Space Simulation
Ongoing coverage on Space Simulation.
Latest coverage
Star Citizen’s DefenseCon event rolls out the red carpet for the MISC Starlite and other ship brands
Star Citizen's DefenseCon event is showcasing various spaceship manufacturers, with MISC currently featured and highlighting the solo-focused Starlite fuel delivery ship. The ongoing event will also feature Mirai, Argo Astronautics, and Greycat Industrial, following previous reveals of the Drake Ironclad, Drake Pitbull, and Origin M80. The game, which began crowdfunding in 2012, remains in alpha with over $900 million raised and continues to face both loyal support and skepticism.
Star Citizen DefenseCon 2956 Free Fly Postponed
Cloud Imperium Games has postponed the Star Citizen DefenseCon 2956 Free Fly event. DefenseCon is an annual showcase for the spacecraft featured in the crowdfunded space simulation games Star Citizen and its single-player counterpart, Squadron 42.
Star Citizen alpha 4.8 Tactical Strike includes a group mission, DefenseCon free-fly, and ship insurance updates
Star Citizen has launched its alpha 4.8 update, titled Tactical Strike, introducing a new PvE group mission, the DefenseCon free-fly event, and significant updates to ship insurance mechanics. The new insurance system offers a free, slower claim option and a faster, paid option that saves custom loadouts, alongside a "bricking" function to combat item duplication. This update also includes a full server wipe and new in-game features like player-managed refueling and rearming.
Start your Engine festival brings every game with an engine together for new upcoming announcements, demos and discounts on known titles
The "Start your Engine" festival, organized by Playtogether Studios, will feature 86 games that utilize engines, including 28 upcoming titles and 18 with playable demos. The event, starting May 12th, will also offer discounts of up to 95% on existing games across various simulation and driving genres.
Crewed – Beta Sign up | Alpha Beta Gamer
Crewed is a cooperative spaceship management game for 2 to 6 players where teams must work together to keep a malfunctioning vessel operational. The game features interconnected systems where failures can cascade, procedural missions, and proximity voice chat to enhance the chaotic experience. Beta sign-ups are now available.
Star Citizen hypes its May 14 DefenseCon event and alpha 4.8 content, confirms no CitizenCon this year
Cloud Imperium Games is hyping its upcoming DefenseCon event, scheduled from May 14th to 27th, which will replace Invictus Launch Week and allow players to rent various spacecraft. The game's alpha 4.8 update, expected next week, will introduce multiplayer tactical strike groups and other features. CitizenCon will not be held this year as the studio focuses on updates and the eventual release of Squadron 42.
Elite Dangerous hands out its new passenger ship for free and brings back burning stations in latest patch
Elite Dangerous has released a new patch that makes the Lynx Highliner passenger ship available for free to all players who claim it via the game's website. The update also reintroduces missions involving rescuing civilians from burning space stations and includes various bug fixes.
Orbitals Hands-On Preview
Orbitals is a new space simulation and strategy game that offers a fresh perspective on managing a celestial body. The preview highlights the game's unique mechanics and potential for deep strategic gameplay.
Kerbal Space Program Sees Player Surge Thanks to Artemis II Mission
Kerbal Space Program has seen a significant increase in players, driven by renewed public interest in space exploration, particularly NASA's Artemis II mission. This surge highlights the enduring appeal of the 11-year-old space simulator, even as its successor, Kerbal Space Program 2, faces challenges. The game's educational value and realistic physics continue to attract new players inspired by real-world space achievements.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Beta goes live April 22, and here’s how to get in
The beta for The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, a game inspired by the Mass Effect franchise, is now live for PC, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5. Access to the beta, which features an opening mission, requires pre-ordering the Miller's Pack or Collector's Edition, priced at $79.99 and $289 respectively. The full game is scheduled for a 2027 release.
Starlight Mining Company Hits 1.0: Space Mining Just Got a Whole Lot More Dangerous
Starlight Mining Company has officially launched its 1.0 version, a space mining simulation developed by Chinese Earthquake. The update introduces new enemy weapons, including swords, pistols, and magic, alongside Steam achievements and increased difficulty levels. The game aims to provide a unique blend of space survival and fantasy elements, distinguishing itself from larger space simulation titles.
What Egosoft's three decades of making space sims tells us about serving 'niche' audiences
Egosoft, a German studio with three decades of experience, has found success by serving a niche audience with its X space simulation series, particularly with X4: Foundations. CEO Bernd Lahahn discusses how the company's iterative development model, community engagement, and focus on deep simulation have allowed them to thrive, even as the broader market shifts towards simpler, more social games. Despite challenges in approachability for younger players, Egosoft believes its complex space empire builder has multigenerational appeal.
lunr.rdio.taxi – Beta Sign Up | Alpha Beta Gamer
lunr.rdio.taxi is a new 'DRIFTHM' game that combines drifting mechanics with rhythm-based gameplay, set in a hypercapitalistic future where players pilot an interplanetary taxi. Players earn points by drifting in sync with Brazilian music to increase multipliers, with a focus on narrowly avoiding obstacles. The game features customizable ships, challenge-based leaderboards, and full modding support, and is currently open for beta sign-ups.
X4: Foundations First Look – Learning Space Travel, Combat and Docking
This preview offers a first look at X4: Foundations, a space simulation game that covers space travel, combat, and docking. The author found the basic tutorials helpful for learning the game's mechanics, which share similarities with Elite Dangerous. The game is noted for its optimization and satisfying gameplay moments, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
SpaceCraft launches next month in early access
Shiro Games announced that their multiplayer space adventure and building game, SpaceCraft, will launch in early access on PC via Steam on May 20th. The game focuses on player-driven universe building, resource management, and interstellar trade, with CEO Nicolas Cannasse emphasizing player agency in shaping the game's ecosystem.
Star Citizen Unveils the Highly Anticipated Hull B Cargo Ship
Cloud Imperium Games has revealed the Hull B, a new cargo ship for their space simulation game Star Citizen. This reveal coincides with the release of the game's Alpha 4.7 patch, which introduces a variety of new content and features.
Star Citizen Free Fly Event
Cloud Imperium Games has announced that the Captains of Industry 2026 event is now live for Star Citizen. This event is part of the ongoing development for the ambitious space simulation game, which has been funded through crowdfunding.
Star Citizen Free Fly event goes live today as the annual Captains of Industry showcase gets underway
Cloud Imperium Games has launched a limited-time Free Fly event for Star Citizen, running from April 9 to April 20, allowing players to experience the space simulation game without purchase. The event coincides with the annual Captains of Industry showcase, focusing on the game's cargo hauling mechanics and introducing new vehicles like the MISC Hull B and Greycat UTV.
Kerbal Space Program rockets to its highest concurrent player count on Steam in more than 10 years
Kerbal Space Program has reached its highest concurrent player count on Steam in over a decade, coinciding with renewed public interest in NASA's Artemis 2 mission. The space simulation game, originally released in 2015, has seen a significant surge in players, with many citing the Artemis mission as their reason for returning or trying the game. Kerbal Space Program 2 also experienced a smaller increase in player numbers.
Crimson Desert players are visiting space and finding that Pearl Abyss modelled a really weird amount of it
Players exploring Crimson Desert have discovered that the game features a surprisingly detailed model of space, including the atmosphere, Milky Way, and a curved planetary surface. This level of detail, potentially enabled by Pearl Abyss's Blackspace Engine, has led to speculation about future space-based DLC, though it may also be a testament to the developers' commitment to detail, similar to Rockstar's approach with Red Dead Redemption 2.
