This New Indie RPG in Early Access is Like StarCraft Meets Mass Effect

Starlance Studios' cinematic sci-fi RTS + RPG hybrid ZeroSpace has entered Early Access, combining traditional base-building, hero units, branching story decisions, ranked multiplayer, co-op missions, and a persistent Galactic War. Basically, it's StarCraft meets Mass Effect.

Real-time strategy games have experienced something of a resurgence over the past few years, with developers looking for ways to modernize the genre without abandoning the strategic depth that longtime fans expect. ZeroSpace, the debut title from Starlance Studios, is the latest project attempting to bridge that gap, combining classic RTS mechanics with cinematic storytelling, RPG-inspired player choice, hero-driven combat, and competitive multiplayer.

After becoming one of the most-played strategy demos during the most recent iteration of Steam Next Fest, ZeroSpace has officially launched into Steam Early Access, giving players their first opportunity to experience the opening chapter of its ambitious sci-fi campaign while helping shape the game's development ahead of its full 1.0 release.

Rather than focusing exclusively on multiplayer competition, ZeroSpace places a significant emphasis on narrative. Early Access launches with Act 1 of the campaign, featuring 12 story missions where players step into the role of Prefect Aster, commander of humanity's Protectorate faction. Throughout the campaign, dialogue choices influence Aster's leadership style and relationships with other characters, borrowing decision-making mechanics more commonly associated with RPGs than traditional RTS games.

Outside the campaign, players can jump into ranked multiplayer, cooperative missions, skirmishes against AI, or free-for-all battles while learning the game's expanding roster of factions.

At launch, players can command four distinct civilizations:

The Protectorate, representing humanity's military forces
The Grell, a symbiotic plant-based civilization
The Legion, a fanatical faction focused on overwhelming force
The Xol, an evolving synthetic race of machine intelligences making its playable debut during Early Access

According to Starlance, the Xol will initially remain outside ranked matchmaking while the studio gathers community feedback and balances the faction before full competitive integration.

One of ZeroSpace's more distinctive features is its Galactic War meta-game, which launches alongside Early Access as Season Zero. Players choose between three creator-led alliances headed by Neo (Back2Warcraft), uThermal, or Winter, contributing victories toward control of the Orion Sector through a persistent galaxy-wide conflict running until August 1. It sounds kind of like the meta-game elements of something like Helldivers 2.

Competitive players also have plenty to look forward to. To celebrate launch, Starlance is hosting the ZeroSpace: First Contact Invitational, featuring a roster of well-known RTS personalities. The tournament begins alongside Early Access and concludes with a championship event on August 9.

"ZeroSpace is now in Early Access thanks to the support of our backers, our playtesters, and the RTS community. We’re grateful to everyone who has supported our vision to create a cinematic sci-fi RTS, and we look forward to rolling out lots of exciting new content, including the full campaign, in the year ahead.”

- Marvin "Marv" Gouw, Founder and CEO, Starlance Studios

ZeroSpace is available now on Steam in Early Access for $35.99 USD during its launch promotion, after which it will return to its standard $39.99 price.

Starlance also published a development roadmap outlining additional campaign chapters, multiplayer improvements, balance updates, and new content planned on the road to Version 1.0.

Steam News Page