As the Artemis 2 spacecraft embarks on its lunar journey, reminiscent of the iconic adventures of Captain Kirk and his crew, a notable resurgence is occurring within the gaming community. The beloved space simulation game, Kerbal Space Program (KSP), is experiencing a remarkable increase in player engagement on Steam, achieving its highest concurrent player count since its official launch over a decade ago.
Player Engagement Soars
Originally released in April 2015, KSP has maintained a steady player base, often attracting thousands of players at any given time. However, recent weeks have seen a significant spike in activity. While it may not yet be among the top 100 most played games on Steam, it is certainly approaching that milestone.
Discussions on the KSP subreddit reveal that the Artemis mission has reignited interest in the game. Players are sharing their experiences and excitement:
- <blockquote class="reddit-card" id="elk-1sf5wzj/artemishasdefinitelyinspiredmetoreturn_to” data-mobile-row=”1″ data-desktop-row=”1″>”Artemis has definitely inspired me to return to this game after ~5 years.”
- <blockquote class="reddit-card" id="elk-1seawlx/isitpossibletodoanartemisiistyle_mission” data-mobile-row=”2″ data-desktop-row=”2″>”Is it possible to do an Artemis II style mission?”
- <blockquote class="reddit-card" id="elk-1setedq/fakeartemistrackerthoughtiwaswatching_the” data-mobile-row=”3″ data-desktop-row=”3″>”Fake Artemis tracker? Thought I was watching the NASA stream until the camera switched to show a group of weird frogs inside!”
- <blockquote class="reddit-card" id="elk-1se4csz/sohappytohearthatartemisiiwillbe_passing” data-mobile-row=”4″ data-desktop-row=”4″>”So happy to hear that Artemis II will be passing by the moon today… seriously, it couldn’t come at a better time.”
The enthusiasm extends beyond online forums, with players actively participating in the Artemis 2 launch. One user shared their experience:
<blockquote class="reddit-card" id="elk-1s8zqsw/leggingdowntoseeartemisiiwishmeluck” data-mobile-row=”5″ data-desktop-row=”5″>”Legging down to see Artemis II, wish me luck!”
Players are not just observing; they are engaging creatively with the game. One Redditor recounted, “I was trying to explain the Artemis II mission to my girlfriend, and eventually said ‘hold on, let me just show you’ and downloaded KSP to fly it. Built my best KSP approximation of the ship, put it in orbit first try, found my Mun intercept, wrapped around the back side, and back to Kerbin without issue… and then I realized I forgot parachutes.”
Another player noted a similar sentiment, stating, “Was watching the live stream of Artemis with my son, he looks at me and says, ‘Dad, this makes me want to play KSP!'”
For many, KSP has become a comforting companion during this exciting time in space exploration. One player shared, “My ‘comfort food’ the last week has been tracking Artemis, rewatching For All Mankind, while playing KSP. Oh, and Project Hail Mary was great too. Space is so back, baby.”
While it is anticipated that player numbers may decline once Artemis 2 completes its mission, the current surge suggests a fresh wave of interest in KSP. This influx of new players could potentially sustain the game’s popularity well beyond the Artemis mission.
In addition, Kerbal Space Program 2 has also seen a modest increase in player numbers, though not as dramatic as its predecessor. It peaked at 370 concurrent players on Steam, a notable rise from a previous high of 118 just a month earlier.
