Dual Universe combines elements of EVE Online, Star Citizen, Minecraft, Space Engineers and No Man’s Sky in a creativity-focused sci-fi MMO.

After several years in development following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Dual Universe is finally set for a full release date. Fans of the sci-fi genre looking for an MMO can expect to play various roles while creating their own ships, buildings and more when Dual Universe launches on Steam.

Dual Universe is being developed by Novaquark, a Paris-based studio founded by former Ubisoft, Sony, Apple and Aldebaran Robotics employees. The game has been in the works for a long time, with Novaquark’s original CEO claiming that the idea was originally conceived around 2011. The game was first unveiled after E3 in 2016, and has raised over $560,000 on Kickstarter thanks to investors and backers. Dual Universe has announced an official release date of 27 September, with beta servers closing on 22 September in preparation for the launch.

Dual Universe is an ambitious combination of several large-scale sci-fi titles, aiming to create a fully user-driven sci-fi MMO similar to the player-driven universe of EVE Online. Players have complete control over the game’s universe and can modify the environment and build houses, cities and space stations in a sandbox similar to Minecraft in space. The gameplay and economy are entirely player-driven, as there are no NPCs, so all interaction is between players, who all share a single server. Materials can be removed or added from the voxel-based environment, which forms the basis of the market-based resource economy, crafting and building systems. Players skilled in building can even run a company that sells designs to other players, while other players can focus on piracy, bounty hunting or leadership roles.

While fantasy MMOs such as World of Warcraft are incredibly prevalent, the sci-fi genre has historically been underrepresented. Sci-fi fans are attracted to the genre because of the sense of escape into a plausible future with limitless possibilities, which is perhaps why players are interested in sci-fi MMOs such as EVE Online, Star Citizen and Elite: Dangerous. The Dual Universe has a unique opportunity to attract players looking for a sci-fi MMO that they haven’t tried before. In contrast, its MMO status means it won’t directly compete with highly anticipated single-player games like Starfield.

Dual Universe is using a $10/month subscription model instead of a one-time purchase to maintain funding to maintain the server. While some gamers may be wary of the subscription model, it also means that players can try Dual Universe for $10 instead of purchasing it for $60 upfront.

Dual Universe will be released for PC on 27 September. The beta is available until 22 September.