Stars Reach
News, coverage and analysis tracking Stars Reach across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Industry vet who worked on Ultima Online says the next big thing needs to have 'sh*tty graphics' to escape the…
Industry veteran Raph Koster argues that the relentless pursuit of high-resolution graphics is unsustainable due to ballooning development costs and stagnant game prices. He suggests that the next major platform innovation needs to intentionally have 'shitty graphics' to reset the cost curve and allow for new gameplay affordances, preventing established companies from dominating.
Sci-fi sandbox Stars Reach is throwing a raging party (system) this week
The sci-fi sandbox game Stars Reach is releasing its 'Better Together' update this week, introducing a party system that allows players to group up, chat, and explore the galaxy together. The update also includes improvements to the Galactic Map, removal of recipe activation, better inventory management, and bug fixes.
Stars Reach continues its hotfixing for crafting recipes, storage, and public events
Playable Worlds has released a hotfix for Stars Reach, addressing issues with crafting recipes, storage, and public events. The update includes normalization of crafting stations, reintroduction of oil and wood refining, and bug fixes for public events like boss projectile counts and meteor showers.
Betawatch: Monsters & Memories plunges testers into The Deep, Loftia begins pre-registrations, and ArcheAge S is on its way next year
Several MMORPGs are entering new testing phases or preparing for launch. Monsters & Memories is plunging testers into 'The Deep' ahead of its early access, while Loftia has begun pre-registrations. ArcheAge S is slated for a Q2 2027 release, with gameplay previews coming soon. Legends of Aria Eternal and Valheim have officially launched, while Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen has experienced layoffs.
MMO Week in Review: Joy of movement
This week's MMO news roundup covers a preview of Guild Wars 3's combat and movement, with ArenaNet's Colin Johanson taking on the game's direction. Other news includes Xbox's cloud gaming plans, Aion 2 lacking an Oceania server, Elder Scrolls Online's roadmap, and rumors of a StarCraft successor from Nexon and Blizzard.
Make My MMO: Stars Reach’s prospects, Squadron 42’s postponements
This article provides an update on various crowdfunded MMORPGs. Stars Reach has launched into early access with server issues but is actively patching. Squadron 42 has been delayed again, citing Grand Theft Auto 6 as a reason, adding to its decade-long postponement. Pantheon Rise of the Fallen continues its slow development on a combat revamp, with player numbers declining significantly.
Betawatch: ArcheAge Chronicles plans a network test for next weekend
ArcheAge Chronicles is planning a network test for September 12th, continuing its development journey. The article also rounds up other MMO news, including updates on Guild Wars 3, Farhaven, and Aion 2, alongside a lengthy list of games currently in various stages of testing and development.
Stars Reach brushes off sunset fears as it releases its Ground Control update
Stars Reach has released its 'Ground Control' update, addressing performance issues, restoring lost player items, and improving the in-game map and marketplace. The update also makes housing more accessible early on. Lead developer Raph Koster confirmed the game is not being sunsetted and that the studio is actively working on further improvements based on player feedback.
Stars Reach’s latest hotfix addresses lost homesteads, marketplace listing bugs, and stability
Stars Reach has released a new hotfix addressing several issues, including a serialization problem affecting marketplace listings and safeguards to prevent homesteads from being lost. The update also includes optimizations for flora and fauna and ongoing efforts to resolve server crashes. Access to two wild wormhole planets has been temporarily disabled while developers work on a fix.
Stars Reach’s latest early access patch buffs character speed and adds craftable player vendors
Playable Worlds has released a new patch for the early access MMORPG Stars Reach, addressing performance and stability issues, including server crashes and rubberbanding. The update also overhauls character movement speed, improves inventory management with a 'merge all' option, enhances structure placement, adds craftable player vendors, and refines the player market.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 577: Stars Reach’s next generation trek
The Massively OP Podcast episode 577 covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, the upcoming MapleStory Classic World, a preview of Stormforge, playable Kodan in Guild Wars 3, and Palia's fall roadmap. The hosts also touch on Daybreak Game Company's financials and other meta site topics.
