Ever wanted Stardew Valley in space? Well, Lightyear Frontier is the closest you’ll get any time soon, giving farming a fresh spin with machinery and mechs. Developers Frame Break and Amplifier Studios have now revealed not only the Lightyear Frontier release date but also an Xbox Game Pass release to go alongside it. More exciting than that though, you can actually play it on your Xbox right away.
The developers have confirmed that Lightyear Frontier will be released into early access on Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, which isn’t far away at all. However, a Lightyear Frontier demo is available right now – from February 1, 2024 – on Xbox, coinciding with pre-orders for the game going live. Yes, that does mean that Lightyear Frontier is an Xbox exclusive, so sorry PS5 players hoping for a Stardew Valley meets Satisfactory.
Like the breakout hit Palworld, the Lightyear Frontier release date will kick off the early access period for the game, hopefully seeing at least some of the success of Palworld rubbing off. During this period, the anticipated open-world farming game will be further developed leading up to the full release sometime in the future. Nevertheless, the mech-based farming sim will undoubtedly benefit from removing some of the obstacles stopping players from giving it a go, especially given the inclusion of multiplayer co-op. Plus, there’s a good chance it could become one of the best Xbox Game Pass games.
Combining the oddly satisfying nature of Stardew Valley’s farming with technology and machinery from the likes of PC-exclusive titles like Satisfactory, Lightyear Frontier offers a unique take on the farming sim genre. You’ll work to build your own homestead as you expand your farming enterprise, making use of deep crafting systems, mech upgrades, and resource harvesting.
However, creating a farming empire doesn’t need to come at the cost of your environment. By exploring the open world, you can clean up pollution and revive the land – all while solving an ancient mystery.
All in all, Lightyear Frontier is shaping up to be one of the most exciting new Xbox games for those with green thumbs. With beloved farming sims like Stardew Valley having surprisingly wide appeal, it’s possible Lightyear Frontier could become one of the best Xbox games. Plus, there are mechs – how could you not live farming in a hulking metal beast?