Starbound

Starbound

Released Jul 2016

You’ve fled your home, only to find yourself lost in space with a damaged ship. Your only option is to beam down to the planet below, repair your ship and set off to explore the universe...

91% positive · 123K reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence

Where to buy

Steam $14.99
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Evaluation

Starbound launched out of Early Access on July 22, 2016, after several years of development. Following its 1.0 release, Chucklefish delivered a consistent series of major content updates: version 1.1 (September 8, 2016) added fishing and Novakid villages; version 1.2 (December 15, 2016) introduced Ancient Vaults and terraforming; version 1.3 (June 8, 2017) brought customizable mechs and space stations; and version 1.4 (June 13, 2019), the "Bounty Hunter" update, added a full bounty hunting questline and a host of new content. The 1.4 update in June 2019 appears to be the last major content release. After that, developer activity dropped to occasional maintenance patches — most recently a small hotfix on November 19, 2024 to fix a macOS compatibility issue introduced by an OS update (not new game content). The release announcement post from July 2016 stated Chucklefish intended to "continue to update and support Starbound for as long as we can," but no specific future content has been announced or teased since the 1.4 release, and no unreleased DLC is listed on the store. The gap between the 1.4 release (June 2019) and today (June 2026) — with no major content in that window — far exceeds the historical update cadence of roughly 6–18 months between major versions. The only post-2019 developer activity has been compatibility maintenance, not content development. All signs point to 1.4 being the final major content release for the game, making it a complete, finished product as of June 2019.
Evidence
Starbound 1.4 'Bounty Hunter' update launched, adding a full bounty hunting questline, new monsters, furniture, weapons, and more. This is the last major content update released for the game.
news post · Jun 13, 2019 source content shipped
high
Starbound 1.3 'Spacefarer' update shipped, adding mechs, space stations, and a navigation overhaul.
news post · Jun 8, 2017 source content shipped
high

Content

1 of 1 released · no outstanding content
Released
Dec 2013

Media

Details

Developer
Publisher
Chucklefish
Achievements
51
Platform
Windows, macOS, Linux
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player · Multiplayer · Co-op · PvP

About this game

In Starbound, you create your own story - there’s no wrong way to play! You may choose to save the universe from the forces that destroyed your home, uncovering greater galactic mysteries in the process, or you may wish to forego a heroic journey entirely in favor of colonizing uncharted planets.

Settle down and farm the land, become an intergalactic landlord, hop from planet to planet collecting rare creatures, or delve into dangerous dungeons and lay claim to extraordinary treasures.

Discover ancient temples and modern metropolises, trees with eyes, and mischievous penguins. Make use of hundreds of materials and over two thousand objects to build a sleepy secluded cabin in the woods, a medieval castle, underwater arcade, or even a space station.

Starbound has been built from the ground up to be multiplayer and easily moddable. You have the tools to make the universe your own and modify the game to suit your play style - add new items, races, planet types, dungeons, and quests - the possibilities are limitless.

  • Choose from one of 7 playable races and customize your character

  • Save the universe in an epic story campaign featuring colorful characters, bosses, dungeons, and quests!

  • You're the captain of your very own starship! Decorate it, expand it, and use it to explore a procedurally generated universe

  • Colonize uncharted planets and collect gifts from your tenants - if they like you, they may even ask to join your ship crew!

  • Three game modes - Casual (no need to eat), Survival (eat to survive/drop items on death) and Hardcore (permadeath)

  • Craft thousands of objects - building materials, armor, weapons, furniture and more

  • Capture unique monsters to fight alongside you

  • All content is available in online drop-in/drop-out co-op

  • Built from the ground up to be easily moddable. You have the tools to make the universe however you'd like it

Last evaluated Jun 28, 2026
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