Goofy strategy sim Spacebase Startopia announced for late next year

News
By published

There's no sign of gameplay yet, but we learned a bit from the cinematic trailer.

Spacebase Startopia, a colorful and goofy-looking space station strategy simulation, is the descendant of a much older and less colorful game from 2001, Startopia. The cinematic trailer that introduces us to the new Spacebase Startopia  doesn't give up much on gameplay (though it does squeeze in a Keanu at E3 joke) but based on the brief details from the game's Steam page, it will share some things in common with the original.

The trailer introduces us to the AI character named VAL who, as is requisite for all AI companion characters in games, has the sarcastic and irreverent vibe of GLaDOS meets HAL 9000. VAL is along for the ride to comment on your success or failure, "always at your side in both word and deed—and the occasional extremely unqualified comment."

Spacebase Startopia

(Image credit: Kalypso Media Digital, Realmforge Studios)

Startopia will have 10 singleplayer campaign missions in which you manage three different decks of the space station. "The Sub Deck containing all of the Rooms vital to survival, while the Fun Deck focuses on your visitors, and the flora and fauna found on the Bio Deck provides sufficient Resources for survival as well as a home to the graceful Dryads."

Your job will be managing your alien charges while also defending them from hostile outsiders in RTS-style battles. In addition to singleplayer, Spacebase Startopia will have online multiplayer and co-op for up to four players. 

Until we hear more about Spacebase Startopia, you can wishlist it on Steam.

Lauren Morton
Lauren Morton
Lead SEO Editor

Lauren has been writing for PC Gamer since she went hunting for the cryptid Dark Souls fashion police in 2017. She joined the PCG staff in 2021, now serving as self-appointed chief cozy games and farmlife sim enjoyer. Her career originally began in game development and she remains fascinated by how games tick in the modding and speedrunning scenes. She likes long fantasy books, longer RPGs, can't stop playing co-op survival crafting games, and has spent a number of hours she refuses to count building houses in The Sims games for over 20 years.