The Planet Crafter is an open-worldsurvival game developed and published by the French studio Miju Games for Windows, initially created by two developers before the team grew to six members over the course of production.[1] The game entered early access on March 24, 2022,[2] and was officially released on April 10, 2024.[3] During development, Miju Games shared two roadmaps in 2022 and 2023 outlining planned features and updates.[4][5]
Players assume the role of an imprisoned convict in the 3000s, tasked with terraforming a barren planet to make it habitable.[6] Gameplay involves gathering resources, crafting tools, building machines,[7] and gradually transforming the environment.[8]
The Planet Crafter received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its terraforming systems, sense of progression, and relaxing sandbox gameplay. The PC version holds a Metacritic score of 81 out of 100.[9] Player reception was similarly favorable,[10][11] and the game sold over one million copies by June 2024.[12]
Gameplay
One of the starting locations in the game, showing the barren, rocky planet.
In The Planet Crafter, players start on a barren, rocky planet and are tasked with terraforming planetary environments, including additional planets and moons introduced later in the game. Terraforming involves modifying environmental features such as the atmosphere, temperature, and ecology. Each celestial body presents unique challenges, requiring players to manage resources and plan their progression.[13]
The player’s goal is to increase the Terraformation Index (TI) and progress through intermediary stages of planetary development. This is accomplished by constructing machines that raise environmental statistics such as oxygen, heat, and pressure, and later by introducing biomass through plants, animals, and insects.[13]
To build and operate terraformation machines, players must first construct generators to provide power. Generators can be placed freely on a planet or moon and contribute to the total available energy.[7] Each machine increases the overall power requirements, and if these requirements exceed the available supply, all machines temporarily cease operation until sufficient power is restored.[14]
Throughout the game, players encounter points of interest such as wrecked spacecraft, storage crates, and underground bunkers. These locations contain materials and other valuable items, and are presented as remnants of earlier, failed terraforming attempts, contributing to the game’s environmental storytelling and lore.[15]
Players can visit two new moons after completing the terraforming of their first planet. Each moon can also be terraformed, and players retain all blueprints, knowledge, and equipment from their previous progress. Additionally, resources can be transferred between planets and moons.[16]
Humble DLC
The first paid downloadable content (DLC) for The Planet Crafter, titled “Planet Humble”, was released on October 9, 2024. It introduces a new, separate planet, also called Humble, that players can terraform from scratch, featuring new biomes, exploration opportunities, and narrative elements not present in the base game.[17][18]
An image of Planet Humble, showing its blue terrain and skyline.
Planet Humble is set on a planet approximately half the size of the base game’s world and introduces new biomes, materials, and environmental elements. Players start on this planet with the objective of terraforming it and can explore locations that provide context about its abandoned state.[17][19]
The DLC supports cooperative play, allowing players to join multiplayer sessions on the Humble planet even if only one participant owns the DLC. This feature enables friends to explore and terraform the new world together without requiring all players to purchase the expansion individually.[17][18]
Plot
Players take on the role of a convict imprisoned for an unspecified crime and sent by Sentinel Corp to Planet Prime in the 3000s. Their objective is to terraform the planet and create an Earth-like environment in exchange for having their charges dropped.[6]
The player receives intermittent communications from a character named Riley, who provides information about Planet Prime. The messages indicate that Riley and the player have a prior acquaintance. Riley coordinates a covert extraction with smugglers to remove the player from the planet, although this service requires payment.[20]
Remnants of an ancient civilization are found across the planet, often contained within locked ruins. These ruins can be accessed using Warden’s Keys, of which ten are available. Collecting all ten keys unlocks the “Ancient Paradise” achievement and grants access to various relics left by the planet’s previous inhabitants.[21]
The game features three possible endings: Subjection, Subservience, and Subversion. In Subjection, the player leaves the planet under the control of Sentinel Corp.[22] Subservience is achieved by escaping the planet with the smugglers, while Subversion occurs when the player departs through the Warden’s portal.[20]
Development
Early development and announcement
