SpaceVenture officially exited Early Access on December 24, 2025, marking the end of one of gaming’s most chaotic and drawn-out Kickstarter campaigns. The spiritual successor to the legendary Space Quest series was funded on June 12, 2012 with $539,767 from 10,809 backers, promised for February 2013 delivery. Instead, backers waited over a decade through health issues, technical problems, engine rewrites, and countless delays before receiving a September 2022 Kickstarter-exclusive buggy version, followed by April 1, 2025 Early Access Steam launch, and finally the full release this week. Created by Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe – the Two Guys from Andromeda who defined Sierra’s Space Quest franchise – SpaceVenture follows space plumber Ace Hardway and his robotic dog Router through a sci-fi comedy adventure featuring point-and-click puzzles, arcade minigames, and satirical jabs at modern technology including an evil AI wanting to install face boxes on everyone.
The Space Quest Legacy
Space Quest defined comedy adventure gaming during Sierra On-Line’s golden era from 1986 to 1995. Created by Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe, the series followed Roger Wilco, a bumbling janitor who repeatedly saved the universe despite being a regular guy rather than heroic knight or prince. The games blended point-and-click puzzles with arcade sequences, science fiction parody, and humor that mercilessly mocked genre conventions while celebrating the space opera stories that inspired them. Space Quest stood out from Sierra’s fantasy-focused King’s Quest series by offering comedy protagonist players could relate to instead of idealized heroes.
The partnership between Murphy and Crowe produced six mainline Space Quest games before ending in 1995 with Space Quest 6. Murphy handled programming and game design while Crowe created graphics, music, and visual direction, combining technical skill with artistic vision in rare collaboration where creative disagreements never derailed projects. After the series ended, both left Sierra and pursued separate careers – Murphy worked on various programming projects while Crowe joined Pipeworks Software. The two lost contact for years as Sierra itself collapsed under corporate ownership changes and the adventure game genre fell out of mainstream favor.
The 2012 announcement that Murphy and Crowe had reunited under company name Guys From Andromeda LLC generated immediate excitement among adventure game enthusiasts who grew up solving Space Quest puzzles and laughing at Roger Wilco’s misadventures. The timing aligned perfectly with adventure game renaissance sparked by Double Fine’s record-breaking Kickstarter that raised $3.3 million and proved dormant genre could thrive through crowdfunding. Every legendary adventure designer from Sierra and LucasArts reappeared attempting similar revivals, creating brief period where point-and-click adventures seemed poised for comeback.
The Kickstarter Campaign
The SpaceVenture Kickstarter launched May 12, 2012 with $500,000 funding goal and promised February 2013 delivery. Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe pitched spiritual successor to Space Quest featuring new protagonist Ace Hardway, a life support systems technician – essentially a space plumber – accompanied by robotic dog companion Router. The campaign emphasized that while they couldn’t use the Space Quest name due to Activision owning Sierra’s intellectual properties, they would deliver the same sci-fi parody, comedy sensibility, and puzzle design that made the original series beloved.
The campaign nearly failed to reach its funding goal, only clearing the $500,000 threshold at the eleventh hour on June 12, 2012. Final tally showed 10,809 backers contributing $539,767, narrowly succeeding where failure would have meant the project received nothing under Kickstarter’s all-or-nothing funding model. This close call should have signaled potential problems – campaigns that barely reach funding often struggle because budgets leave no margin for unexpected complications or scope creep that inevitably plague game development.
Chris Pope, known online as SpacePope, co-founded Guys From Andromeda LLC and served as executive producer bringing social media expertise, web development skills, and talent connections that Murphy and Crowe lacked. His dedication to making Two Guys adventure game reality proved instrumental during the Kickstarter campaign, though the challenges ahead would test everyone’s resolve far beyond what the optimistic 2012 pitch anticipated. The team genuinely believed nine months sufficed to create complete point-and-click adventure using modern tools and their decades of experience.
Why They Couldn’t Make Space Quest 7
Murphy and Crowe initially approached Activision about creating Space Quest 7 shortly before launching the Kickstarter campaign. Activision acquired Sierra’s intellectual property catalog when the publisher dissolved, gaining rights to Space Quest, King’s Quest, Quest for Glory, and other classic franchises. The conversation went nowhere – an Activision representative mentioned potential plans for old franchises, promised to convene executive meetings and call back with decisions, then ghosted Murphy and Crowe completely. As of 2014, they still hadn’t received response despite follow-up attempts.
