To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar mission, space science ’em up Astroneer has turned its attention a little closer to home in a big update and time-limited event. Available now and running until August 31st, System Era Softworks are sending players to the barren moon of Desolo to search for the NASA lunar lander. Players who discover the old relic will get a chance to pose for a photo opportunity (using its still-functioning TV cameras) and unlock some commemorative goodies. Of course, there’s a bit more to the update, as you can see in the video below.
It's the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, the first mission to take humans to the surface of the moon. Space sandbox Astroneer is paying tribute to that momentous occasion with some themed in-game items and the chance to listen to audio from the historic flight.
For a limited time, Astroneer players can travel to Desolo, the game's Moon equivalent, to search for the Apollo Lunar Module. Finding it will unlock a "vintage-themed spacesuit palette and visor," System Era Softworks says.
Additionally, there are approximately an hour's worth of audio logs taken directly from the Apollo 11 mission, featuring radio conversations from mission control and astronaut Mike Collins.
The tribute comes alongside a patch for the game called the Lunar Update that adds in new platforms and storage options.
Space survival craft ’em ups can be pretty grim places, what with the lack of oxygen and constant threat of being eaten alive by the resident fauna and all that, but for some developers there’s nowhere more hostile than the mothership from which they all originate. Throw a dart on Steam, says Joe Tirado, head communications honcho for Astroneer, and you could probably hit a bunch of other things [like ours]”. It’s partly why Astroneer adopted such a bright and bubbly exterior during its run in early access, he adds. Originally, however, it was going to be a very different game indeed.