Space Engineers 2 takes everything the studio has learned over the past 10 years working with Space Engineers, a beloved sandbox game with over 5 mln copies sold, and reimagines it with more depth, creative freedom and intuitiveness. Powered by the next-gen proprietary VRAGE3 engine, the game’s creation and destruction feel and look better than ever before.

In Space Engineers 2, players travel to the distant Almagest system, a newly discovered, mysterious planetary system that awaits the first colonizers. Initially, it serves as a canvas for space engineers, but as players develop it, the system will unveil a captivating narrative with intriguing stories and memorable NPCs, coming later in Early Access. 

Space Engineers 2 is set to become one of the best-looking sandbox experiences of this generation. The game received ray-traced global illumination, realistic shadows, a new skybox, tessellated voxel materials, parallax effects for armor, and much more, adding depth and realism to every scene. Powered by VRAGE3, Space Engineers 2 is designed for smoother performance and a more immersive experience. During Early Access, the studio will focus on further optimizations, letting players build bigger ships and fly more of them over time.

While being a notable aspect of the game, the controls in the original Space Engineers were often quite complicated for new players. In Space Engineers 2 the controls and UI have undergone a major overhaul, making the game more accessible and intuitive for both new and experienced players, without losing the depth of the constructing process.

Build everything from starships to space stations as you craft your own path in this next chapter of the Space Engineers series!

Keen Software House has officially expanded Space Engineers 2, currently available on Steam Early Access, with Vertical Slice 1.2.

The update adds target-based ship controls, undo/redo for the paint gun, better visuals for copy/paste, and an improved jetpack boost. Besides, it features a new off-center third-person camera for clearer views in both character and ship modes, along with other fixes and improvements.

Vertical Slice 1.2 introduces major improvements to piloting, building, and movement in Space Engineers 2, making gameplay more responsive, intuitive, and immersive. A new off-center third-person camera gives players clearer visibility while on foot or piloting ships. The camera can be cycled between right, center, and left using ALT + V, and a reduced minimum distance improves control in tight spaces.

Target-based grid control replaces the old torque-based system, letting ships rotate smoothly toward a target point using mouse input. On-screen indicators show orientation and heading, making precision flight easier, regardless of ship size or mass. The paint gun now supports undo and redo, allowing players to quickly revert or reapply recent color changes — a very handy feature for builders and designers.

Partial copy/paste visuals have been improved, making it easier to see which blocks are selected and how they’ll be placed, especially in complex builds and tighter edits. Jetpack 2.0 adds a short boost charge-up, a new charging indicator, and immersive effects like camera shake and updated sounds. Movement now feels more powerful and responsive.

Vertical Slice 1.2 Patch Notes

• Target-based grid control, Improved Ship Controls
  • Added UI indicating ship rotation
• Paint Gun Undo-Redo
• Improved visuals for partial copy/paste
• Jetpack 2.0
  • Jetpack boost has now a charge time for its activation, hydrogen bar has charging indicator and orange highlight
  • Added improved visual (Camera Shake) and sound effects to Jetpack boost
• Off-center 3rd Person Camera
  • By default it is set to Right
  • ALT+V changes camera to right-center-left
  • 3rd person camera minimal distance is now lower
  • Better visibility in 3rd person view
• Added scroll through toolbars (CTRL + ALT + Mouse Wheel)
• Added multiple sound effects (example: GUI/UI sounds, toolbar sounds, radial menu sounds, grid impact sounds, explosions)
• Added visual icons to Dynamic Hits
• Added multiple first-person and third-person animations (jumping, debug gun, paint gun) 
• Added Debug Gun model, muzzle effects
  • Debug gun now damages Voxels
• Improved Voxel destruction effects
• Shifted 3rd person camera view when sitting in the cockpit
• Added First Person view character shadows
• Added visual effect when block is removed
• Added Inverse Kinematics for character model (still work in progress in edge cases*)
• Removed VariableRefreshRate from Display options
• Removed the quickstart option from the main menu

