Stars Reach kicks off early access as terraforming sandbox MMO opens its gates

Stars Reach, the Kickstarter-backed sandbox MMORPG from Playable Worlds led by Raph Koster, enters early access today, offering a terraforming-forward galaxy where players can build governments, craft, trade, and shape ecosystems across a vast simulated universe. The current build covers core systems (combat, building, government, crafting, trade) but remains in active development, with a progression wipe planned before 1.0. Early-access editions cost $30 (base), $50, and $80, while the final launch next year will be free-to-play. The project has faced funding challenges and layoffs, casting some doubt on the timing, but a detailed six-month roadmap aims to deliver features like guilds, weather, spaceships, and more.