The Dune Spice Wars dev just put out a demo for its new online space crafting game, and yes, it has seamless planetary travel

As we continue to wait with vastly depleting breath for some news about a potential kick up the butt for sorry old Starfield, it may actually be too little too late. A near-direct competitor, from the folks behind Dune: Spice Wars, no less, is about to start knocking on its door. And unlike Bethesda's space adventure, this one doesn't make you load onto a new planet. That's seamless travel, folks, and it's a big part of SpaceCraft, an ambitious interplanetary crafting game where it must be borderline impossible to run out of resources.

Shiro Games, with whom I still closely associate with the terrific Warcraft 3-like RTS Northgard and the Evoland RPGs, has ditched the medieval vibes and off-world drug harvesting to make a stellar space game - pun intended. SpaceCraft is its name, and, well… SpaceCraft is also the game. Obviously. Will it offer the same wanderlust I literally just saw someone on X say they wish they could experience again after the original Mass Effect? Well, with a demo out now ahead of the game's supposed Q2 2026 launch, it's time for you to decide that for yourself.

Revealed back in 2024, SpaceCraft's standout trailer begins with a lovely 30-second scene of a nut hurtling toward some kind of interstellar gateway. A stargate, is it? Look, this space stuff is beyond me. Honestly, while I completely understand how Starfield was far from what people expected from the kings and queens of open-world RPGs, I still quite enjoyed bumbling about its planets. SpaceCraft also promises a "vast galaxy of solar systems and planets" for you to "mine and craft" from.

As you journey around solar systems, your efforts lead to the automation of "planetary bases and interplanetary logistics" with a focus on trade and cooperation. Oh, I should probably mention that this is an online space exploration game. Suddenly, it's a lot closer to No Man's Sky than Starfield.

The main allure here is that SpaceCraft features seamless travel between space and the surface of each planet. The demo drops you into the Solar Alpha system, where you're free to scan for, and mine, minerals like iron, copper, and quartz from nearby planets with a fancy space laser. With resources in tow, you're then free to upgrade your modular spaceship with a variety of tools and components. Rinse and repeat, I assume.

Do note that this isn't the first time SpaceCraft has been available to play. It's bound to be a first look for many, but with an invite-only playtest out there already, this demo instead marks the first time just about anyone can jump in to see if SpaceCraft is the sort of space adventure straggling Starfield refugees have been waiting for. In fact, one player of the recent playtest believes the demo has "less content than the playtest," so maybe view this as more of a teaser than a full-fledged demo. You might be flying solo until you find a way to squeeze into the proper playtest.

Foaming at the mouth to give this a go? Maybe close that airlock first. Once you're ready, check out the SpaceCraft demo on Steam. Then, if you love it, click that playtest request button if you're eager to play more.