start a new game. That said, the majority of this new content will be locked behind a fair bit of the tech tree and some missions, both old and new.