This beloved open-world PC indie game is finally coming to Xbox 8 years later, and you can (maybe) play it right now

Starbound.

What you need to know

• Starbound is a popular 2016 open-world space exploration game in which you adventure through a procedurally generated universe with your spaceship.
• The indie was a huge hit on PC, and now — eight years after its original launch — Starbound is getting an Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One port soon.
• Developer Chucklefish hasn't yet announced a release date, but is currently holding a beta playtest for the game on Xbox that you'll have a chance to get access to by installing the Insider Hub app on your Xbox.
• The beta runs until next week on September 4, 2024, with the developers primarily looking for feedback on the console version's performance, UI, gamepad controls, and gameplay balancing.
• The PC version of Starbound is available on GOG, Steam, and the Microsoft Store for $14.99. Notably, it's playable on the latter platform through PC Game Pass (and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, by extension).