The cold shoulder from Activision reflected broader industry indifference toward adventure games in 2012. Major publishers considered point-and-click adventures commercially dead, believing modern audiences wanted action combat and cinematic spectacle over inventory puzzles and dialogue trees. Activision had zero interest reviving dormant Sierra franchises when Call of Duty and Destiny offered more reliable profits. This corporate dismissal drove Murphy and Crowe toward crowdfunding, where fans could directly support projects publishers rejected as commercially unviable.
The 13 Years Of Development Hell
The promised February 2013 release never materialized. Instead, backers endured over a decade of delays, excuses, health crises, technical problems, and communication breakdowns that transformed SpaceVenture from exciting reunion project into cautionary tale about Kickstarter risks. The saga involves engine rewrites, team turnover, scope creep, and numerous instances where updates promised imminent release only for months or years to pass without meaningful progress. By 2022, ten years after funding, many backers had written off their contributions as lost money financing someone else’s impossible dream.
One recurring criticism from backers and observers involved the decision to create custom game engine rather than using established tools like Adventure Game Studio or GameMaker. These engines specifically target point-and-click adventures with built-in systems for inventory management, dialogue trees, pathfinding, and save states that developers would otherwise spend months or years programming from scratch. Backers argued they would have been perfectly satisfied with AGS-created game that looked like classic Sierra adventures if it meant actually receiving the product within reasonable timeframe instead of watching years vanish into technical rabbit holes.
Health issues complicated development significantly. Team members faced medical problems requiring time away from the project, creating additional delays beyond technical challenges. The small team structure meant any individual’s absence severely impacted progress – when your programmer battles health crisis, development grinds to halt regardless of how complete other aspects might be. These human factors distinguish SpaceVenture from pure mismanagement disasters where incompetence or fraud explain failures rather than genuine obstacles beyond anyone’s control.
The Pattern Of False Promises
Throughout the decade-plus development, Guys From Andromeda repeatedly assured backers that release was imminent, just a few more bugs to fix, any day now. These promises followed predictable cycle – update announces nearly complete game requiring minor polish, months pass without further communication, next update repeats identical message about being nearly ready just needing to fix few more issues. This pattern repeated for literally years, eroding backer trust and generating justified skepticism about whether the team actually understood software development timelines or simply couldn’t admit the project had spiraled beyond their capabilities.
Critics pointed out that if the game was supposedly “just a few bugs” away from completion in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, something fundamentally broken existed beyond simple bug fixing. The reality suggested deeper problems – incomplete systems requiring major rewrites, scope that kept expanding beyond original vision, perfectionism preventing releasing good-enough product, or some combination making timely completion impossible. The refusal to communicate honestly about these challenges frustrated backers more than delays themselves would have if properly contextualized.
The September 2022 Backer Release
After ten years of waiting, Guys From Andromeda released SpaceVenture exclusively to Kickstarter backers on September 16, 2022. This version was complete in that players could progress from beginning to end experiencing the full story, but absolutely riddled with bugs, missing voice lines, placeholder graphics, and technical issues that made professional release impossible. The team positioned this as beta version for backers to test while they addressed remaining problems before public Steam launch, but many backers felt insulted receiving barely-functional product a decade late after countless promises of imminent polished releases.
The backer-exclusive version generated mixed responses. Some appreciated finally receiving something tangible after ten years of waiting, finding entertainment value despite rough edges and recognizing the Two Guys humor and design sensibility throughout. Others criticized the buggy state as unacceptable after such extended development, arguing that if this represented ten years of work, something had gone catastrophically wrong during production. The divide reflected different backer expectations – those treating Kickstarter as investment accepting inherent risks versus those viewing it as pre-purchase expecting equivalent product to retail releases.
Reviews from backers who played through the September 2022 version praised core gameplay, humor, and nostalgic callbacks to Space Quest while acknowledging technical problems undermined experience. The point-and-click interface worked adequately when not breaking, puzzles provided satisfying challenge without unfair moon logic, and the story’s satirical edge targeting modern technology resonated. One player completing the entire game at highest difficulty described it as very enjoyable despite bugs, emphasizing that the fundamental game design succeeded even when technical execution faltered.