Development of The Planet Crafter began as a two-person project and later expanded to a six-member team. Developed by Miju Games, an independent studio founded in 2019 and based in southern France, the game entered early access on March 24, 2022, with its programmers and artists working fully remotely.[1] The team used the Unity engine and drew inspiration from survival games such as Subnautica, The Long Dark, and Don't Starve Together.[23][24][25]The Planet Crafter: Prologue, a free demo showcasing the game’s early progression and core mechanics, was released on Steam on December 19, 2021, ahead of the full game.[26]
Early Access updates
At launch, the game featured four biomes, over fifteen craftable machines and tools, and mechanics for introducing vegetation and exploring hidden caves. Early post‑launch updates added new cave systems, game modes, and equipment, reflecting the team’s commitment to expanding the game during Early Access.[27]
Development roadmaps
In early 2022, Miju Games released a development roadmap for the 1.0 release, detailing planned features such as an expanded map, vehicles, additional story content, further terraforming stages including breathable atmosphere and fauna, as well as environmental challenges, replayability improvements, and quality-of-life updates. The developer noted that multiplayer might be added after 1.0, but its implementation was not guaranteed.[4]
In late 2022, Miju Games released a 2023 roadmap outlining planned updates and content, signaling a structured development plan leading to the 1.0 release. The roadmap emphasized “big updates” throughout the year, with two major updates projected for late February and the third quarter, and anticipated version 1.0 for Q4 2023 or Q1 2024, marking the end of Early Access.[5]
Full release
The Planet Crafter was released on April 10, 2024, for Windows via Steam and GOG.com. The 1.0 version included cooperative multiplayer for up to ten players, new biomes, additional lore, endgame content, and other features.[28]PC Gamer noted that The Planet Crafter had been in Early Access since March 2022 and had shown significant development progress since its demo release in December 2021.[10]
Upon reaching version 1.0, The Planet Crafter received a major update that expanded multiplayer with an online cooperative mode for up to ten players. The update also added three new biomes, large animals, additional lore, procedural wreck sites with rare materials, new items and animations, a cinematic introduction, and various quality-of-life and performance improvements.[29]
Post-release updates
The game’s soundtrack, composed by Benjamin Young, was released digitally through Kid Katana Records on April 12, 2024, two days after the game’s full release, with additional tracks added in later updates.[30]
TechRaptor reported that the positive reception of the Planet Humble DLC encouraged Miju Games to continue supporting The Planet Crafter, with updates aimed at expanding and enhancing the game’s content.[16]
In May 2025, Miju Games announced a major update titled The Moons Update. Following the release of Planet Humble, the developer acknowledged player feedback, stating that the expansion met expectations in some areas but fell short in others. Miju planned to continue refining both planets and provide additional free updates, while noting that future downloadable content was possible but the primary focus would remain on improving the base game.[31]
The Planet Crafter received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising its terraforming mechanics, progression, and relaxed sandbox gameplay, while noting limited early-game content. The PC version holds a Metacritic score of 81/100.[9] Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received strong approval, being recommended by 83% of critics.[32]
Reviewers highlighted the game’s emphasis on gradual environmental transformation and long-term progression, praising the contrast between the barren starting world and the fully terraformed environment. IGN France commended its rewarding systems while noting that additional balancing and content could further improve the experience.[34]
GameStar described the game as a relaxing sandbox experience, praising its consistent development since early access and its terraforming mechanics, while noting that it may not appeal to players seeking action-heavy gameplay or highly detailed visuals.[33] Hardcore Gamer praised the game’s rewarding progression and sense of transformation, noting that despite technical rough edges, its gameplay loop of scavenging, crafting, base-building, automation, and exploration remains engaging.[35]
Other critics praised the game’s terraforming systems, pacing, and freedom of exploration, with Screen Rant awarding it 8 out of 10.[36] GamingBolt gave the game 8 out of 10, praising its addictive gameplay loop, handcrafted environments, and audiovisual presentation, while noting a sparse early game, limited map variety, and some quality-of-life issues.[37] CGMagazine also scored the game 8 out of 10, highlighting its range of possibilities while noting the absence of a strong endgame objective or narrative elements.[38]
Player reception and sales
Player reception was highly positive, with the game receiving an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam.[11][39][40] Prior to its full release, the game earned a 96% “Very Positive” rating from Steam users.[10][41] In June 2024, the developers announced that The Planet Crafter had sold over one million copies.[42][43]
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