Planet Explorers
Released Nov 2016
Planet Explorers is an open world sandbox adventure RPG game set on a distant planet. The game uses a new OpenCL calculated voxel system to allow players to change the terrain in any way, create new objects such as weapons, vehicles, objects, and do it anywhere.
62% positive · 6,817 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to get it
Free on Steam
Evaluation
Planet Explorers launched on November 8, 2016 and received several post-launch patches adding features and bug fixes through early 2018. On January 12, 2018, the developer explicitly stated in a news post that "PE is content complete" — meaning all planned gameplay content had been delivered. A series of bug fix and feature patches followed the 1.0 launch (versions 1.0.4 through 1.1.1), but the developer confirmed that no new content beyond that was planned.
On June 25, 2019, Pathea Games posted a significant update explaining that the game's multiplayer lobby server had suffered an unrecoverable code loss. Because rewriting the multiplayer system from scratch was beyond their available resources, they announced they would make the game free to play going forward. They also noted that the original vision for the game as a "complete package" could not be fully realized without multiplayer, and announced intentions to eventually develop a sequel (Planet Explorers 2) rather than continue updating the original.
Since June 2019, there have been no further developer communications specifically about Planet Explorers. The only subsequent posts from Pathea on the game's Steam page relate to their other titles (Super Buckyball Tournament, My Time at Sandrock). The sole DLC — the official soundtrack — was released the day after launch in November 2016 and no further DLC has been announced or listed.
The developer has explicitly confirmed content completion (January 2018) and has since communicated that they are not continuing development of this game (June 2019), pivoting instead to a future sequel. Planet Explorers is a finished product.
Evidence
Developer announces the multiplayer lobby server is permanently broken and cannot be rebuilt due to lack of resources. The game will be made free to play, and future efforts will go toward a sequel (Planet Explorers 2) rather than further updates to this game.
Developer explicitly states 'PE is content complete' in the Build 1.1.1 release notes, confirming all planned content has been delivered.
Content
1 of 1 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Pathea Games
Achievements
16
Platform
Windows, macOS, Linux
Controller
partial support
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player
About this game
In Planet Explorers, it is the year 2287, one of the first colony ships sent out by Earth arrives at the planet Maria, in the Epsilon Indi Star System. During its landing sequence, something appears in front of the massive ship that causes it to lose control and crash into the planet. Some of the colonists survive in lifeboats, but what they find is an unforgiving land filled with creatures ready to outlast the visitors from Earth. Now the survivors must explorer, gather, build, create, fight, and ultimately, build a new home.
Planet Explorers right now only features single player.
In single player there are 3 distinct selections
Current
Game Modes
Planet Explorers right now only features single player.
In single player there are 3 distinct selections
- Story Mode – Story mode is the main meat and bones of the game, it is the action-adventure-rpg-somewhat-4X segment, offering npcs, missions, colony building, farming, training, diplomacy, and of course, a storyline that you can follow or ignore. This story features a 17X8km world map with many unique character, landscapes, biomes, locations, and over 140 types of potential enemies. Even though we’ve made it seem like a very action oriented game in the trailers, in reality, players can choose to not fight so much as to just plant a farm, make some food, keep the colonists alive, negotiate with the sentient aliens, and defend the perimeter from the local life forms. That can still eventually arrive at the ending. And yes, there is an ending. Story mode also features coop with other players.
- Adventure Mode – This mode is based on a procedural map generated from a seed. It comes in a 40X40 kilometer map. Players will be able to complete random missions, defeat bosses, dive through dungeons, and explore different landscapes. This mode also features survival and versus.
- Build Mode – In this mode, there are no enemies and an infinite amount of building material. It also currently comes in a 40X40km map. Players will be able to build whatever they want in this mode, including everything in the Creations Editor. Think of this as the perfect testing ground to test everything you build. Or…it’s your place to build your garden without ever worrying about the pesky aliens.
Game Features
Current
- 30+ hours of storyline
- 140+ types of enemies
- 40+ unique mainline NPCs
- Able to dig
- Able to build
- Able to plant farm
- Able to build colony
- Able to have followers
- Creation Editor to create vehicles, weapons, objects, vtols, boats, armor, and more
- Day/night cycle with realistic moon cycles
- Weather system
- 15+ types of mineral types
- 200+ unique items
- Resource scanner
- Realtime AI pathfinding
- Realtime water physics
- Multiple boss types
- Story Editor
- AI robot follower
- Negotiation with aliens
- War with aliens
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 28, 2026
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