You wanted more Star Control, didn't you?
Written by Jason Venter
Published Apr. 30, 2024
Pistol Shrimp Games launched a Kickstarter campaign for Free Stars: Children of Infinity, and quickly proceeded to smash through its initial fundraising goal. Not only that, but the campaign also made mincemeat of many of its available stretch goals, proving definitively that if there's one thing gamers want, it's more of The Ur-Quan Masters.
Founded by Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford, Pistol Shrimp Games features key talent responsible for Star Control II and its remake, The Ur-Quan Masters (available to download for free on Steam). Initially released on PC and 3DO, the game has been widely praised and is even considered by some folks to be “one of the best games of all time.” Given how many games exist these days, that's pretty impressive.
Free Stars: Children of Infinity is the long-awaited sequel, and is being developed by its original creators. The initial Kickstarter goal was $100,000, which is enough to complete the game at a basic level. Meeting stretch goals will allow everything to look nicer and add more features to the mix, and that looks to be happening.
Already funded at more than $440,000, enough to meet 10 of 14 stretch goals, the game will arrive with bonus languages if funding hits $470,000. At $570,000 console ports enter the equation. The ultimate stretch goal is a hefty $4,400,000, which would make the title available in completely open source.
“We’re trying to make something that beckons to the old fans as kind of a comfort food for them, but that is hopefully updated enough for modern sensibilities that new fans will latch onto it as well,” said Fred Ford.
To see the game in action for yourself, make sure to watch the Free Stars: Children of Infinity trailer for yourself. If you would like to back the game on Kickstarter, you have until May 17.
