- Games
- Starbound
Starbound
A space sandbox where friends explore planets, build settlements and collect equipment in online co-op.
Online co-op.
- Online
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-opYesPlayer count not confirmed
- Local co-opNot confirmed
- Not confirmedFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- YesA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckPlayableValve's own rating
About the game
You escape a ruined homeworld aboard a damaged ship, then gather what you need to travel farther. Each planet gives you somewhere new to dig, search for equipment or build. You can follow story missions and fight bosses, establish a settlement with tenants or spend time arranging the rooms of your ship. Better equipment opens more dangerous places.
Online co-op covers the game’s content and lets friends join or leave while you play. You can explore and fight together or pursue separate projects in the same universe. Gathering and decorating leave space for conversation, while dungeons ask for more attention. Casual mode removes the need to eat. Survival mode adds food management and dropped items on death, so your group can choose how much pressure it wants.
How it feels
Kind of game
One lasting world your group settles. You gather, build and push into dangerous places together.
- At its heart
- A big part
- Now and then
- Laughter and chaos
- Story
- Working in sync
- Getting better
- Planning ahead
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- About
- Alien planets, Science fiction, Mining
Rated on our own feel scale. 5 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked Starbound
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
ICARUS
Why it scores 85%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- About
- Alien planets and Mining
- Notable in both
- Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Building and creating, Tension and danger, Fighting
- Core to both
- Exploring, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How ICARUS differs
- Less jumping and climbing than Starbound
- 8 online
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are about strange alien worlds and mining and digging. Both have long calm stretches.
But less jumping and climbing than Starbound.
No Man's Sky
Why it scores 84%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- About
- Alien planets, Science fiction and Mining
- Notable in both
- Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Building and creating, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Exploring
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How No Man's Sky differs
- Less jumping and climbing than Starbound
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are about strange alien worlds and science fiction. Both are about exploring places you have not seen.
But less jumping and climbing than Starbound.
Avorion
Why it scores 83%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- About
- Science fiction and Mining
- Notable in both
- Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Building and creating, Exploring, Tension and danger, Fighting, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How Avorion differs
- Less jumping and climbing than Starbound
- Online
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are about science fiction and mining and digging. Both are easy to play while you chat.
But less jumping and climbing than Starbound.
All co-op facts
Last checked 24 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Most players online
- Not confirmed
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Local co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on one screen
- Not confirmed
- Split or shared screen
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- 3411
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Crossplay
- Not confirmed
- Crossplay between
- Not confirmed
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Sources
11 pages
playstarbound.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Platforms.
- Platforms: The current maker FAQ lists PC, Mac, Linux and Xbox One/Series consoles. The opened Steam product has Windows, macOS and Linux requirements.
playstarbound.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Release status, Release date.
- Release status: The maker announced the end of Early Access. The current stores sell the released game.
- Release date: The 2016-07-08 announcement gives the full release as 2016-07-22.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Friends can join mid-game, Kind of game, Sessions, About, Building and creating, Free base co-op.
- Online co-op: The maker description says all content supports online cooperation.
- Friends can join mid-game: The feature list explicitly states online drop-in and drop-out co-op.
- Kind of game: Friends gather, build settlements and tackle dangerous planets in a shared universe.
- Sessions: Players can keep colonizing planets and developing their ships beyond story missions.
- About: The premise includes space travel, alien worlds and mining resources.
- Building and creating: Crafting materials, furniture, equipment and buildings is a regular activity.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
gog.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Friends can join mid-game, Calm and coziness, Free base co-op.
- Online co-op: The feature list says all content is available in online co-op.
- Friends can join mid-game: The same line explicitly includes drop-in and drop-out.
- Calm and coziness: The tag list includes Relaxing. Casual mode removes the need to eat.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID.
- Steam app ID: Steam identifies Starbound as app 211820.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Playable on Steam Deck.
wikidata.orgWikidata, read 24 October 2026
Backs Wikidata item, Genres.
- Wikidata item: The opened item identifies Starbound.
- Genres: Genre statements include action-adventure, sandbox, platform and role-playing games.
pcgamer.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Tension and danger, Story, Working in sync, Exploring, Fighting, Time to hang out, Unlocks and progress.
- Laughter and chaos: PC Gamer, 2016-07-27, describes absurd characters and side quests as light humour around exploration.
- Tension and danger: Hostile wildlife interrupts exploration and powerful bosses appear in missions.
- Story: The reviewer finds the main plot easy to set aside for personal projects.
- Working in sync: The reviewer played alongside a friend through Steam in a world whose activities also work alone.
- Exploring: Planet discovery, underground places and new environments drive play.
- Fighting: Fighting creatures is frequent between gathering and building.
- Time to hang out: Decorating and pursuing self-directed projects provide unhurried stretches.
- Unlocks and progress: Armour, tools, movement abilities and environmental protection unlock further planets and resources.
windowscentral.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Jumping and climbing, Planning ahead, Building and creating.
- Jumping and climbing: Windows Central, 2016-08-05, describes double jumping, dashing and movement upgrades during planetary exploration.
- Planning ahead: The reviewer describes preparing travel plans on the ship and gathering the required fuel.
- Building and creating: Bases, furniture and ship rooms offer regular projects.
arabnews.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Getting better.
- Getting better: Arab News, 2025-02-24, describes an initial learning curve in navigation and crafting, with controls becoming familiar through play.
xbox.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked Xbox full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.