A space colony sim about people who didn't make it into history books. The haulers. The prospectors. The ones who fix oxygen recyclers with duct tape and prayer. Build, trade, survive, and manage crews who have opinions about everything. The frontier is yours - try not to blow it.

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Coming Soon To Early Access

The developers of this game intend to release as a work in progress, developing with the feedback of players.

Note: Games in Early Access are not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“PZE is a deep simulation game, and deep simulations need real players to find the cracks. We've built and tested the core systems, but balancing an entire galaxy's economy, making sure colonists behave believably across thousands of scenarios, and ensuring the game remains challenging but fair - that requires more eyes than one developer has.
Early Access allows us to:

* Identify balance issues we couldn't find in internal testing
* Prioritize features based on what players actually want
* Catch edge cases and bugs across different hardware configurations
* Build a community that shapes the game's direction

This is a long-term commitment. We're planning approximately one year of active Early Access development with regular updates, patch notes, and direct community communication. PZE will reach 1.0 - and it will be better for having taken this path.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Approximately one year. We're targeting a full release in late 2027, though this may shift based on community feedback and the scope of features we add during Early Access. We'd rather take extra time to get it right than rush to an arbitrary deadline.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“The core systems are complete and playable. Our current development goals include:

Content Expansion (planned):

* Additional ships (currently 3, aiming for 8+)
* More building modules (currently 15, aiming for 30+)
* Expanded events and quests (currently 100+, aiming for 200+)
* Additional factions with unique storylines
* New biomes and planetary conditions

Systems & Features (planned):

* Enhanced diplomacy and faction reputation systems
* Expanded trading mechanics
* More crafting recipes and production chains
* Additional colonist traits, skills, and interactions

Polish & Quality of Life (ongoing):

* UI/UX improvements based on player feedback
* Performance optimization
* Accessibility features

These are goals, not guarantees. Development priorities may shift based on community feedback and what makes the game better.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Project: Zenith Expanse is a sandbox - there's no 'you win' screen, just a galaxy that keeps going until you decide to stop (or your last colonist decides for you).
Current build includes:

* Full colony building system with 15+ modules
* Complete crew simulation: personalities, skills, relationships, needs, and opinions about your leadership
* 3 ship classes for exploration and trading
* Procedurally generated galaxy with multiple factions
* Dynamic economy and trading system
* 100+ events and quests that emerge from gameplay
* Survival mechanics (food, water, resources)
* Combat system (ground and space)
* Mini-games like fauna racing with betting (for those questionable financial decisions)
* Let Me Cook modding framework - fully functional

The game is stable and playable. You can sink hours into building your colony, lose it all to poor planning, and immediately start again because 'this time will be different.' Core systems are complete - Early Access is about expanding the content and polish."”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“No. We believe in fair pricing - early supporters get in at the same price as everyone else. No launch discounts, no post-release price hikes.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“Directly. No community managers, no corporate filters – just me and you.

Discord: Our main hub. I'll be there daily, reading feedback, answering questions, and occasionally defending my design decisions (or admitting they were terrible).
Public issue tracker: A dedicated space for bug reports, feature requests, and suggestions - where you can see what's planned, what's in progress, and what made it into the game because someone asked.”
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This game is not yet available on Steam

Planned Release Date: Q3 2026

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About This Game

The void is vast. Your cargo hold is not.

You're not a chosen one. You're not saving the galaxy. You're a captain with a ship, a crew that needs feeding, and a dream of maybe-just maybe-breaking even this quarter.

PROJECT: ZENITH EXPANSE is a space colony survival sim about the people who didn't make it into the history books. The haulers. The prospectors. The ones who fix the oxygen recycler with duct tape and prayer.

BUILD MORE THAN WALLS

Establish colonies on planets that don't want you there. Manage resources, assign jobs, and watch your settlement grow from a handful of desperate tents into something that might actually have a future. Or watch it collapse because someone forgot to rotate the crops. That happens too.

YOUR CREW, YOUR PROBLEMS

Every colonist has a past, a personality, and opinions about your leadership. Some will become indispensable. Others will start fights over the last coffee ration. Manage their needs, their relationships, and their inevitable breakdowns.    

TRADE, HAUL, SURVIVE

The economy doesn't stop because you're having a bad day. Run cargo between stations. Negotiate with factions who remember that thing you did three systems ago. Find out that burgers cost 8 credits on Hynstrixus IV and wonder if that's worth the detour.

 

A GALAXY THAT DOESN'T REVOLVE AROUND YOU

Factions trade, fight, and make deals whether you're watching or not. Wars start. Alliances shift. Prices change. You're not the protagonist of the universe-you're just trying to carve out a corner of it.

 

MAKE IT YOURS

Not enough chaos? Too much chaos? Fix it yourself. Let Me Cook is PZE's built-in modding framework. Add new items, events, stories, and game mechanics using human-readable text files. No programming degree required - if you've ever edited a config file, you're already overqualified. The game ships with the same tools we use to create content. Your mods aren't second-class citizens. They're just... content. What you do with that power is between you and your colonists.

                                                   

 Features:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

  - Deep colony management - Build, expand, and maintain settlements across diverse planetary biomes

  - Crew simulation - Colonists with personalities, skills, relationships, and their own agendas

  - Dynamic economy - Trade goods across a living galaxy where supply and demand actually mean something

  - Multi-ship operations - Manage your fleet, from rust-bucket haulers to something you're actually proud of

  - Emergent storytelling - No scripted drama. Just systems colliding until someone loses an airlock

  - Factional politics - Navigate a galaxy divided by old Earth grudges and new frontier ambitions

  - Let Me Cook modding system - Create new items, events, quests, and mechanics using simple text files. No coding required. If you can write a recipe, you can mod the game.

                                                   

THE FRONTIER IS YOURS. TRY NOT TO BLOW IT.

AI Generated Content Disclosure

The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:

This game uses AI-generated images for fauna and flora portraits. All AI-generated assets are static artwork used for visual representation of procedurally generated creatures and plants. No AI is used for gameplay mechanics, dialogue, or other interactive content.

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

This game contains mature themes typical of colony simulation games. Colonists may engage in violence (depicted through text descriptions, not visually), use fictional recreational substances, gamble on fauna races, and form romantic/sexual relationships (implied through journal entries only, no visual content). The game also features occasional profanity and the ability to engage in illegal activities such as smuggling. All content is presented in a non-graphic, text-based manner.

System Requirements

Windows
macOS
SteamOS + Linux
    Minimum:
    • OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
    • Processor: Intel Core i5-4460 / AMD FX-6300
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: GTX 750 Ti / RX 460
    • DirectX: Version 11
    • Storage: 10 GB available space
    Recommended:
    • OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
    • Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
    • Memory: 16 GB RAM
    • Graphics: GTX 1060 6GB / RX 580
    • DirectX: Version 11
    • Storage: 10 GB available space
    Minimum:
    • OS: macOS 11 or newer
    • Processor: Apple M1 / Intel Core i5
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Storage: 10 GB available space
    Recommended:
    • OS: macOS 12 or newer
    • Processor: Apple M1 Pro / Intel Core i7
    • Memory: 16 GB RAM
    Minimum:
    • OS: Ubuntu 20.04+ / SteamOS 3.0+
    • Processor: Intel Core i5-4460 / AMD FX-6300
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: GTX 750 Ti / RX 460
    • Storage: 10 GB available space
    Recommended:
    • OS: Ubuntu 22.04+ / SteamOS 3.0+
    • Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
    • Memory: 16 GB RAM
    • Storage: 10 GB available space
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