Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions Isn’t a Sequel – The Original Game Has ‘Years’ of Updates Coming

Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions isn’t Astroneer 2, so don’t worry if you were as fond of the spacey survival game as Alec Meer (RPS in Peace) was back in 2019. “Slowly asphyxiating to death in an unforgiving alien wasteland has never been so joyful”, wrote he, reminding me of the over air-fried chicken nugget I got stuck in my throat last week. The original Astroneer will keep receiving updates for “years” to come, say developers System Era Softworks. As for Starseeker, it’s aiming to be a different kettle of space entirely.

It’s doing that through the power of mates, chiefly. Not just a few mates, but many. Mates squared. “Exploring deep space on the ESS Starseeker, players will need to work together with the entire crew of the space station,” say System Era, “to complete planet-wide objectives across a multitude of star systems using cutting edge technology”. Alec called the original’s tone more “Vengaboys than 65daysofstatic” (them what did music for No Man’s Sky), and it definitely all seems far more bubbly and chipper than your garden variety forage-for-dysentry-berries-or-die-in-poverty ’em up. Labour’s new fifteen point berries-or-poverty plan being what it is, I’m thankful for the escapism.

A “focus on discovery, cooperative expeditions, and camaraderie” is the vibe here. “Players will have an advanced set of tools at their disposal to tackle expeditions while they face off with the unknown perils of space- – fascinating creatures, hazardous flora, and mysterious forces that await them”.

This’ll all be done from your space station, the titular ESS Starseeker – “an ever-evolving space station where players get together to plan expeditions, upgrade their capabilities, and even hang out with other players”.

The devs promise livestreams, vlogs, a limited beta, and a more in-depth gameplay trailer all over the coming months. You can find Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions on Steam here, and it’s due for release 2026. I’m actually not being glib when I say I hope there’s a way to talk to these monsters, they look ace.