Astroneer

Astroneer is a sandbox adventure game developed and published by System Era Softworks. The game was released on February 6, 2019 for Windows and Xbox One. It was released for PlayStation 4 on November 15, 2019. Nintendo Switch got the game on January 13, 2022. A version for PS5 came out on November 20, 2025.  The game is a Play Anywhere title, which is how I played it, through Xbox on PC. The game is played from a third-person view in which you collect resources and go from planet to planet to collect more resources and build bigger and better items along the way. Each planet has its own unique resources so you'll need to planet hop in order to build some of the more advanced structures and items.

I got really into Astroneer and would have probably played it even longer, if it didn't have one annoying bug, the mouse doesn't stay locked to the window. I almost hit the stop streaming button numerous times because my pointer was not in game, but on another monitor. If they could fix this bug I would get back into it, after all I played it for over a week and went to a few different planets, but that bug after over a week was really annoying.

Astroneer Gameplay

You begin on Sylva, a procedurally generated planet where survival depends on managing oxygen and power. Your Terrain Tool is the heart of gameplay: it digs, collects resources, and reshapes the environment. As you explore, you'll gather materials like Compound, Resin, and Organic, which fuel early crafting and base expansion. The game has no combat, so when you encounter an enemy you have to basically just run. Thankfully, enemies are few and far between, mostly you will have to deal with hazards. Hazards are things like acid, tumbleweeds, storms, etc.

Astroneer Achievements

Astroneer FAQs

What platforms is Astroneer available on?

Astroneer is available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC through Steam and the Microsoft Store. Cross-play is supported across all platforms, so a group on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC can share the same save.

Does Astroneer have multiplayer?

Yes. Astroneer supports up to four-player online co-op, and every world can be played solo or with others. Dedicated server support also exists for persistent worlds that stay running when the host logs off, which suits larger groups building long-term bases.

How do you get Steel in Astroneer?

Steel is crafted in the Chemistry Lab from one Carbon, one Iron, and one Argon. Carbon comes from smelting Organic, Iron comes from smelting Hematite, and Argon is pulled from the atmosphere with an Atmospheric Condenser on a planet that has it. Steel gates a lot of mid-game building, so setting up a steady supply of all three early pays off.

How do you get Aluminum in Astroneer?

Aluminum is made by smelting Laterite in the Smelting Furnace, at a rate of one Laterite to one Aluminum. Laterite is a reddish ore found in caves underground rather than on the surface, so a trip below is needed. Aluminum feeds early vehicles and base modules, making it one of the first refined resources worth farming.

How do you manage oxygen in Astroneer?

Oxygen runs out when the backpack supply is depleted away from a source, so the early game is built around extending reach. Tethers form a connected network back to the base and are the main tool, while vehicles, Oxygenators, and powered base modules all supply oxygen when connected. Laying tether lines before heading into a cave is the difference between exploring freely and suffocating in the dark.

How do you travel to other planets in Astroneer?

Interplanetary travel needs a shuttle and thrusters, both crafted from refined resources, launched from a large platform or shelter. Each of the solar system's planets has its own gases, terrain, and hazards, so a trip is usually planned around a resource that the home planet lacks, such as a specific atmospheric gas needed for advanced crafting.

How do you get Bytes in Astroneer?

Bytes are the research currency, earned by placing Research Samples or Research Items into a Research Chamber and letting it process them. Bytes then unlock crafting schematics in the catalog. Scanning unusual finds like alien research items yields far more Bytes than common samples, so exploration feeds progression directly.

What happens when you die in Astroneer?

Death respawns the player at their shelter, and the backpack stays behind on the body at the spot where it happened. Returning to that spot recovers everything carried, so a death is a setback rather than a full loss. The main risk is dying somewhere hard to reach again, such as deep in a cave or on a distant planet.

How does saving work in Astroneer?

Astroneer auto-saves rather than offering manual saves, writing progress whenever the player enters or exits a shelter or vehicle. There is no save-scumming a bad outcome, so the game leans on its forgiving death system instead. Stepping into a shelter before logging off is the reliable way to lock in recent progress.

What are Gateway Chambers in Astroneer?

Gateway Chambers are alien structures found on every planet, and powering one activates part of the Gateway Network. Solving the chambers and the larger Gateway Engines unlocks fast travel between planets and drives the game's endgame. They double as the closest thing Astroneer has to a story, rewarding exploration with the mystery of who built them.

Does Astroneer have combat?

Astroneer has no weapons and no enemies in the traditional sense. The challenge comes from the environment instead, including hostile plants, toxic gas, falls, and running out of oxygen or power far from base. It is an engineering and exploration sandbox rather than a survival-combat game, which is much of its appeal for players who want building without fighting.