Hello Wayfarers,
Early Access is on the horizon, but the sun is shining in our latest update! Jump in and experience The Calm Before the Storm! This is our final playtest update before we close out the playtest and prepare to launch Stars Reach into Early Access on August 18, 2026.
We're in the final stretch of playtesting, and we're going to need your help. Whether you've been starside with us recently or haven't been back for many solar cycles, now's the perfect time to jump back in and see everything we've been working on over the last few months.
Want a glimpse of what’s coming next? Take a peek at our Living Roadmap to see some of the exciting features and systems planned for Early Access and beyond.
Some things that have been added, updated, and polished over the last few months:
A spiffy new character creator. Now you can tailor your in-game persona to stand out from the crowd.
Dangerous fauna now emerge from Makers. You’re going to want to destroy those, especially if they’re close to your homestead. Don’t let them get out of control, or you may find yourself with some unfriendly visitors.
A complete user interface refresh makes interacting with Stars Reach’s systems much easier (and more pleasant on the eyes)!
Crafting has received a significant overhaul, creating the foundation of a player-driven galactic economy.
Terrain now slides! Be careful you don’t end up under a landslide or avalanche! But DO try and use this to your advantage in combat!
We’ve added an enormous number of quality of life and stability improvements. Especially if you haven’t played in a few months, you’re coming back to a game that has greatly evolved.
Your feedback is vital as we enter the home stretch of our playtest period. Playtesting will end on August 12, 2026 at 1:59 PM PT / 4:59 PM ET.
Celebrate the Final Week of Playtesting and Earn Rewards!
To celebrate the final week of playtesting before Early Access, we're launching a special Playtester Rewards Campaign!
Starting now, you can earn points just by playing Stars Reach and unlock rewards including wallpapers, in-game titles, Discord roles, and merchandise. If you're already part of the playtest, you're automatically enrolled through your Firstlook profile. Once you've earned enough points, simply log in to FirstLook to redeem your rewards.
Not yet in the playtest? There’s still time to join! Get Access Now
We’ve also scheduled a number of events to celebrate the closing days of our playtest, so we hope you’ll join us this weekend!
Attention Content Creators! We have a program running for you, too!
If you’re a content creator, head on over to Creators.gg to apply for our creator program! Once you’re approved and begin streaming, you’ll earn Early Access keys for yourself and your community, in-game titles, official Stars Reach merchandise, and more! So please join us, and stream, post videos, earn, and get those rewards!
Fireside Chat with Raph Koster - Saturday, August 8, 2026, 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET
Our journey to Early Access has been exciting, and we are thrilled to open the doors to the galaxy! Join us this Saturday, as Raph Koster walks us through the Calm Before the Storm update. Plus, he might even share a few peeks at our Founders Packs!
Server Slam - Saturday, August 8, 2026, 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET
You’ll be the asteroid. We’ll be the dinosaurs. Let’s see what happens when you hurtle through space and collide with our servers!
Right after our Fireside Chat with Raph Koster, we will all make new characters at the same time and gather in Haven; just like we will on launch day. From there we’ll work through the tutorial and head out into space.
The more players we can have in-game, the better our data will be. For those of you who have not participated in a Server Slam before, the goal is to push the servers as hard as we can. For that reason, we do expect downtime and various oddities. Your help will shore up our stability for Early Access launch!
How to Homestead Community Event - Sunday, August 9, 2026, 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET
Our community builders are truly remarkable! From a giant Minion to the finest Kebab restaurant in the galaxy, building is an important activity in Stars Reach.
If you’ve never built your own home in a game, it can be a little intimidating (even with our tools, which are designed for approachability). That’s why we’re getting together to show you how to plan, build, and decorate your very own home among the stars.
We hope you’ll join us in-game, on Twitch, or both for this fun and educational event!
In closing, we want to thank each and every one of our playtesters. Your input, feedback, in-game builds, and bug reports have shaped Stars Reach as it exists today. We can’t wait to welcome the world on August 18th when we kick off Early Access.
And with that… we’ll see you in the stars!