Stars Reach Fully Funds in Less Than An Hour on Kickstarter – New MMORPG from Raph Koster

Raph Koster’s Stars Reach, a science-fantasy sandbox MMORPG, has successfully launched its Kickstarter campaign with a $200,000 funding goal. The campaign reached its target within the first hour. Developed by Playable Worlds, the game has been in pre-alpha testing since last summer and is expected to enter early access by the end of 2025, with a full launch planned for 2026.

Raph Koster is a legendary figure in the gaming industry, renowned for his contributions to the MMORPG genre. He was the lead designer of Ultima Online, one of the first massively multiplayer online games, and Star Wars Galaxies, which is still celebrated for its deep sandbox mechanics and player-driven systems. Koster’s philosophy centers on creating immersive, living worlds where players have meaningful agency and impact.

The team at Playable Worlds includes developers with extensive experience working on some of the most successful games in the industry. Among them are veterans who have contributed to Diablo 2, 3, and 4, EVE Online, EverQuest 1 and 2, Rift, Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, and Star Wars: The Old Republic.

According to the developers, Stars Reach is set in a dynamic, living galaxy where players can explore, terraform, and shape planets, build settlements, and engage in a player-driven economy. The game emphasizes player agency, with every action leaving a permanent mark on the world. Planets feature changing seasons, weather, and ecosystems, while space exploration includes piloting starships, engaging in combat, and discovering new star systems. The game avoids a class system, allowing players to develop skills and professions that integrate into the economy.

When players first land on a planet, they won’t have a map. Instead, players can choose to become a mapmaker that can survey planets and make maps that other players can buy. Each planet has unique resources and players can tunnel through mountains to find them.

Players will be able to build homesteads and cities with elected mayors who set rules, tax rates, and even enable player-versus-player combat on their planet.

Stars Reach is designed to be a continuously evolving experience, with no traditional endgame. Players can govern planets, compete in trade wars, or explore the galaxy’s uncharted regions. The developers plan to support the game post-launch through optional supporter packs, property passes for land ownership, and a cosmetic microtransaction store. A social currency system will reward loyal players with in-game currency for shop purchases.

The game has already been funded by investors, and the Kickstarter campaign aims to demonstrate market interest rather than secure development funding. With the initial goal achieved, the team has introduced stretch goals to expand the game’s scope and add more content and features.

While the game is already playable for alpha testers, the developers acknowledge the challenges of delivering a complex MMO on schedule. Feature delivery may face delays, and the scope of the game at launch could change depending on funding and development progress. However, the team is committed to iterating on the game as a live service, with continuous updates and improvements.

The game has been in playtesting for the last six months. According to the developers, Stars Reach is five years into its six-year development calendar and is currently aiming to enter Early Access on Steam later this year.