MMO Week in Review: Way too early access
This week's MMO news covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, which some consider premature. Other highlights include a look at Guild Wars 3's Kodan, Daybreak's acquisition of Cold Iron Studios, new content for EverQuest Legends, and an analysis of the survival game Stormforge. The article also touches on various other MMO updates, rumors, and industry discussions.
SWG lead's new MMO, Stars Reach, almost lost me—until I met an animal conservationist mayor
Stars Reach, an MMO from Raph Koster, known for Star Wars: Galaxies, has launched in early access with a high price point and a messy, unfinished state. While the game's vision of a socially-driven experience with diverse skill trees is apparent, its current implementation suffers from janky mechanics, a poor first impression, and a lack of direction, though glimpses of compelling player-driven community building offer hope for its future.
Stars Reach puts out a hotfix that attacks a wide list of bugs and issues
Playable Worlds has released a hotfix for their early access MMO, Stars Reach, addressing numerous bugs and issues. The patch includes fixes for rubberbanding, crafting, collection, and more, though the studio admits it's not a complete solution. User reviews remain mixed on Steam, with player concurrency numbers having dropped significantly since launch.
WRUP: This is where the fish lives edition
The Massively OP staff and community share their weekend gaming plans. Brianna Royce will check out Stars Reach and City of Heroes, Chris Neal is playing Palworld, Eliot Lefebvre anticipates updates for Final Fantasy XIV and Warframe, Sam Kash plans to play Guild Wars Reforged and Gloria Victis, and Tyler Edwards is catching up in World of Warcraft. Pierre is returning to Final Fantasy XIV and replaying A Plague Tale: Innocence in anticipation of A Plague Tale: Requiem.
Betawatch: Stars Reach hits early access stumbles and Guild Wars 3 outlines its Kodan details
This week's Betawatch covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, with developer Raph Koster apologizing for initial issues. Guild Wars 3 has also detailed its playable Kodan, while City of Heroes and Stormforge have received updates. The roundup includes news on numerous other MMOs in various testing phases, including Aero Tales Online, Elder Scrolls Online, and Aloft.
‘We aren’t where we want to be yet in terms of server stability,’ says Stars Reach boss
Stars Reach, an early access MMORPG sandbox, is experiencing significant server stability and performance issues shortly after its launch. Playable Worlds' Raph Koster acknowledged these problems, stating the team is working on patches to address bugs, optimization, and gameplay blockers. The game has struggled to maintain a large player base and has received mixed reviews due to its pre-alpha state.
Vague Patch Notes: How do MMOs come back from bad launches?
This article analyzes how Massively Multiplayer Online games can recover from poor launches, emphasizing the critical role of leadership admitting fault and engaging with the player base. It contrasts successful turnarounds, like Final Fantasy XIV, with games that failed to gain traction, such as Ship of Heroes, highlighting that player perception must improve before the game itself can be fixed.
Bring the Fire: Play Games on GeForce NOW With New Firefox Browser Support
NVIDIA's GeForce NOW cloud gaming service now supports the Firefox browser, allowing users to play PC games directly from their browser without needing a dedicated app. This expansion joins existing support for Chrome, Edge, and Opera, making high-performance PC gaming more accessible on various devices. The update also introduces 12 new games to the GeForce NOW library, including BlackMill Games' World War 1 shooter, Gallipoli.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 576: Peering into the future of MMOs
The Massively OP Podcast episode 576 features hosts Justin and Bree discussing the future of MMORPGs, including Star Wars: The Old Republic's update plans, World of Warcraft's latest patch, and delays for Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty due to Amazon's exit from publishing. They also cover Q2 MMO financials and introduce a new 'spotlight of the week' segment.
