Space Wars: Interstellar Empires
Early access since Dec 2017
Helm your own ship, battle for supremacy in a multi-faction war, and conquer the cosmos in this science fiction turn-based strategy game. Select from more than 100+ diverse star ships and fight for territory across a 2D hex-based grid.
65% positive · 246 reviews
Not yet
In early access, still in active development
High confidence
Active Development
Not yet
In early access, still in active development
High confidence
Active Development
Where to get it
Free on Steam
Evaluation
Space Wars: Interstellar Empires has been in Early Access since December 8, 2017, and remains so today — the Steam Early Access flag is still active, meaning the developer has not declared the game finished or released a 1.0 version.
The game is in clear, sustained development. Desert Owl Games has maintained a consistent pattern of major content drops tied to new server launches, each bundling new ships, features, AI improvements, story movies, and avatar updates. Key milestones include: Class XII dreadnoughts for all factions (June 21, 2020), the fifth and final playable faction — Free Peoples of Sol (March 28, 2022), the first full five-faction PvP server (August 27, 2022), Attack AI introduced in beta (December 14, 2023) and fully released (November 16, 2024), new faction-specific intro story movies beginning with Sol (August 15, 2025), the Saneth/Genari PvE server with Genari intro movie and updated avatars (January 15, 2026), the Mercury II five-faction server (March 1, 2026), and most recently the Neptune II server launch with updated Ma'Alaketh avatars and a new Sol endgame victory story film (August 13, 2026).
The March 1, 2026 post explicitly stated that story films are being produced for all five factions over time, with only two completed at that point. The August 13, 2026 post confirms a third film ("Kurosawa's Gambit") has now shipped and notes that work is ongoing on the Ma'Alaketh storyline — a direct signal that creative development continues. There are no announcements of a 1.0 release or conclusion of development.
Evidence
Neptune II server launched with new Ma'Alaketh avatars, a Sol endgame victory story movie (Kurosawa's Gambit), and notes that work is ongoing on the Ma'Alaketh storyline.
Developer states that individual short films representing intro and outro stories for all five factions will be produced over time, with only two completed so far — explicitly signaling ongoing creative work.
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
ToHeroes Game Studios LLC
Achievements
51
Platform
Windows, macOS
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Multiplayer · Co-op · PvP
About this game
Space Wars: Interstellar Empires is a turn-based tactical strategy game where you side with a powerful galactic faction, each with its own fleet and play style, and gain access to hundreds of distinct space crafts.
Choose a starting ship and set off on a sprawling map filled with distinct locales, tactical advantage points and enemy worlds. Conquer galactic territories through combat, complete missions, and use the experience gained to upgrade your crew and ship or acquire more spacecraft.
Fight alongside your faction to claim every system in the galaxy, one planet at a time. Work with allies to forge new friendships and clans, or go rogue and discover worlds on your own. Either path will lead to tense battles for enemy space … or to defend your own.
Once an invading force conquers a region, that faction’s map is updated to include the area. Each race must take the war to their enemies and overpower other species to win total control of the universe.
FEATURES
FACTIONS
The Sol Imperial Worlds represent the human race; they have sturdy, well-balanced utilitarian warships with a focus on plasma weaponry and strong force fields. Their technological advantage also excels in propulsion, as the Sol’s ion drive technology surpasses the Genari’s fusion drives. Their officers focus on defensive skills.
The Genari United Empire are falling behind in the technological race, but have more maneuverable ships with advanced armor. They also have marine pods, which offset their disadvantage by boarding onto enemy ships and either causing crew casualties or capturing the ship outright. Their officers focus on offensive skills.
The Ma’Alaketh Confederation wield technology that is centuries ahead compared to Sol and Genari. Little is known about them other than their minimal interest in the conflict between the warring races. They have more distinct long-ranged weaponry and dampening fields that make them harder to hit. Their officers focus on technology-based skills.
The Hive are sentient creatures that live and die in space. Starting as spores, they use absorbed energy from solar radiation and organic matter captured from enemy ships to grow into larger forms. Their weaponized nature stems from a need for self defense, causing them to produce lethal defense mechanisms that develop as they advance. They have no crew but improve through growth and absorption of defeated races.
Choose a starting ship and set off on a sprawling map filled with distinct locales, tactical advantage points and enemy worlds. Conquer galactic territories through combat, complete missions, and use the experience gained to upgrade your crew and ship or acquire more spacecraft.
Fight alongside your faction to claim every system in the galaxy, one planet at a time. Work with allies to forge new friendships and clans, or go rogue and discover worlds on your own. Either path will lead to tense battles for enemy space … or to defend your own.
Once an invading force conquers a region, that faction’s map is updated to include the area. Each race must take the war to their enemies and overpower other species to win total control of the universe.
FEATURES
- Explore a massive intergalactic map made up of multiple regions.
- Enjoy stunning high-quality graphics with intricately-detailed and distinct ships.
- Currently Playable Factions: Sol Imperial Worlds and Genari United Empires
- Choose from more than 100+ spaceships.
- Participate in a universe where hundreds of battles may be going on at once
- Manage the captain and crew of your ships with dedicated skill trees.
- Strategize your moves in turn-based combat and revel in immersive tactical mechanics
FACTIONS
The Sol Imperial Worlds represent the human race; they have sturdy, well-balanced utilitarian warships with a focus on plasma weaponry and strong force fields. Their technological advantage also excels in propulsion, as the Sol’s ion drive technology surpasses the Genari’s fusion drives. Their officers focus on defensive skills.
The Genari United Empire are falling behind in the technological race, but have more maneuverable ships with advanced armor. They also have marine pods, which offset their disadvantage by boarding onto enemy ships and either causing crew casualties or capturing the ship outright. Their officers focus on offensive skills.
The Ma’Alaketh Confederation wield technology that is centuries ahead compared to Sol and Genari. Little is known about them other than their minimal interest in the conflict between the warring races. They have more distinct long-ranged weaponry and dampening fields that make them harder to hit. Their officers focus on technology-based skills.
The Hive are sentient creatures that live and die in space. Starting as spores, they use absorbed energy from solar radiation and organic matter captured from enemy ships to grow into larger forms. Their weaponized nature stems from a need for self defense, causing them to produce lethal defense mechanisms that develop as they advance. They have no crew but improve through growth and absorption of defeated races.
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Sep 18, 2026
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