Comparing space oranges and zero-G apples: A deep dive into Everspace's Steam launch

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Finding ways to accurately measure success is an ever-moving and sometimes difficult task in itself for studio leaders – but today, I'm able to present a look into two data sets that show changes in Steam feature performance over time and how wishlist value (while still desired) very much depends on Early Access versus 1.0 launch.

Coming in hot off our studio's best launch to date, I wanted to share thoughts and comparisons on our two similar and successful announce-to-launch campaigns for Rockfish Games' flagship titles, Everspace and Everspace 2.

Space games are a niche and don't sell… Or do they? From the recent single-dev surprise Spacebourne 2, No Man's Sky, Elite Dangerous, Eve Online, Stellaris, the X series, Homeworld 3, Star Citizen, to the much-anticipated AAA space-RPG blockbuster Starfield, it looks like there's been a real renaissance of space games within the last decade, and we think our space combat series Everspace plays an important role here, too.

In fact, Rockfish's influence might go back even further as our team was also behind space combat games Galaxy on Fire 1 & 2. Thanks to a massive fanbase following us when we started our new studio, Rockfish Games, we had a wildly successful Kickstarter for the first Everspace, which then became a Steam Early Access Platinum Graduate of 2017 and has sold close to three million units (including DLC) on PC and console.

Thanks to the game's commercial success with roguelike fans, we were able to base the sequel on a much bigger and, to many space game enthusiasts, more appealing vision. The team's internal pitch for Everspace 2 was Freelancer meets Diablo with Descent vibes. Three