The Early Access Steam Release
SpaceVenture entered Early Access on Steam on April 1, 2025, nearly 13 years after the Kickstarter funding. The April Fools’ Day release date generated inevitable jokes about whether this represented elaborate prank, but the game genuinely launched for $14.99 allowing anyone to purchase and play the full campaign. The Early Access designation served dual purposes – signaling that bugs and polish issues remained while protecting against review bombing that premature full release might trigger from players expecting AAA production values.
The Early Access version represented substantial improvement over September 2022 backer release after extensive quality assurance testing with beta testers. Major bugs received fixes, missing voice lines were recorded, placeholder graphics got replaced, and overall stability improved dramatically. Players could complete the game from start to finish without game-breaking issues, though minor problems and quality-of-life improvements remained on the development roadmap. This version functioned as actual playable game rather than technical proof-of-concept that barely held together.
The reception to Early Access launch showed cautious optimism from adventure game enthusiasts willing to give Guys From Andromeda benefit of the doubt after years of skepticism. YouTube channels covering adventure gaming praised the team for actually following through rather than abandoning the project or delivering unfinished vaporware. The Space Quest Historian channel specifically noted relief at finally being able to stop answering “Is this game ever going to be finished?” questions, highlighting how SpaceVenture’s perpetual development became running joke in adventure gaming communities.
The December 2025 Full Release
On December 24, 2025, SpaceVenture officially exited Early Access with version 2.08.01 marking the full release. The patch notes detailed extensive improvements accumulated during the eight-month Early Access period including improved save system, 22 Steam achievements, full version of in-game arcade title Cluck Yegger Escape from the Planet of the Poultroids, sound control settings, text review for grammar and clarity, visual enhancements to multiple scenes, bug fixes for vast majority of reported issues, and missing voice-over additions.
The full release represents vindication for Guys From Andromeda after 13 years of criticism about whether they could actually finish the project. Despite numerous setbacks, health issues, technical problems, and justified skepticism, the team never gave up or officially canceled SpaceVenture. They kept working through years when most observers had written off the project as doomed Kickstarter failure, eventually delivering complete product that backers can play from beginning to end. Whether that justifies the decade-plus wait remains subjective debate among backers with different expectations.
Community response to full release shows appreciation that SpaceVenture actually finished rather than joining graveyard of failed Kickstarters that took money and disappeared. The bar for success sits tragically low – simply delivering playable game constitutes achievement when so many crowdfunded projects fail completely. Players genuinely enjoying the comedy, puzzles, and nostalgic Space Quest callbacks report satisfaction despite acknowledging rough edges and production values that don’t match modern indie standards set by games like Thimbleweed Park or Return to Monkey Island.
The Game Itself
SpaceVenture casts players as Ace Hardway, a life support systems technician working aboard a space station when routine repair job goes catastrophically wrong. The resulting galaxy-spanning adventure pits Ace against sewer monsters, crooked cops, killer Roombas, sandworms, and rogue AI called Iom wanting to install face boxes on everyone for world domination – satire of social media surveillance that remains disturbingly relevant. The story features humor balancing absurdist comedy with genuine stakes, creating tone reminiscent of Space Quest’s blend of parody and adventure.
The interface follows classic point-and-click conventions with cursor-based interaction, inventory system, dialogue trees, and environmental puzzles requiring logical item combinations and exploration. Router the robotic dog serves both as companion providing comic relief and gameplay tool with abilities like defibrillator for reviving Ace, rocket thrusters for reaching inaccessible areas, and scanning functions through in-game PDA app. This companion mechanic adds layer beyond pure inventory puzzles, creating situations where Router’s unique capabilities solve problems Ace cannot.
Arcade sequences homage Space Quest’s tradition of blending genres, though SpaceVenture apparently learned from harsh player reactions to the brutal skimmer sequence from Space Quest 1 that traumatized generation of players. The team promised not penalizing players who want adventure game without arcade reflexes, offering options for those who prefer pure puzzle-solving over twitch-based challenges. The in-game arcade title Cluck Yegger Escape from the Planet of the Poultroids callbacks Space Quest’s Astro Chicken minigame while serving as fully playable diversion.
Meta-Humor And The Two Guys
SpaceVenture’s main plot revolves around the Two Guys from Andromeda themselves – game developers whose work gets hijacked by evil corporation. This meta-narrative layer creates self-aware comedy acknowledging the creators’ own history while functioning as satire of corporate exploitation in gaming industry. Players actually meet Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe within the game, living in tropical biodome complete with beach where Ace initially finds them relaxing when arriving to fix plumbing problems.
