Space Engineers 2: VS2 - Planets & Survival Foundations Live Now!

 

Keen Software House releases Space Engineers 2: Planets and Survival Foundations update, the most significant update since the launch of the Space Engineers 2 Alpha. The update introduces fully explorable planets, the foundations of survival gameplay, a new star system, early colonization mechanics, and the beginning of the Space Engineers 2 storyline.

Space Engineers 2 evolves from a technical preview into a playable survival experience, bringing together planets, progression, early missions, and the first version of core engineering systems.



Two Fully Traversable Planets and a New Star System
This update opens the doors to the Almagest System, centered around the brown dwarf Delfos and featuring two fully explorable planets:

Verdure – a lush, Earth-like world with more than ten unique biomes including tundra, taiga, temperate forests, high mountains, savanna, desert, and volcanic wastelands. These environments are filled with procedural vegetation, destructible trees, breakable rocks, and large-scale natural wonders inspired by real Earth locations. Verdure also features handcrafted caves, terrain arches, overhangs, and a variety of iconic landmarks.













Kemik – a harsh, Mars-like desert world defined by cracked terrain, volcanic craters, massive calderas, impact sites, and planet-wide mountain ranges. Kemik’s biomes emphasize engineering challenges and survival in extreme conditions.







VS2 also introduces fully volumetric clouds that react to time of day, reshaping planetary flight and exploration.



All planetary surfaces now use dynamic voxel hardness, meaning snow, sand, and rock respond differently to impacts, collisions, mining, and landings.



Foundations of Survival Gameplay
First fully functional layer of survival systems, forming the base of the long-term SE2 survival vision. Key features include:

Projection Building
Players can now construct using animated block projections rather than minimal build states, making survival building feel closer to creative mode. This system supports mirroring, copy and paste, modular blueprint building, undo and redo, and even automatic support block generation.



Backpack Building and Manufacturing
Your engineer’s backpack can auto-process raw ore into Simple Components, enabling early game construction without a full industrial base. Early production systems, recipes, and balances are specifically tuned for the Alpha phase.

New Grid Power System
Modular energy system based on Power Cells (small units) and Power Modules (medium and large units) that govern how energy flows across grids. These components will be expanded in future updates and charge in roughly 20 minutes under optimal conditions.



Colonization, Storyline, and Early Contracts
This update marks the beginning of Colonization progression. Players unlock new blocks and tools through contracts, visible across a new interactive system map featuring two starting sectors. More sectors and contract types will be added in smaller updates.

The update also launches the beginning of the SE2 story. Players step into the role of Miro Sokol, arriving in the Almagest system with his brother Ivan as part of the Bering Project. Early missions are handled through a Contract Block, with storyline expansion planned for future vertical slices.



Random Encounters and Fast Travel
First version of random encounters, including handcrafted derelict ships, small stations, and points of interest that add life to the system. Future updates will expand this into dynamic, NPC-driven encounters with combat and scenario variety.

Updated Roadmap and Future Milestones
With VS2 now released, Keen Software House has updated the Space Engineers 2 roadmap. Upcoming milestones include:

• VS2.2 Survival Extensions – mechanical blocks, block tools, weapons, area welding, block wrappers, full GPS, and more.
• VS3 Water – planetary scale volumetric water systems, water gameplay, and a new water planet, Byblos.
• VS4 NPCs + Cooperative Multiplayer – 4-player co-op and the first NPC systems.
• VS5 Full Multiplayer – full-scale multiplayer support.

Celebration Sale
To celebrate the release of VS2, Space Engineers 2 is now available with a 20 percent launch discount until December 8.

New Merchandise
Celebrate Space Engineers 2 with the triumphant return of a fan favorite, the official Space Engineer plushie! 
Now rocking the sleek new SE2 suit, this fuzzy crewmate is ready to float by your side on every build and wild adventure.