The upcoming Economy 2 update for Space Engineers introduces NPCs to the game, enhancing immersion with neutral trading stations and laying the groundwork for future interactions, alongside a revamped economy featuring improved ships, diverse contracts, and a new service terminal for ship repair and storage. Additionally, the update includes new building blocks and cosmetic improvements, aiming to enrich gameplay, aesthetics, and performance, with the release planned for May.
The developers of Space Engineers have announced a major upcoming update, the Economy 2 overhaul, which notably includes the addition of NPCs (non-player characters) to the original Space Engineers game. This was initially teased on April Fool’s Day, but quickly confirmed as a real feature arriving in the 209 update. These NPCs will populate neutral trading stations, walking around, interacting with the environment, and waving at players. While currently basic, this marks a significant step towards enhancing the game’s immersion and could be the foundation for more complex NPC interactions, including potential future combat scenarios.
Alongside NPCs, the update will revamp the economy system, which has been quite basic since its introduction. The overhaul includes improved economy ships available for purchase at trade stations, featuring better visuals and possibly enhanced functionality such as automated fighters. The contract system will also see significant changes, with new types of contracts like recovery, bounty (PvE), hauling, and salvage contracts. These contracts are designed to provide more structured and rewarding gameplay, giving players clear objectives and reasons to engage with the game’s sandbox environment beyond simple building and exploration.
One of the most exciting new features is the introduction of the service terminal, a multifunctional block where players can repair ships, sell unwanted ships for credits, and store ships to reduce PCU usage and improve performance. This terminal addresses a core issue in Space Engineers combat: the high cost and time investment to repair damaged ships often deters players from engaging in battles. If the service terminal can repair heavily damaged or even partially destroyed ships, it could dramatically change how players approach combat, making it more accessible and less punishing.
The update also brings a variety of new blocks and cosmetic improvements, including new cargo containers, structural beam blocks, large floor blocks for building, and various decorative signs for trade stations. These additions not only improve the visual appeal of the game but also offer more building options with reduced PCU costs. New window blocks with armored slits and customizable advertising panels with LCD displays are also part of the update, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality within the game’s stations and bases.
Overall, this Economy 2 update represents a fundamental evolution for Space Engineers 1, promising more engaging gameplay through NPC interactions, a richer economy with meaningful contracts, and quality-of-life improvements like ship repair and storage. The update is slated for release in May, and fans can expect further details soon. For players eager to stay informed on this and other Space Engineers news, following dedicated channels and supporting content creators is recommended.