Last week’s Stars Reach trailer captured a lot of attention – so much that studio Playable Worlds decided to focus this week’s dev blog on explaining why it’s putting out another trailer so early in development, and a lot of that rationale seems to be in updating everyone’s impression of the MMORPG sandbox’s art. Readers will recall that there was some grumbling about the art style and state of completion back in June when the game was first announced.
“During this Pre-Alpha phase, player feedback has been crucial. We heard you loud and clear on graphics improvements, so we prioritized updating the art direction to create an atmosphere that feels rich, textured, and alive,” the team writes. “Trailer II gives an authentic snapshot of Stars Reach’s visual direction, showing how we’re reimagining the universe to align with what players have envisioned. This is just the beginning—more visual improvements are planned as we continue through Pre-Alpha, and even bigger updates are coming.”
“Our goal was to balance these new visuals with a preview of engaging gameplay at the heart of Stars Reach. We knew it wasn’t enough to simply show improved graphics; we wanted to capture the depth and excitement of our world in motion, from combat sequences to world-building features. Throughout production, we carefully selected scenes to give viewers a true sense of the immersive, ever-evolving world, hoping to spark curiosity about the adventures that await them inside Stars Reach. In the end, Trailer II became more than just a visual upgrade—it’s an invitation for the community to join us as we continue to build, refine, and evolve the game together.”
If you’re looking for more Stars Reach this fine Friday, YouTuber and friend of the site Napyet has a sizable new video on his experiences in the pre-alpha to date; he digs into everything from combat to crafting, with specific comparisons to Star Wars Galaxies.
“The game is still in early development so there are many rough edges but there’s enough in place to really get a sense of what the game is hoping to achieve,” he says. Enjoy!
