That Wars Galaxies Spiritual Successor "Stars Reach" Kickstarter Exceeds Expectations, Secures Development Funding

All we need now is a clone so we can live two lives.

Playable Worlds, a game development studio, announced today the successful conclusion of its Kickstarter campaign for Stars Reach, a sandbox MMORPG set in a dynamic, living galaxy. The campaign concluded with $740,097 pledged, representing a 370% funding achievement. This influx of capital will support the next stage of development for Stars Reach, paving the way for an Early Access launch later this year.

I was lucky enough to interview Raph Koster about the project, and I am delighted by the level of support that this game has received. As a self confessed SWG exile, I have been long waiting for a project that will offer the depth that I first found over 20 years ago in Galaxies.

“Our goal was to prove to the world that there was market appetite for this game, at a time when the industry financial landscape is challenging. We turned to players to help us make it happen and to provide that proof,” said Raph Koster, CEO of Playable Worlds. “And that approach worked: the success of the Kickstarter has already unlocked additional investment and set us on the road to Early Access later this year.”

Stars Reach distinguishes itself with a proprietary AI simulation that allows for emergent gameplay and a world that realistically reacts to player actions. According to Playable Worlds, pre-alpha playtesters have been actively shaping the game world, undertaking projects such as simulating the invention of the steam engine, constructing ice skating rinks and skate parks, establishing seed vaults, and authoring research papers on in-game plant propagation. Examples of player-driven environmental changes include river redirection, forestation (and deforestation), and construction of entire cities, including a replica of a Wild West town.

The Kickstarter campaign also unlocked several stretch goals, including guild alliances, additional defensive shield types, and a building system upgrade. At Early Access launch, Stars Reach will feature eight playable species: Terrans, Skwatchi, Hansians, Elioni, Gertans, Hyugons, Stokadi, and the Fae.

Playable Worlds has announced that late pledges are still available for individuals who missed the original campaign.

Looking ahead, Koster outlined key areas of focus for the development team: "We still have some hiring to do, more systems to implement and test, more performance improvements and bug squashing, more infrastructure testing & scaling, improving group and guild support, increasing our live-ops capabilities, and upgrading customer service to support a live audience."

Stars Reach gained recognition at the recent Game Developer Conference in San Francisco, where it was highlighted as a positive development within the broader games industry. The game's Kickstarter campaign was one of the most prominent MMORPG crowdfunding efforts in recent memory.

About Stars Reach

Stars Reach aims to deliver a comprehensive and immersive online world experience, developed by the designer of Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies. The game features a single, seamless galaxy filled with living planets for players to explore, settle, and govern with friends. Thousands of planets and areas of outer space, each persistent whether the player is online or not, are connected within a single galactic online multiplayer game. It offers a massively multiplayer sandbox RPG experience with a deep skill tree horizontal progression system, a variety of professions, and freedom from class, gender locks, or linear gameplay restrictions. Players can freely change their character build by retraining skills.

More information about Stars Reach can be found at https://starsreach.com.

About Playable Worlds

Playable Worlds is a game development studio focused on creating innovative online world experiences. Further details about Playable Worlds are available at www.playableworlds.com, and the company can be followed on Twitter/X and LinkedIn.

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