Starside – July 30, 2026

Hello, Wayfarers!

[p align="start"]We’ve got big news for you this week. START THE COUNTDOWN!

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[p align="start"]**EARLY ACCESS LAUNCH IS COMING! **

[p align="start"]Today we announced that Stars Reach will enter Early Access on August 18, 2026!

[p align="start"]We’ll be launching with three options to take your first steps among the stars. If you’re just interested in the base game, we’ve got you covered with a $29.99 option. However, if you want to support us (and get yourself some cool cosmetics and early unlocks for two upgraded tools), we’ll have additional tiers for purchase! You’ll be able to purchase the Firstlight Pack ($29.99), the Voyager Pack ($49.99), and the Cosmonaut Pack ($79.99), each offering increasing rewards and cosmetics.

[p align="start"]As part of this announcement, we’ve published a demo walkthrough video narrated by Raph Koster. This footage was captured from the build we used in June when meeting with press and creators in Los Angeles. Now you can see exactly what’s made members of the media so excited about Stars Reach. 

[p align="start"]Take Your First Steps in this Week’s Community Event!

[p align="start"]On Sunday, August 2, 2026 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, we’re hosting a community event in our Discord server!

[p align="start"]We'll be looking at great ways to get started exploring and having fun in the many exciting worlds of Stars Reach. If you wish to join us in the game, we will meet at the Starbase, in Deep Space! Of course, you can always tune in to us on Twitch as well! We look forward to seeing you!

Get Ready for a Server Slam!

Next week, we’ll start the process of gearing up for Early Access launch. As part of this work, we need your help putting our servers through their paces. Load testing is an important part of our final work on the lead up to August 18. We’ll have more details for you soon! Stay tuned in the Stars Reach Discord server for the latest!

[p align="start"]The Big News Roundup!

[p align="start"]Now that our demo video is live and our Early Access release date is announced (August 18 is right around the corner), we wanted to give you a huge roundup of all the coverage so far, starting with the new articles and videos since last week!

[p align="start"]As you’ll see, there’s a lot of excitement for Stars Reach! We can’t wait to welcome in the general public!

New Coverage!

Playable Worlds launches Stars Reach on Steam early access in August | hands-on preview and interview | GamesBeat

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Coverage you may have missed!

Stars Reach could be the second coming of the sandbox MMO, with player-built cities and 40+ Star Wars Galaxies-style professions to give me hope | PCGamer

Hands-On Preview: Stars Reach Represents The Dream MMOs Have Promised For Decades, And I Can't Contain My Excitement | MMORPG.com

Stars Reach's Raph Koster wants the MMO to be as "wiki-resistant" as possible to keep "the magic more alive” - PCGamesN  

Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies vet tells me the theme park 'assembly line' MMO just isn't viable anymore, especially as dev costs spike: 'We hit the wall” - PC Gamer (Yes! They wrote about us twice!)

‘Stars Reach’ Shoots For The Stars With Exploration And Player Expression - ButWhyTho

CGMagazine’s Best of Summer Game Fest 2026 - CGMagazine

One Of The Architects Of Star Wars Galaxies And UO Is Creating Something Even More Ambitious Than No Man's Sky - ScreenRant

The 8 Indie Games From SGF 2026 That You Can’t Sleep On - ComicBook.com

Stars Reach Wants to Bring MMORPGs Back to Their Sandbox Roots, and It’s Got All the Right Ideas - Console Creatures

I have no idea if Stars Reach will be a good MMORPG, but one thing already makes it better than all the others - MeinMMO (English)

Raph Koster’s Stars Reach is a wild bet on the future of online worlds, 30 years in the making - Polygon

"You can literally reroute a river into a desert and cause it to bloom": Star Wars Galaxies lead says of his new sandbox MMO, Stars Reach - RockPaperShotgun

Stars Reach: Why This Ambitious Sandbox MMORPG Could Reshape the Genre - The Financial

Interview: MMO Pioneer Raph Koster on Stars Reach and the Future of Sandbox Game Design | 80Level

Raph Koster — The Puddle, the Splat, and the Droplets | Re:Play (on Spotify)

Pour lutter contre l'ennui, le MMORPG Stars Reach mise sur la créativité des joueurs - JeuxOnLine (French)

Keine Ahnung, ob Stars Reach ein gutes MMORPG wird, aber eine Sache macht es schon jetzt besser als alle anderen - MeinMMO (German)

Thank you for your dedication, time, and care during our playtesting. We would not be where we are without the thoughtful feedback from our community! We’ll be actively continuing the feedback process during Early Access. Your input will continue to shape tomorrow!

We’ll see you in the Stars!

Screenshot of the Week: Bridge Construction by LDP and Dr. Drake