Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access is a masterclass in how not to launch a game. Released on Steam on February 24, 2023, this space simulation has spent over two years in Early Access limbo, survived a studio closure, endured a 6% positive review rating, and still costs $45 despite feeling abandoned by its developers.
Key Takeaways
- Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access launched February 2023 and remains unfinished after 24+ months.
- Developer Intercept Games closed in 2024; last update shipped June 2024 with no new patches since.
- Steam reviews hit 6% positive (January 2025) due to bugs, performance issues, and perceived abandonment.
- Game still sells for $45 despite broken state; Private Division publisher was sold in January 2025.
- Original Kerbal Space Program (2015) by Squad remains the superior alternative for space simulation fans.
A Studio Collapse, Two Years Later
The timeline tells the story. Star Theory Games began development in 2017 with a planned 2020 release. That deadline passed. Take-Two Interactive acquired the project, spun up a new studio called Intercept Games in 2020, and shipped Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access in February 2023. By 2024, Intercept Games had been dismantled and laid off. The last patch arrived in June 2024. As of April 2025, nothing. The game sits frozen in version 0.2.2.0, with players waiting for an update that may never come.
This is not a small hiccup. This is a game that has been publicly for sale for over 24 months while the studio developing it ceased to exist. Players who paid $45 are watching a product they own deteriorate in the Steam storefront, accumulating negative reviews and bug reports that no one is addressing. The developers themselves promised the game would leave Early Access “until we feel that the game and its full feature set are at our desired level of quality”. That statement has become a running joke. At the current pace, that desired level of quality may never arrive.
Why Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access Feels Like Abandonment
The review score speaks for itself. Six percent positive on Steam as of January 2025 is not a rating—it is a referendum on broken promises. Players report constant bugs, performance issues on basic hardware, and a roadmap of features (colonies, interstellar travel, multiplayer) that exist only on paper. The game launched with a remodeled Kerbolar system, hundreds of new parts, and procedural wings, but performance and stability never caught up.
What makes this worse is the price. Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access costs the same as a finished AAA game. For comparison, the original Kerbal Space Program (2015) by Squad launched in Early Access years earlier but actually shipped as a complete product. It had bugs, yes, but Squad iterated relentlessly and delivered. Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access promises the same trajectory and has delivered the opposite.
The community has begun looking elsewhere. Kitten Space Agency, a free pre-alpha space simulation in development, is being watched by frustrated KSP2 players as a potential escape route. Mods like KSP2 Redux are attempting to fix the unfixable. When players would rather trust an amateur free game or community patches than the official product, the developer has lost the room.
The January 2025 Ownership Change and Uncertain Future
In January 2025, Private Division—the publisher handling Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access—was sold. Former staff from Annapurna Interactive reportedly took control of the portfolio, sparking speculation about whether a new development team might revive the project or whether it will simply languish under new ownership. No official announcement has clarified the game’s future.
This uncertainty is the final nail. Players cannot tell if Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access will be revived, abandoned officially, or left to rot in Early Access indefinitely. The lack of communication from either the new publisher or any development team is deafening. For a game still being sold at full price, silence is a form of disrespect to the customer base.
Should You Buy Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access?
No. If you want a space simulation, buy the original Kerbal Space Program by Squad. It is finished, stable, and costs less. If you want to experience what Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access promises to become—colonies, interstellar travel, multiplayer—you will likely be waiting indefinitely. The studio is closed, the publisher is in transition, and the last patch shipped nine months ago with no roadmap for the next one. Spending $45 on this game is gambling on a resurrection that may never happen.
How long has Kerbal Space Program 2 been in Early Access?
Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access launched on February 24, 2023, and remains unfinished as of April 2025—more than two years in Early Access with no full release date announced.
Why did Intercept Games close?
Intercept Games, the studio developing Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access, was laid off and closed in 2024 after Take-Two Interactive’s acquisition and restructuring. The reasons for the closure were not publicly detailed, but the studio’s inability to deliver a stable, feature-complete game played a role.
Is the original Kerbal Space Program still worth playing?
Yes. The original Kerbal Space Program by Squad (2015) is a complete, stable space simulation with years of community support and mods. It remains the superior choice for anyone seeking a finished space game, especially given Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access’s current state.
Kerbal Space Program 2 Early Access is a cautionary tale about how Early Access can become a permanent holding pattern when development falters. Two years, a studio closure, and a publisher sale later, players are still waiting for a game that may never be finished. If you own it, your best option is to mod it or move on. If you do not, spend your money elsewhere.
Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: Windows Central
