Private Division and Intercept Games have announced that Kerbal Space Program 2 has officially entered its early access phase of development. The early access version of the rocket building sim will be available on Steam, Epic Games Store and “other digital storefronts.”
While many features will be coming throughout the early access phase, players will see them roll out over time. Developers gave an update on what can be expected at the very beginning:
On day 1 of Early Access, players will be able to create and fly vehicles in Sandbox Mode and visit any location in the Kerbolar System. They’ll also have access to our first four interactive tutorials, accessible via the all-new Training Center. These teach basic rocketry concepts to give new players a head-start on their space programs. You’ll encounter new parts, including new procedural wings, new wheels, new command pods, new cargo parts, and new engines (and the first of the new fuels – liquid hydrogen). To pave the way for the upcoming interstellar-class parts, we’ve also added a new, larger core size. As we progress through Early Access, we’ll continue to expand on all of these features.
The team also has plans to add weekly challenges with tons of different ways to explore the game. This week’s challenges are:
- Primary Goal: Fly to the Mun and get a picture of a Kerbal in front of the most interesting feature you can find.
- Stretch Goal: Strand a Kerbal there and pick them up with a second vehicle, returning them to safely to Kerbin.
- Jeb-level Goal: Do any of the above on any other celestial body in the Kerbolar System.
Players will get a front-row seat to development during Early Access. They will become a part of an active development process contributing with feedback to the dev team. At the Early Access launch, KSP2 will feature the following:
- Next-Generation Technology: Players will unlock future technologies to build at larger scales and use new fuels or propulsion systems. These capabilities will enable players to venture beyond the limits of the original Kerbolar System and into unexplored star systems.
- Colonies: A highly requested and anticipated feature for the sequel, players will be able to locate and extract valuable resources, then use those materials to build custom bases on distant celestial bodies or in deep space. Players will need to add power generation, habitation, and vehicle assembly models to colonies and then use it as a low-gravity launch complex to embark on more ambitious journeys!
- Interstellar Travel: KSP2 presents players with the challenge of interstellar navigation. They must venture across the gulf of interstellar space inside fusion-powered mega-ships capable of incredible speeds. Upon arrival at new star systems, they can deploy landers and rovers to explore the planets waiting to be discovered.
- Multiplayer: Players can cooperate and compete with friends to explore space together and achieve historic milestones in their own space race. Multiplayer unlocks endless potential for adventures, completists, and “unexpected” vehicle collisions!
- Modding: Kerbal fans are keen to share the plethora of mods available for the original game, and Intercept Games plans to make the sequel even more mod-friendly by releasing additional developments aimed to support the modding community.
- And more: There will be plenty of quality-of-life improvements, bug fixes, features, and more as the game develops in Early Access, so stay tuned for updates!
Check out the Kerbal Space Program 2 official site to learn more.
