Kickstarter has never worked out well for me. Whether it's Kickstarting games or tech, the platform has always left me, at best, with underwhelming products, and at worst, no product at all. When Playable Worlds stated that they planned on doing a Kickstarter to further their development of Stars Reach, my initial impression was to recoil in fear, hissing emphatically as if I were a slightly inconvenienced cat.
After hearing CEO Raph Koster explain the reasoning during a recent community fireside chat, I gave it some thought and weighed Stars Reach against our current offerings. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that I needed to back it. Let’s explore the reasons behind this decision in more detail.
Stars Reach isn't a Concept
We've been following Playable Worlds for years now. Led by industry veteran Raph Koster, the team has sunk five years of development and over $38 million in funding into Stars Reach. This isn't an abstract idea or a speculative dream—it's a playable pre-alpha on the verge of transitioning into alpha, and we're not talking about a maybe-alpha in 2026. We're talking about alpha in a matter of months, and an Early Access release by the end of the year.
This was something Raph stated plainly to those that attended the fireside chat.
"Based on where we are now, and assuming we can actually hit the gas a bit with further investment, we can absolutely hit alpha by the summer... most early access titles actually go EA when they're alpha, not when they're beta. That's just the reality of the market these days." He continued. "We would want whatever we put out in that form to be something that's fully playable and enjoyable. But, you know, it's still early. Obviously it's not done. So if we can hit Alpha within a few months, then that means that early access does not need to wait another... half a year... We're pretty confident that, given capital, this game comes out next year."
But let's hit the brakes a little. Let's slap that rewind button and look back at the Kickstarters of yore, with titles like Ashes of Creation, Star Citizen, and Camelot Unchained. These titles didn't come to the table with a fully playable Pre-Alpha during the launch of their Kickstarter. On the contrary, in even the best of cases, we only saw concepts of a plan on how they might deliver, and while I'd be misrepresenting many of these games by stating any lack of progress (because to be fair, there has been substantial progress on several of these projects), we're looking at Stars Reach as a wholly different animal.
Transparency You Can See
Playable Worlds has already laid down the groundwork, offering a tangible look at the game’s current state. This level of transparency alone makes Stars Reach an anomaly in the world of Kickstarter MMORPGs. It’s no secret that the landscape is littered with cautionary tales and pipe dreams that seem to stall indefinitely or collapse under the weight of their ambition.
With the ability to terraform multiple worlds, real physics in relation to the elements, and a multitude of professions to choose from, there are a lot of reasons why the gameplay appeals to me. There are still numerous pieces that need to be ironed out, such as PvP and territorial issues, but I have a modicum of faith in the team and in their understanding that forcing anyone into a particular playstyle is rarely a recipe for success.
Still, skepticism is warranted when it comes to crowdfunding MMOs. Legendary developers with illustrious track records have started projects that never came to fruition, or even when they did in regards to titles like Richard Garriott's Shroud of the Avatar, it never quite lived up to the hype.
Even highly funded crowd sourced games remain stuck in early development, with progress so slow it’s almost imperceptible. For every success, there are countless failures, and it's easy to see why potential backers might hesitate. But here’s where Koster’s approach differs: Stars Reach doesn’t exist as a hazy vision; it’s a tangible product with visible progress that you can see now. Playable Worlds isn’t asking for money to build something from scratch— or changing their minds on a complete engine overhaul midway through development.
Kickstarter Won't Cover Everything
However, it’s important to approach this Kickstarter campaign with clear expectations. Even if the funding goal is surpassed, this campaign alone will not bring Stars Reach to full completion. Koster has been transparent about this:
"We have an awful lot of tester interest and sign-ups, more than many games that are already in early access," Koster explained during the fireside chat. "Frankly, we have really, really good feedback from the testers who are in now and that's not just nice quotes. It is objective data. We have market research saying that the market for this game is really big and potentially lucrative."
He then went on to explain how a successful Kickstarter could change the trajectory. "We can go to publishers and investors and say, hey, look, this is the potential for this game. It can make a lot of money, and that makes us more likely to be funded." he concluded.
There are no illusions that the Kickstarter is somehow meant to fund the entire development process but rather another steppingstone to signal to publishers and investors that there’s an enthusiastic market for this game. A robust response from players will serve as proof that Stars Reach deserves the additional backing needed to fully realize its potential.
A Taste of Something New
And when we travel even further back to the days before Kickstarter was a thing, to a game called Star Wars Galaxies, this project holds a special, somewhat parallel allure. Koster’s legacy with SWG is well-known, and his reputation as a developer willing to innovate rather than iterate is becoming increasingly rare in today’s market.
At a time when many MMORPGs feel like derivative blends of existing systems, Stars Reach promises something fresh. It aspires to push the genre forward in the same way SWG once did—a game so unique that it continues to be fondly remembered decades later.
Backing Stars Reach isn’t just about supporting another MMORPG; it’s about endorsing a vision for the future of the genre that has been chasing its tail for the past 20 years. If we can't rally behind a project led by a developer with a proven track record for delivering a unique experience, then what are we waiting for?
Crowdfunding can feel risky, but Stars Reach feels like a risk worth taking for me. This is why I’ll be backing the Stars Reach Kickstarter—and why you as a fan of the genre should consider it too. It’s not about blind faith. In a way it's about investing in a vision that sends a message about what we want from the genre. Tangible results and approachable goals, led by a team that’s proven they can deliver.
Give Us Your Take
While we're still far away from seeing the curtain rise on everything Stars Reach has to offer, I'm interested in hearing your thoughts. Will you be backing the Kickstarter for Stars Reach? If not, what questions and concerns do you have over the game? Jump into the comments and give us your take.