• We are solving Target-based grid control edge cases
• Color picker will be included in undo-redo for paint gun in a future update
• Character is not holding a Gun correctly while using the jetpack
• After entering a cockpit for the first time after starting the game, the character may peek through the cockpit - this will be fixed in an upcoming update.
• Keyboard and mouse controls are not customizable yet, but they will be!
• Toolbar block groups and sizes (block selection via R key) are a temporary mechanism and will be redesigned in a near update.
• We’re aware of incompatibility at launch of Space Engineers 2 on Intel Arc A-Series and Core Ultra Series 1 built-in Arc GPUs. We are working with Intel to enable the game experience and will provide relevant updates as development progresses.
• Performance
  • Performance optimization is ongoing. For Alpha release, we’re targeting 16x Red Ship grids at 60 FPS on recommended hardware.
  • Autosave may cause brief lags during gameplay.
  • Performance optimizations of ship collisions and destruction are ongoing, so it won’t be lag-free at this moment. We will be continuously improving it in the following updates.
  • PCU values per block may appear higher compared to Space Engineers 1, reflecting SE2's increased detail and more precise performance measurements. While the current total PCU limit is set at 400,000 in VS1, we plan to raise this threshold in future updates as we implement scheduled optimization improvements.
• Space Engineers 2 Workshop
  • In-game Blueprint interface - Additional features and improvements will be introduced based on player feedback.
  • Displaying Steam Workshop Collections in-game is planned.
  • Blueprint screen refresh can be slow in some cases - it should be fixed in the next update.
  • Your owned Private items are not currently visible in the in-game Workshop browser.
  • We are addressing edge cases where re-publishing, renaming, tag display in the Steam interface, and sorting may not work as intended.
  • Offline mode improvements - we are working on better handling when Steam is offline.
• The current GUI (Graphical User Interface) and HUD (Heads-Up Display) are works in progress. Our team is prioritizing core functionality first. Once we've confirmed all features are working as intended, we'll enhance the visual design and overall aesthetics.
• Some blocks are decorative-only for now (for example, the Assembler is present but cannot produce components)
• The inventory system will be implemented in a future update
• Fracture models will receive additional visual updates in future versions.
• The paint tool’s limited palette is temporary; future updates will include RGB/HSV color settings and custom palettes.
• Work on enhanced sound effects is ongoing, including jetpack audio
• The Alpha releases in English language, more localizations will follow
• Tutorials will be added closer to the end of development.

Stability

• Fixed a crash in Havok
• Fixed a crash when changing V-sync setting

Performance

• Fixed a performance issue when placing a block
• Fixed a performance issue when a large ship crashed into a static grid
• Fixed a performance issue when partially copying a grid
• Fixed a freeze when performing high-load activities on a slower HDD
• Fixed a freeze when moving from a standstill inside a large grid

Functional

• Fixed an issue where blueprints could be assigned to an empty hand slot (Tile 0)
• Fixed an issue where Shift + G didn’t open the blueprint screen in spectator mode
• Fixed an issue where the "Create Blueprint" overlay could get stuck
• Fixed an issue where the confirmation dialog was missing when trying to delete published worlds
• Fixed an issue where publishing an item with a large thumbnail file failed with an unspecified error
• Fixed an issue where a Workshop world threw an error when launched while still downloading
• Fixed an issue where Landing Gear incorrectly displayed lock options after splitting a grid
• Fixed an issue where the "New Grid" option allowed blocks to be placed where they shouldn't be
• Fixed an issue where it was possible to place a block partially inside another grid
• Fixed an issue where symmetry mode failed to place blocks correctly
• Fixed an issue where the character slid on uneven asteroid surfaces despite having magboots on
• Fixed an issue where grids remained static after disconnecting them from voxels
• Fixed an issue where a dynamic grid could be connected to voxels
• Fixed an issue where the character was affected by gravity even though the HUD displayed 0 gravity
• Fixed an issue where aiming in first-person view was not smooth
• Fixed an issue where a static spectator couldn't control a ship
• Fixed an issue where the Paint Tool remained stuck in active mode
• Fixed an issue where grids didn’t take impact damage
• Fixed an issue where deformations carried over to undeformed parts of a grid when using partial copy
• Fixed an issue where grids spun indefinitely after removing gyroscopes
• Fixed an issue where the character’s speed was reduced to zero after exiting jetpack boost mode while still holding the W key
• Fixed an issue where cockpit interactions were misaligned in spectator mode

