ZeroSpace, the Kickstarted multiplayer RTS that’s been building hype for a while, finally hit early access this week. And to celebrate, the studio is throwing a launch party with events for both the PvE and PvP crowds — including a $13,000 esports tournament featuring some big names from the StarCraft scene.
The early access build includes a 12-mission first act of the campaign, 10 co-op missions for the Galactic War mode (which is basically MMO-inspired competitive PvE), a wave defense survival mode, and ranked and casual PvP. That’s a lot of content for an early access release, and the devs at Starlance Studios are clearly trying to make a splash.
Why this matters now
RTS fans have been starved for a new flagship multiplayer title since StarCraft II’s competitive scene started winding down. ZeroSpace isn’t exactly a clone — it’s got its own spin with the Galactic War mode and the survival stuff — but it’s promising that classic 1v1 and team-based play that’s been missing. The early access launch with a real esports tournament and community events shows the developers are serious about building a competitive scene from day one, not just throwing a half-finished game on Steam and hoping for the best.
And let’s be honest: $13,000 is a real prize pool, not a token gesture. The First Contact Invitational brings in names like Harstem, MaNa, and White-Ra (special tactics, anyone?) — players who know how to draw a crowd. For a game that’s still in early access, that’s a statement.
How we got here
ZeroSpace was Kickstarted back in 2021, promising a modern RTS with a focus on both single-player and multiplayer. The campaign raised over $400,000, which is solid for a genre that’s been deemed “dead” by publishers who don’t know what they’re talking about. Since then, Starlance has been running closed alphas and betas, taking feedback, and refining the gameplay. The early access release is the culmination of that work, and the community events are designed to keep the momentum going through the launch window.
The Galactic War Season Zero, which runs from July 20th through August 2nd, is a clever way to get players invested in the co-op side. You pick a team — backed by RTS content creators Winter, Neo, or uThermal — and earn influence for your faction by playing co-op missions. All participants get in-game cosmetic rewards, so there’s a reason to grind even if you’re not a hardcore competitive player. Meanwhile, the PvP-focused First Contact Invitational runs from July 20th to August 8th, with the final showdown on August 9th.
Key detail: The tournament lineup
Twelve current and former esports pros and content creators, including Harstem, MaNa, and White-Ra, will compete in a dedicated ladder leaderboard before the final tournament. The $13,000 prize pool is spread across the participants, with the winner taking a significant chunk. For a game that’s technically not even finished yet, Starlance is putting real money behind its competitive aspirations. That’s the kind of move that gets the attention of the StarCraft and RTS community, which has been burned by failed promises before.
The first impressions from the build suggest the game is more than a generic “spiritual successor” to anything. It’s got its own identity with the Galactic War mode, which blends PvE with leaderboard-based competition, and the survival mode adds a nice change of pace. But the real test will be whether the ranked PvP holds up against the legacy of Blizzard’s RTS games.
The bigger picture
ZeroSpace is entering a market that’s seen a small resurgence in RTS interest, thanks to games like Age of Empires IV and Stormgate (which is also in early access). But stormgate has had a rocky start, and ZeroSpace might carve out its own niche by offering a more polished, modern take on the formula. The inclusion of both PvE and PvP events from the start shows that Starlance understands the RTS audience isn’t a monolith — some people want to fight the AI, others want to test their mettle against real players.
The $13K tournament also signals that the developers are willing to invest in esports infrastructure early, rather than waiting for the game to “prove itself” before throwing money at it. That’s a gamble, but it’s one that could pay off if the game’s mechanics are solid enough to keep players competing.
What’s next
For now, the early access build is live, and the community events are running. The Galactic War Season Zero ends on August 2nd, and the First Contact Invitational wraps up on August 9th. We’ll have detailed impressions from the ZeroSpace launch in the coming days from our Not So Massively columnist, but the early signs are promising. If you’re an RTS fan who’s been waiting for something new to sink your teeth into, this might be the time to jump in — especially if you want to be part of the competitive scene from the ground floor.
Just don’t expect it to be a finished product. Early access means early access, and there will be bugs, balance issues, and missing features. But the foundation is here, and the party is already started.
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