Devs behind long-awaited survival game with 1.2 million Steam wishlists warn players to make sure it's for them before playing as "expectations can grow very quickly"
"Is Solarpunk for you?"
After years of waiting, fans can finally get their hands on Solarpunk. There are a lot of people eager to dive into the survival game, which garnered nearly 1.2 million wishlists on Steam. But before you do, developer Cyberwave wants to make sure the game is really for you.
The team took to Steam on June 5, just three days before the game's release, to post a blog titled, "Is Solarpunk for you? A very honest note from us." The blog goes on to say that while the immense attention the game has received prior to release is welcome, it is also scary. "Expectations can grow very quickly," the devs write, "Sometimes Solarpunk can look much bigger from the outside than it really is." The pre-emptive blog notes that the core team for the game, which was first revealed back in 2022, is only two people.
Cyberwave goes on to explain the reason for posting the blog in the first place. "We want you to buy [Solarpunk] if you are excited about a peaceful survival craft game where you build a cozy home base, farm, decorate, explore handcrafted islands, and spend relaxed time alone or with friends."
As for who the game is not for, Cyberwave has a helpful list for that too. Solarpunk will not have PvP elements, a campaign or story, combat, or a huge open world. Rather than an endless sandbox players can explore for hundres of hours, this is a game the developers say can be completed in around 20. If the blog isn't enough, there is also a video that should help people decide if Solarpunk is for them.
The point of the blog is not to push away players, rather Cyberwave seems intent on avoiding unnecessary disappointment. Projects that have been in development for a long time are often met with lofty, even impossible, expectations by players. By setting expectations before someone spends their money, Solarpunk will make more people happy, whether they play it or not.
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Willa Rowe is a queer games critic based in New York City whose writing has been featured in Endless Mode, Digital Trends, Kotaku, and more. She also hosts the Girl Mode podcast. When she isn’t talking games she can be found on Bluesky bemoaning the state of the New York Mets.
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