Stars Reach News

Your weekly update on Stars Reach

• Better Homes & Gardens Update is the current update
  
• Full version patch notes: https://starsreach.com/build-notes/
  

• At last week’s GameBeat Summit 2025, Playable Worlds President & Co-founder Eric Goldberg teamed up with celebrated games exec and VC Mitch Lasky to present some thoughts on how industry folks should navigate our “new normal.” You can see the recording, never intended for gamers, here:
  

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We interviewed Playable Worlds Vice President Niina Fujioka on her role at Playable Worlds, her path to working in gaming, and advice on starting your own company:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

• Join the Moderation team: we are recruiting more moderators to join us as we ramp up to 24/7 operation. If you are interested, send us an email about yourself and your experience with moderation to [email protected]. We especially need folks in Asia/Pacific time zones.
  
• Backer Invites + Discord Backer Badge. Almost all of the backers have submitted their survey, but if you haven’t then search your email box. If you submitted your Backer Surveys before May 6th:
  
  • New testers got an invite from FirstLook with a playtest schedule and instructions. (Check your spam folder if you don’t see it!)
    
  • Existing testers will not get a new invite, your Discord role should now show a Backer badge. Not yet? Log into FirstLook.gg and synch.
    
  • Can’t find it? Email [email protected]
• Kickstarter late pledges are still available but this may wind down soon: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starsreach/stars-reach
  
• Check out our Web Store! https://starsreach.com/store/
  
• We also have late pledges available on payment plans at our store
  

You spoke up, and we listened! Next week, our Tuesday night, Thursday night, and Saturday playtests will run 5 hours instead of 3, giving you more time to explore, build, and test.

We’ll also continue to offer our regular 3-hour playtest on Thursday morning for early risers or alternate time zones.

On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, Mitch Lasky and Eric Goldberg joined forces at GamesBeat Summit 2025 in Los Angeles to present on “How to Navigate the Games New Normal”.



They started by explaining that the games industry is now in a transformative era of change. The new normal has changed and is changing rapidly.

While the situation may appear difficult, they make a point of explaining a number of opportunities, potential for upside, and ameliorations for rough spots.

You can watch or listen to the recorded session here:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Eric Goldberg is the president and co-founder of Playable Worlds, Inc.
Mitch Lasky is the most successful games industry venture capitalist in the west.

Rick and Dave are back with another Fireside chat, introducing “Better Homes and Gardens” Update and more news regarding upcoming changes, gameplay improvements, and world generation.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

• Better Homes & Gardens Update just launched and there’s a lot to tell you about.
  
  • Full version https://starsreach.com/build-notes/
    
  • XP refunded and reset so you’ll be able to respend your XP differently
    
  • Full flora reset and respawn due to changes in flora behavior
    
  • Soft grouping added – including loot sharing
    
  • Player movement changes: sliding
    
  • Harvesting updates
    
  • Xyloslicer updates
    
  • Forestry and farming changes
    
  • Cooking and crafting changes
    
  • There will be a Fireside Chat on Saturday, May 24 at 9:00am Pacific/ noon Eastern with more details: https://twitch.tv/playstarsreach
    
• GUNC has done amazing things with their skyscraper mushroom building Mycityum.
  

• The Homeslices Space-Faring Tea Shoppe is another must-visit landmark – this time in space:
  

• We interviewed Playable Worlds President Eric Goldberg on the state of the games industry:
  

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

• Join the Moderation team: we are recruiting more moderators to join us as we ramp up to 24/7 operation. If you are interested, send us an email about yourself and your experience with moderation to [email protected]. We especially need folks in Asia/Pacific time zones.
  
• Backer Invites + Discord Backer Badge. Almost all of the backers have submitted their survey, but if you haven’t then search your email box. If you submitted your Backer Surveys before May 6th:
  
  • New testers got an invite from FirstLook with a playtest schedule and instructions. (Check your spam folder if you don’t see it!)
    
  • Existing testers will not get a new invite, your Discord role should now show a Backer badge. Not yet? Log into FirstLook.gg and synch.
    
  • Can’t find it? Email [email protected]
    
• Kickstarter late pledges are still available but this may wind down soon: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starsreach/stars-reach
  
• Check out our Web Store! https://starsreach.com/store/
  
  • We also have late pledges available on payment plans at our store