UI

• Fixed an issue where clicking the splash screen caused the Steam overlay to scale up
• Fixed an issue where the Help screen’s advanced controls section displayed developer strings for several buttons
• Fixed a typo in the name of a block in the Concordia Research Facility scenario
• Fixed an issue where buttons became disabled after choosing not to overwrite a save file
• Fixed an issue where the Blueprints and Workshop screens had inconsistent content widths
• Fixed an issue where the capitalization of tooltips for location and visibility of Workshop items was inconsistent
• Fixed an issue where the Apply button could be clicked twice when changing the Adapter setting in Display options
• Fixed an issue where the Select World screen's tile icons lacked tooltips

Audio

• Fixed an issue where push sounds were cut off immediately after releasing a movement key
• Fixed an issue where the large ship push sound was missing on the Red Ship
• Fixed an issue where a crackling sound occurred when descending with a ship and colliding with a platform
• Fixed an issue where the default music and sound volume levels were not properly balanced
• Fixed an issue where Gyroscopes 0.5 m produced overlapping sounds
• Fixed an issue where push sounds occurred when moving at max velocity

Particles

• Fixed an issue where destruction particles either got stuck or didn’t appear when destroying a block
• Fixed an issue where impact sparks didn’t appear after hitting fractures
• Fixed an issue where the Paint Tool’s particles were offset

Render

• Fixed an issue where the Voxel Hand preview left behind shadow artifacts
• Fixed an issue where a voxel disappeared after changing graphics settings
• Fixed an issue where Intel graphics drivers were not logged correctly
• Fixed an issue where the cockpit flickered when selected

 

Key Features:

• Creation and destruction never felt this good: Space Engineers 2 builds on 10 years of experience, reimagining the space engineering experience with greater depth and freedom. Powered by the new VRAGE3 engine, it offers improved creation and destruction in a vast sandbox where your creativity can shine.
• Build with great precision: Explore next-level construction with the 25 cm Unified Grid System! Seamlessly combine blocks for complex builds — no more large vs. small grid. Enhanced mounting point visualization and grid lines make building easier and more precise than ever.
• Enhanced controls and mobility: Our new system includes blueprint building, Grid Undo and refined CTRL controls for precise rotation and zoom, ensuring intuitive design at every step. Take your creations to new speeds with an upgraded max velocity: characters up to 310 m/s and grids up to 300 m/s. And you don’t need to worry about falling off platforms or asteroids — magboots and automatic jetpack activation have got your back!
• Smarter UI and smoother play: The redesigned UI/UX making building smoother and more intuitive for both newcomers and pros, giving more freedom to bring your intricate ideas to life. Thanks to VRAGE3, Space Engineers 2 is set to deliver better performance for a smoother play. As Early Access progresses, you’ll be able to build bigger ships, fly more of them, and enjoy epic destruction in a truly immersive ride.
• Next-level visuals: Enjoy the beauty of space, industrial designs and battle encounters, reimagined with next-level realism. In Space Engineers 2 we introduced new ray-traced global illumination, realistic shadows, a new skybox, tessellated voxel materials, parallax effects for armor and much more, to bring depth and realism to every scene.
• Stories of the Almagest: For the first time, Space Engineers 2 will offer a full narrative with an exciting story campaign, featuring human NPCs, AI-driven vessels and factions that bring the Almagest System to life. In the future updates, players will be able to trade with local inhabitants, complete quests, and uncover ancient mysteries, giving new purpose to their engineering skills.

Space Engineers 2 is in development for PC (Steam).