Independent guide · Updated for Early Access
ZeroSpace, explained without the marketing
A hybrid sci-fi RTS and RPG from Starlance Studios. Four factions, a story campaign, a ranked ladder, and a persistent galaxy war that thousands of players share. It launched into Early Access on 20 July 2026 — here is what actually shipped.
What ZeroSpace actually is
ZeroSpace is a real-time strategy game with an RPG layer bolted on top, and both halves matter. The RTS half is deliberately familiar: you gather resources, build a base, produce an army and fight over map control. If you have played StarCraft II you will not need the tutorial to understand the shape of a match.
The RPG half is what makes it different. Every match is played with a loadout — one main faction, one mercenary group and one hero commander. Your hero is on the battlefield as a fighting unit from the first minute, and it carries levels and unlocks between matches. The single-player campaign runs on the same engine but adds cutscenes, dialogue trees and crew relationships, closer to Mass Effect than to a traditional RTS mission list.
It is developed by Starlance Studios and Ironward and published by Starlance Studios and Gamersky Games. The setting is the Orion sector, where a shortage of a faster-than-light fuel called flux has turned four civilisations against each other.
Three ways to play
Every mode feeds the same progression. Whichever you pick, your hero levels and your alliance's front line move.
Story Campaign
Command the Protectorate from your mothership. 11 missions in Early Access, with dialogue choices and crew you build relationships with.
Co-op & PvEGalactic War
A shared galaxy map fought over by three alliances. Play solo or with one friend; every win pushes your side's front line.
CompetitiveRanked Versus
1v1 and team ladder. Twelve AI difficulty steps to practise against before you touch ranked.
Pick a side
Four main factions, and they are not reskins of each other. The Grell expand by spreading biomass, the Legion trade bodies for tempo, the Xol are still being tuned in public.
ProtectorateA Caelo Ad TerramThe most conventional army in the game. Infantry, armour and air that all behave the way an RTS player expects, with siege-style firepower to punish a static defence.
GrellGrow. Expand. Exterminate.You expand by spreading roots and biomass across the battlefield rather than just planting more bases. Territory is the resource; ceding ground costs you more than it costs other factions.
LegionAcross a Million Worlds, We MarchDrown the opponent in expendable bodies, then follow up with the Terror Tank — a mobile fortress that reconfigures as the fight changes. You trade units freely and win by never letting the enemy reset.
Xol BetaFor Purpose. For Survival.The newest and least settled faction. Expect the most balance churn here — builds that work this patch may not survive the next.
Where the game stands today
Steam user reviews sit at Very Positive — 961 positive out of 1,181, or 81%. The praise is consistent: the unit control feels good, the scale is genuinely large, and the campaign's production values are above what the price band usually buys. The criticism is just as consistent, and it is mostly about the price against an Early Access feature set.
Those population numbers are small for an RTS, and we are not going to dress that up. What it means for matchmaking →
Start here
Frequently asked
Questions people actually ask about this, pulled from the Steam discussion boards and search data.
What is the ZeroSpace game?
ZeroSpace is a sci-fi real-time strategy game with role-playing elements, developed by Starlance Studios and Ironward. You command one of four factions in the Orion sector, combining a traditional RTS base-and-army loop with a persistent hero commander who levels up across matches. It entered Steam Early Access on 20 July 2026.
Who makes ZeroSpace?
Starlance Studios, an independent studio founded in 2022, with Ironward credited as co-developer. Publishing is handled by Starlance Studios and Gamersky Games.
Is ZeroSpace good?
Steam users rate it Very Positive — 81% of 1,181 reviews are positive. The consistent complaint is the price relative to how much of the game is finished. See our full verdict.
How many factions are there in ZeroSpace?
Four main factions: Protectorate, Grell, Legion and Xol. The Xol are playable but in beta and excluded from ranked matchmaking. On top of those there are 6 mercenary groups you pair with your main faction; a seventh is planned for 1.0.
Is ZeroSpace on PS5 or Xbox?
No. ZeroSpace is Windows PC only. There is no console version, no macOS build and no native Linux build. It is playable through GeForce NOW cloud streaming. Controller support is on the roadmap as a post-1.0 item.
Is there a free demo?
Not currently. A demo and a playtest client existed before launch but neither is listed on Steam now. Your practical trial is Steam's refund window. Details here.