StarRupture launched into Steam Early Access on January 6, 2026, immediately climbing to the top of Steam's trending charts with nearly 28,000 concurrent players. The open-world survival RPG from Creepy Jar, developers of Green Hell, combines factory-building mechanics from Satisfactory with exploration elements reminiscent of No Man's Sky.
The game supports cooperative multiplayer for up to four players, offering both solo and group survival experiences on the alien planet Arcadia-7. StarRupture currently holds an 84% Very Positive rating on Steam according to GamesRadar, though other sources report ratings between 82-84%, with players praising its automation systems and combat mechanics.
Setting Up Multiplayer Sessions
StarRupture uses a host-based multiplayer system where one player creates and manages the game world. The host establishes the primary save file and controls session access through Steam's friend system. According to Destructoid's guide, players must choose between "Friends Only" or "Invite Only" settings when creating a multiplayer session.
The "Friends Only" option requires the host to manually invite each player for every session. The "Invite Only" alternative removes this requirement but restricts access to players on the host's Steam friend list. To invite players, the host opens the in-game menu and selects empty slots to send Steam invitations.
Once players accept invitations, they join the host's world. The system supports up to four total participants, including the host. This cooperative structure allows groups to build automated factories, gather resources, and defend against alien threats together.
Persistent Server Solutions
Traditional host-based systems typically shut down when the host leaves the game. StarRupture players can circumvent this limitation using SaveSync, a third-party application that supports the game's multiplayer functionality. Both the host and participating players need to purchase and install SaveSync from Steam.
The host initiates the process by opening SaveSync, selecting StarRupture, and clicking "New Save." Available saved sessions appear in the application interface. After selecting a save file and clicking "Create Save," the host completes synchronization, indicated by a green checkmark.
The host then shares the synchronized save file with other group members. Players open SaveSync, select StarRupture, and automatically see shared files in their save list. Selecting "Activate" on the shared file makes the world available regardless of the host's online status.
Gameplay and Multiplayer Dynamics
StarRupture's multiplayer experience centers on industrial automation and survival mechanics. Players assume roles as prisoners on Arcadia-7, tasked with extracting resources to repay debts to a galactic corporation. The game offers four character classes - biologist, scientist, soldier, and engineer - each with unique specializations.
Multiplayer groups coordinate to build mines, factories, and logistics systems while defending against hostile alien creatures. The game features hunger, thirst, toxicity, and health management systems that require constant attention. Environmental hazards include periodic heat waves that can incinerate unprotected players and structures.
Creepy Jar plans to expand multiplayer content throughout StarRupture's Early Access period, scheduled to last approximately one year. The development roadmap includes map expansions, additional weapons, new building types, enhanced combat mechanics, and wildlife systems. Future updates will introduce frost-based environmental disasters alongside the existing heat wave mechanics. This approach to regular content updates mirrors strategies used by other major multiplayer titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which recently launched its Season 01 Reloaded update with new multiplayer maps.
Pricing and Availability
StarRupture costs $19.99 in Early Access but launched with a 20% discount, reducing the price to $15.99 until January 20, 2026. The game requires Steam for multiplayer functionality and supports Windows PC platforms. Creepy Jar has not announced console versions or cross-platform play capabilities.
The developer's transparency about Early Access plans includes detailed roadmaps showing upcoming features. This approach follows Creepy Jar's successful development of Green Hell, which received robust content updates throughout its Early Access period and established a dedicated player community.
StarRupture's combination of Satisfactory-style automation, No Man's Sky-inspired exploration, and cooperative multiplayer mechanics positions it as a potential breakout hit for 2026. The game's strong initial reception suggests growing interest in complex survival experiences with deep multiplayer integration, though players should be aware that multiplayer connectivity issues can affect any online game, as seen recently with server outages reported for Baldur's Gate 3.
