PCGame

Starbound

Spacefaring sandbox RPG built around exploration, crafting, and colonization

Chucklefish · Released Jul 22, 2016

ActionAdventureCasualIndieRPG

Reviews
Very Positive
93% of 131K
Recent reviews
Very Positive
82% of 90 in 30 days
Players
679
daily peak, Nov 7, 2026
Steam Deck
Playable
Last update on Steam
1 year ago
Nov 19, 2024
Minimum PC
DirectX 9 GPU
2 GB RAM · 3 GB disk
Full requirements

Metacritic: 81/100 (critic reviews)

What is Starbound?

A pixel-art, open-world sandbox RPG set across a procedurally generated universe. You travel between planets in a customizable starship, gather materials, craft gear and buildings, explore dungeons, farm, and establish colonies while either following a campaign about your destroyed home or setting your own goals.

For you if...

  • +you enjoy open-ended exploration across procedurally generated planets
  • +you like crafting, building, farming, and managing colonies
  • +you want online co-op throughout the entire game

Not for you if...

  • −you prefer a linear campaign over a self-directed sandbox
  • −you dislike gathering materials and crafting equipment or structures
  • −you want handcrafted worlds rather than procedural planets

What players say

93% of 130,871 reviews are positive · 82% of 90 in the last 30 days

Players praise the modding community for expanding and improving the base game. Common complaints describe the unmodded experience as shallow and repetitive, with similar planets, persistent bugs, weak server performance, and no continued content updates.

Players over time

▼ -7% vs a month ago

Players online on Steam, one sample a day.

Highest since Sep 2026: 786 players on Oct 11, 2026.

Show the data
DayPlayers
Nov 7, 2026679
Nov 6, 2026584
Nov 5, 2026577
Nov 4, 2026570
Nov 3, 2026592
Nov 2, 2026594
Nov 1, 2026605
Oct 31, 2026578
Oct 30, 2026523
Oct 29, 2026511
Oct 28, 2026554
Oct 27, 2026535
Oct 26, 2026609
Oct 25, 2026642
Oct 24, 2026606
Oct 23, 2026533
Oct 22, 2026608
Oct 21, 2026569
Oct 20, 2026607
Oct 19, 2026632
Oct 18, 2026679
Oct 17, 2026573
Oct 16, 2026558
Oct 15, 2026593
Oct 14, 2026567
Oct 13, 2026664
Oct 12, 2026717
Oct 11, 2026786
Oct 10, 2026639
Oct 9, 2026596
Oct 8, 2026605
Oct 7, 2026617
Oct 6, 2026666
Oct 5, 2026697
Oct 4, 2026714
Oct 3, 2026684
Oct 2, 2026601
Oct 1, 2026613
Sep 30, 2026650
Sep 29, 2026677
Sep 28, 2026686
Sep 27, 2026735
Sep 26, 2026701
Sep 25, 2026646
Sep 24, 2026628
Sep 23, 2026467
Sep 23, 2026628
Sep 22, 2026692
Sep 21, 2026773

How many players finish Starbound?

14% of Steam players have unlocked «The Protector», the achievement for finishing the main story.

Share of everyone who owns the game on Steam, including those who barely played it. Updated weekly.

Screenshots and trailer

Starbound screenshot 1

Starbound system requirements

Minimum: DirectX 9 GPU, 2 GB RAM, 3 GB of disk space.

As published by the developer.

Can my PC run Starbound?

Tell us your graphics card once and every game page will answer this for you.

Set up my PC →

Minimum

OS
Windows XP or later
Processor
Core 2 Duo
Graphics
256 MB graphics memory and directx 9.0c compatible gpu
Memory
2 GB RAM
Storage
3 GB available space
DirectX
Version 9.0c

Recommended

OS
Windows XP or later
Processor
Core i3
Graphics
Discrete GPU capable of directx 9.0c
Memory
4 GB RAM
Storage
4 GB available space
DirectX
Version 9.0c

Does Starbound have co-op or multiplayer?

Yes: co-op online; PvP online. It also has a single-player mode. Crossplay with other platforms is declared.

Does Starbound run on Steam Deck?

Playable Playable: it runs on Steam Deck with some adjustments.

  • Default controller config not fully functional
  • Sometimes shows mouse, keyboard or non-Deck controller icons
  • Some text entry requires manually opening the on-screen keyboard
  • In-game text is legible on Steam Deck
  • Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck
  • External controllers are not supported for the primary player

PC version details

DRM
None declared on Steam
Controller
Keyboard and mouse
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
Achievements
51
Steam features
Workshop, Family Sharing, Trading cards
Languages
Full audio: English.

Does Starbound use AI-generated content?

No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.

Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Nov 6, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam

Tags

Recent updates

1 DLC available.

Games like Starbound