Stars Reach
Setting: Science Fiction / MMORPG | Developer: Playable Worlds | Platform: PC, VR | Status: In Development, Pre-Alpha | Year of Campaign: 2025 | Funds raised on Kickstarter: $783,012 | Backers: 5,599
The ambitions for the galaxy sandbox MMORPG are huge, not only because it feels like a “No Man’s Sky as an MMO” at every turn. There are supposed to be hundreds of worlds that are meant to feel alive and can be changed. The game aims for an action-packed yet tactically demanding combat system.
However, there should also be peaceful ways to have fun with Stars Reach. You will be able to create planetary maps that can then be turned into profit. Or you can become a miner, elected governor, or pursue a completely different profession within the player-driven economy.
As an ultimate challenge, you should even be able to take over an entire planet and build an infrastructure on it. The ambitions of the team are illustrated by the following statement from July 2024: Stars Reach aims to do for science fiction what World of Warcraft has done for fantasy.
The project is led by Raph Koster, the lead designer of Ultima Online (released in 1997) and the creative director of Star Wars Galaxies (2003). The veteran is also known for his expertise in development: In an interview with MeinMMO, Koster spoke about the development of MMOs and explained, that WoW killers had almost killed MMOs.
Many other veterans are also part of the team, who have worked on titles such as EverQuest, EverQuest 2, Eve Online, Diablo 2, Diablo 3, StarCraft, StarCraft 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Rift, Age of Conan, and many other well-known games.
This mix seems to resonate well with genre fans. This year’s Kickstarter campaign was a great success. And not only because it welcomed another investor who is expected to bring in a sum higher than the crowdfunding result on Kickstarter.
As the game is already in a playable pre-alpha state, the chances are quite good that Stars Reach can make it over the finish line. More about the recent funding boost: New MMORPG by a legendary developer is already in alpha, raising over 1.5 million dollars again