The self-referential humor extends throughout with callbacks to Space Quest, jokes about adventure game conventions, and satirical jabs at modern gaming trends. Officer Quicksilver serves as “annoying baddie but not the big bad” similar to Arnoid the Annihilator’s role in Space Quest, both riffing on Terminator movies. The rogue AI Iom wanting to install face boxes satirizes social media surveillance. Even the balloon baby from 2001 A Space Odyssey makes cameo. This dense referential comedy rewards players familiar with sci-fi classics and adventure gaming history.
What Went Wrong And Lessons Learned
SpaceVenture’s troubled development illustrates multiple pitfalls that plague crowdfunded game projects. The decision to create custom engine rather than using established adventure game tools wasted years that could have been spent on content creation, puzzles, story, and polish. The small team structure meant any individual absence severely impacted progress, creating fragility where health issues or personal problems derailed entire production. The overly optimistic initial timeline of nine months revealed fundamental misunderstanding of software development complexity even for experienced industry veterans.
The communication problems compounded technical challenges. Repeatedly promising imminent release only for years to pass without meaningful progress eroded backer trust far more than honest updates admitting deeper problems would have. The pattern of identical excuses about “just fixing a few more bugs” for literally a decade suggested either dishonesty about project status or complete inability to accurately assess remaining work. Either interpretation justified backer frustration and skepticism about whether the team could actually deliver.
The comparison to other adventure game Kickstarters highlights SpaceVenture’s outlier status. Double Fine Adventure became Broken Age releasing in 2014-2015 despite budget and scope problems. Thimbleweed Park from Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick delivered in 2017 on schedule. Leisure Suit Larry Reloaded shipped in 2013. Even problematic campaigns like Mighty No. 9 and Unsung Story eventually released something rather than languishing in development purgatory for over a decade. SpaceVenture’s 13-year timeline places it among the most delayed Kickstarter game projects that actually finished rather than being outright canceled or abandoned.
The Adventure Game Renaissance Context
SpaceVenture launched into dramatically different adventure game landscape than existed during 2012 Kickstarter. The genre renaissance sparked by Double Fine’s crowdfunding success proved sustainable with studios like Wadjet Eye Games, Daedalic Entertainment, and indies consistently delivering quality point-and-click adventures. Games like Disco Elysium, Return to Monkey Island, Pentiment, and numerous others demonstrated adventure gaming’s continued relevance when properly executed with modern sensibilities and production values.
This context makes SpaceVenture’s outdated presentation more glaring. While the game intentionally targets nostalgic pixel art aesthetic, the execution feels amateurish compared to contemporaries that also embrace retro styles but with polish and artistry elevating beyond simple homage. The bugs and technical roughness that persisted through Early Access into full release contrast sharply with tight productions from smaller teams working with fewer resources. The comparison isn’t entirely fair given SpaceVenture’s troubled development, but market competition doesn’t care about excuses when players have limited time and money.
The pricing at $14.99 positions SpaceVenture below premium adventure game releases but above budget indie offerings, reflecting middling production values and niche appeal to hardcore Space Quest fans rather than mainstream adventure gaming audience. Whether this price point generates sufficient revenue to justify the 13-year investment remains unclear, though crowdfunding model means financial viability differs from traditional development where unsold copies represent losses rather than pre-paid expenses already recouped.
FAQs
When did SpaceVenture finally release?
SpaceVenture exited Early Access on December 24, 2025 with version 2.08.01 marking full release. It entered Early Access on Steam April 1, 2025. Kickstarter backers received buggy exclusive version September 16, 2022. The original Kickstarter funded June 12, 2012 with promised February 2013 delivery, making actual completion over 13 years late.
Who created SpaceVenture?
Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe, the Two Guys from Andromeda who created Sierra’s Space Quest series. They reunited in 2012 after years apart, forming Guys From Andromeda LLC with Chris Pope as executive producer. Murphy handled programming and design while Crowe created graphics and visual direction, same partnership that produced six Space Quest games from 1986-1995.
Why isn’t it called Space Quest 7?
Activision owns Space Quest intellectual property from acquiring Sierra’s catalog. Murphy and Crowe approached Activision about Space Quest 7 before the Kickstarter but received vague promises about potential franchise plans followed by complete silence. Activision never responded to follow-ups, forcing the team to create spiritual successor using different name and characters.
