Spacebase DF-9 to Exit Steam Early Access Next Month

Double Fine’s Spacebase DF-9 has been slated for release next month after spending just a few months in Alpha. 

Fans hoping for the game to see the inclusion of even more features will come away disappointed as the studio has announced that it will be halting development on the game save for bug fixes and other minor improvements past the game’s release. 

Fortunately, the studio intends to release the game’s source code to the public so that the community can do whatever they like with the game and improve it on their own terms. 

In a post titled “The Road to 1.0,” the studio announced that the final release of the game will include features that players have come to expect from feature-complete titles. 

"As for what will be added between now and the 1.0 build, new features will be aimed at providing the complete experience you’d expect of a non-Early Access game: a Tutorial mode to smooth out the early game a bit and help new players learn the basics, and a Goal system that lets you work towards concrete objectives. That as well as over a month’s worth of pure bug-fixing work and final polish.

"We’re also pleased to announce we’ll be releasing the game’s full Lua source code a short time after 1.0, which will allow the community to create potentially far-ranging mods that add content, new features, and change some fundamental game behaviors. We’ll of course be sticking around a bit for bug fixing and support, but any new content for the game will now be in your hands. We’re eager to see what people do with this game!”

The company posted an infographic detailing the development of the game—how it came together.

In all, the final release of the game has proven disappointing for many players expecting to see more out of the game, with many players hoping that the community won’t simply die out. 

I wrote early impressions of Spacebase DF-9 when the game was in its first alpha.