Developer GeekZebra is crafting Space News Network, a game that blends space exploration with journalistic endeavors, drawing comparisons to Hello Games' No Man's Sky. Players step into the role of a starpilot reporter, tasked with venturing to alien worlds to uncover scoops and maintain the happiness of their subscriber base.
The gameplay loop involves navigating the cosmos to find newsworthy oddities on planets and in space, or alternatively, interrogating informants for leads and quotes. These informants are designed with distinct personalities and professions, reflecting the kind of journalistic material they can provide. Some quests may devolve into typical space errands, such as mining asteroids, even for a journalist.
Once gathered, information is published using a simplified in-game design tool where players arrange text and images onto templates. A rudimentary marketplace for news exists, with subscribers demanding increasingly in-depth reporting over time. The extent of editorial control, such as choosing story angles, biases, or the level of research, remains to be fully seen. It is also unclear if players can intentionally defame characters or face consequences like legal action.
While not appearing as complex as titles like News Tower, the developer has expressed a desire for a multiplayer component, allowing players to share their reports with others. The concept echoes that of Noctis, a 2000 title where players documented planets in a shared database. A work-in-progress build of Space News Network is currently available on Itch.io, with the full release date yet to be announced.