Why did SpaceVenture take 13 years?
Multiple factors including custom engine development instead of using established tools like Adventure Game Studio, small team structure making health issues severely impact progress, technical problems requiring rewrites, scope creep beyond original vision, and perfectionism preventing release of good-enough product. Repeated promises of imminent release followed by years of delays suggest deeper problems than simple bug fixing.
Is SpaceVenture worth playing?
For hardcore Space Quest fans and adventure game enthusiasts willing to overlook rough edges, yes. The humor, puzzles, and nostalgic callbacks deliver entertainment despite technical roughness and dated presentation. However, casual players expecting polish comparable to modern adventure games like Return to Monkey Island or Thimbleweed Park may find it disappointing given 13-year development and $14.99 asking price.
What is the gameplay like?
Classic point-and-click adventure with inventory puzzles, dialogue trees, environmental exploration, and arcade minigame sequences. You play Ace Hardway, space plumber with robotic dog Router who provides abilities like scanning, revival, and traversal. The story features sci-fi comedy parody targeting modern technology, social media, and gaming industry while following galaxy-spanning adventure against rogue AI and various threats.
Did backers get refunds?
No information indicates refund offerings. Kickstarter operates under investment model rather than pre-purchase, meaning backers accept risk that projects may fail, face extensive delays, or deliver products different from pitched vision. SpaceVenture actually delivered complete game eventually, distinguishing it from outright scam campaigns that disappear with funding.
Will there be SpaceVenture 2?
Unlikely given 13-year development cycle for first game and team members’ ages. Forum posts joke about SpaceVenture 2 but realistically another decade-long development seems improbable. The team finally crossing finish line after years of setbacks represents achievement itself without immediately pursuing sequel that would require similar sustained effort and resources.
Conclusion
SpaceVenture’s December 24, 2025 full release concludes one of gaming’s most infamous Kickstarter campaigns, completing 13-year journey from June 2012 funding with promised February 2013 delivery that never came. The spiritual successor to Space Quest from legendary creators Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe represents both cautionary tale about crowdfunding risks and testament to stubborn determination in face of overwhelming obstacles. The decision to create custom game engine rather than using established adventure game tools like AGS wasted years better spent on content creation, while small team structure made health issues and personal problems catastrophically impact progress beyond typical development challenges. The pattern of repeatedly promising imminent release only for years to pass without meaningful progress eroded backer trust far more than honest communication about deeper problems would have, creating justified skepticism about whether Guys From Andromeda actually understood software development timelines or could deliver at all. Yet despite years when most observers wrote off SpaceVenture as doomed failure destined for crowdfunding graveyard, the team never officially canceled or abandoned the project, continuing to work through setbacks until delivering complete playable game from beginning to end. The full release features improved save system, Steam achievements, polished visuals, fixed bugs, complete voice acting, and arcade minigame paying homage to Space Quest’s genre-blending tradition while offering point-and-click puzzles, inventory challenges, companion mechanics with robotic dog Router, and self-aware meta-humor featuring the Two Guys from Andromeda themselves within the story. Whether 13-year wait justifies final product remains subjective debate among backers with different expectations – some appreciate actually receiving something after decade of uncertainty while others criticize rough technical execution and dated presentation compared to contemporary adventure games with higher production values. The tragedy lies in how much better SpaceVenture could have been if developed efficiently using proven tools, delivered within reasonable timeframe when adventure game renaissance sparked by Double Fine’s success created optimal market conditions, and communicated honestly about challenges rather than perpetuating cycle of false promises that damaged reputation and goodwill. Yet the simple act of finishing distinguishes SpaceVenture from countless failed Kickstarters that disappeared with funding, canceled mid-development, or delivered unplayable garbage justifying backer lawsuits. Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe’s reunion produced flawed but complete comedy adventure featuring their signature humor, puzzle design sensibility, and satirical edge targeting modern technology and social media surveillance through rogue AI wanting to install face boxes for world domination. For hardcore Space Quest fans who backed the campaign in 2012, finally receiving SpaceVenture in 2025 provides closure even if nostalgia and relief color appreciation more than objective quality assessment would justify. The lessons from this troubled development apply broadly to crowdfunding – realistic timelines matter, communication transparency builds trust, using established tools accelerates progress, small teams create fragility, and passionate creators don’t always make competent project managers even with decades of industry experience.