Back in 2015, Kerbal Space Program emerged as a highly acclaimed video game series. It swiftly amassed over 100,000 reviews on Steam, maintaining an impressively positive rating. This open-ended space simulation game lets players construct, test, and deploy diverse spaceships to traverse the far reaches of our solar system. My friends and I have invested countless hours in it, guiding our little green astronauts on endless cosmic voyages.
The unique appeal, eccentricity, and ambition to construct superior spacecraft catapulted the initial game in the series to sell more than four million units. With the community craving for additional content, publishers Private Division, in conjunction with Take-Two, recognized this demand and commissioned a sequel years prior to the completion of the original game’s content. In their perspective, this seemed like an uncomplicated success.
To put it in simpler terms, the development and release of Kerbal Space Program 2 have been quite problematic, with many players expressing dissatisfaction. As of now, out of more than 24,000 reviews on Steam, only 32% have been positive. The recent reviews are even more negative, with a dismal 5% rating. This might be due to the developer shutting down and the game being sold by Take-Two Interactive. These challenges typically mean trouble for an early access game, especially when it’s still being sold at full price. Here’s a brief overview of the development history of Kerbal Space Program 2.
The pains of development
2017 marked the start of pre-production for Star Theory, but during production in 2021, development responsibilities were transferred to Intercept Games. Then, in 2024, Take-Two Interactive (formerly Private Division’s owners) closed Intercept Games. Since then, the game has only received a final bug fix update. Despite the studio’s closure being announced earlier in 2024, they continued working on the project until their shutdown later that year.
As you delve deeper into the background of this project’s evolution, the tale becomes increasingly troubling. YouTuber ShadowZone spoke with ex-employees involved in its development for a clearer picture of events. Although the entire video is recommended viewing, I’ll summarize some key points:
1. Initial Ideas and Vision: The project started with ambitious goals and grand visions, but these ideals were lost along the way due to various reasons such as lack of resources, disagreements within the team, and shifting priorities.
2. Mismanagement and Communication Issues: Several former employees cited issues with management, including poor communication, unclear expectations, and a lack of transparency that hindered progress. They also mentioned that some crucial decisions were made without considering their input or consequences.
3. Technical Challenges: The project faced numerous technical hurdles, such as inadequate tools, outdated software, and a steep learning curve for new technologies. These difficulties slowed down the development process significantly.
4. Deadlines and Pressure: The team was under constant pressure to meet deadlines, which often resulted in rushed work and quality compromise. This pressure also contributed to high turnover rates among employees.
5. Lessons Learned: Despite the setbacks and challenges faced during the project’s development, many ex-employees emphasized the importance of effective communication, clear goals, and a supportive management style for successful software development in the future.
- Development started in 2017, but Star Theory wasn’t allowed to speak with Squad (the original KSP creators) until Squad finished KSP1, which wouldn’t be until mid-2021.
- Rather than starting from scratch, KSP2 was forced to use the original KSP1 code while trying to implement multiplayer and new colony systems.
- This led to issues the original developers had already solved showing up in the new code, as well as having to force features like multipliers into a codebase that wasn’t meant for them.
- After taking over development in 2021, Intercept Games was also forced to use the same code Star Theory had refactored from KSP1. This led to confusion and a fundamental lack of understanding of what the code did.
What’s going on now?
Ever since the studio shut down, there’s been no new information about Kerbal Space Program 2. To make matters worse, it’s been over a year since any new content was added to the game, last in December 2023. Despite this, the game is still being sold at its original launch price of $50, which is $10 more than the original game. Unfortunately, Kerbal Space Program 2 doesn’t include many features found in the first game.
Back in November 2024, Take-Two offloaded its entire Private Division game portfolio to an undisclosed purchaser. The identity of the buyer remained a mystery until recently when it was disclosed that Haveli Investments and ex-Annapurna staff members had struck a deal. It’s said that these employees will now manage the previously owned Private Division games, including Kerbal Space Program.
What are the sentiments among fans? You might want to explore Steam reviews on your own. Alternatively, you can check out this Reddit thread that served as the inspiration for this write-up.
- “It’s one of two games I’ve ever refunded on Steam in like 15+ years.” – FuzzeWuzze
- “Kerbal Space Program 2 should be removed from the store until it becomes clear that the game has at least any kind active development going on and will deliver on the features it was sold on.” – sympatheticallyWindi
- “This still infuriates me. Not only did they kill KSP2, but support for the original was also shutdown in anticipation of it.” – Kerlyle
Too little too late? Well, maybe
Although there are rumors about resuming development, it’s still uncertain. It resembles an accumulating pile of work left unaddressed, which successive teams pass on to each other. Those who invested $50 in a premium product from the creators of Grand Theft Auto have been waiting patiently for more than a year, hoping for fresh content.
Publisher companies such as Ubisoft have shown they can offer refunds to players when they cancel projects like XDefiant. Sony did the same with Concord and halted sales. So, why hasn’t a similar situation happened with Kerbal Space Program 2? Given that development might still be on hold, wouldn’t it make sense to temporarily stop selling the game until more progress has been made?
With all the excitement building around Kerbal Space Program 2, it’s hard not to feel enthusiastic. However, I can’t in good conscience advise anyone to purchase this incomplete game. It’s currently more of a placeholder than a fully-fledged product. Steam or another platform should intervene, at the very least by taking Kerbal Space Program 2 off the market. If development continues, they could consider relisting it later. For now, let’s ensure customers are safeguarded from potential disappointments.
It’s important for players to understand what they are investing in, but if you aren’t keeping an eye out, it can be difficult to know that the original game developer has closed shop. The Steam description gives the impression that the full development plan is still being actively worked on, even though this may not be the case. Although Annapurna Interactive might take over the development, until we have definite details about the continuation of Kerbal Space Program 2, it’s recommended to hold off on buying in.
It seems unsettling to me that a typical gamer might not realize if the game they are considering buying has been developed by several teams during its early access phase, potentially with no future updates in sight. Perhaps I’m the odd one out here, but I can’t help feeling concerned about this situation and wondering why there aren’t more measures in place to address it.
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2025-01-13 15:09