Sci-fi survival sandbox Starbound just got its first PC update in 5 years - a hotfix so tiny that it's pretty much the saddest update I've ever seen

Starbound screenshot showing a pixel art outer space setting and a ruinous gate upon a floating platform
(Image credit: Chucklefish)

After standing the test of time for a little over a decade as one of the best crafting games to date, Starbound is getting its first new update on PC in five years - but it's probably not what you're thinking.

I love Starbound - so much so, that I've waited patiently for news of fresh content for years now. When I saw the notification on Steam that an update was rolling out for the indie gem, I thought my dreams were finally coming true. Nope, the update is a very minor hotfix containing a "tiny changelist" with just one little tweak "to resolve a launch issue" apparently: "Fixed issue preventing launch on new MacOS since Sequoia 15.1 update."

No words could've pained me more to read, as a hopeful longtime stan. After learning that the sci-fi sandbox game was finally coming to Xbox recently, I really thought that Chucklefish might have more up its sleeve - and not a hotfix. It seems I'm not the only one who feels this way, either. On the official "patch notes" post on Steam, if you can call it that, fellow fans are sharing their surprise (and disappointment) about the update.

"Now this was unexpected," writes one player. Another declares that they "want some more content" - a statement I feel we can all agree on. "No way," read countless others. Maybe the update we've waited years for will come one day, or maybe, if we're really lucky, we'll even get some news regarding the developer's upcoming game - the adorable and magical RPG Witchbrook, a whimsical experience reminiscent of Stardew Valley that looks enchanting.

Check out these other upcoming indie games for even more to look forward to.

Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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