Frequently asked questions
Everything people ask about StarForge Arena. If your question isn’t here, support will reach us.
The basics
What is StarForge Arena?
A fast top-down space shooter you play in short matches, alone against bots or online with friends. You pick one of six ships, each with its own special ability, and fight across six game modes. It plays on Mac and Windows today, with an iPhone and iPad version on the way, and everyone plays together.
How much does StarForge Arena cost?
Right now it is free. StarForge Arena is in Early Access, there are no ads, and nothing is for sale. Every ship and every mode is open from your first match.
What will it cost at full launch?
On iPhone and iPad the game stays free, and the Pilot Pass will be an optional purchase. On Steam the game will be a one-time purchase with the Pilot Pass included. On every platform, nothing you can buy will make a ship stronger.
What is the Pilot Pass?
An extra track of cosmetic rewards, such as engine trails, hull skins and kill banners. It changes how you look and never how your ship flies. The Pilot Pass cannot be bought during Early Access.
Is StarForge Arena pay-to-win?
No. There are no upgrades to unlock and no stat boosts to buy. Your ship is exactly as strong as everyone else's version of it. The things you earn by playing are cosmetic and never affect a match.
Are there ads?
No. There is no advertising anywhere in the game.
What can I play StarForge Arena on?
Mac and Windows today; the downloads are on the home page. An iPhone and iPad version (iOS 16.0 or later) is coming to the App Store, and a Steam version is planned.
Playing a match
How long is a match in StarForge Arena?
A few minutes. You set two dials in the lobby: a kill limit of 5, 10, 15 or 20 (or none), and a clock of two, five or ten minutes (or none). Your first match is 5 kills in two minutes; after that the lobby opens at 15 kills in five. Battle Royale has no kill limit and always runs on the clock.
Can I play StarForge Arena offline?
Yes. You can play every mode against bots with no account and no internet connection. Tap PLAY AS GUEST, then PLAY VS BOTS.
Do I need an account to play?
Not to play against bots. You need a free account to play online, which covers quick match, the server browser and private rooms.
How many players can play StarForge Arena?
Between 2 and 12 depending on the mode. Deathmatch runs 2 to 8, the team modes run 4 to 8, and Battle Royale runs 4 to 12 on a map nearly twice as wide.
How do I play with friends?
Create a private room and share the invite code. Private rooms are unlisted, so only people with the code can join. You can also use the server browser to join any open room.
Is there crossplay in StarForge Arena?
Yes. Mac and Windows players share the same rooms, the same matchmaking and the same invite codes, and iPhone and iPad players will join the same rooms when that version arrives. Everyone in a room needs to be on the same version of the game.
How do I get better at StarForge Arena?
Watch the minimap more than the screen. The whole arena fits on it, flags and hill zones are drawn where they really are, and most deaths are an enemy you could have seen coming. After that: stay near the objective instead of chasing kills, and shoot the turrets, mines and beacons other ships leave behind. All of them can be destroyed.
Does StarForge Arena support controllers?
Yes. Connect an MFi or Bluetooth controller and the on-screen stick and fire button fade out automatically. The ability button stays on screen so you can still see when your special is ready. Touch the screen and the rest come straight back.
Does StarForge Arena play in landscape?
Yes. Turn your phone sideways for a wider view of the arena, with the controls at the edges. The menus turn with it.
Can I change the music in StarForge Arena?
Yes. There are four battle tracks (PULSAR DRIFT, NEON SURGE, ION STORM and STARFORGE RUSH). Preview them and pick one in settings, and the game remembers your choice. Music and sound effects have separate volume sliders and mute switches.
Ships, modes and the arena
What are the six ships?
Interceptor (an afterburner that outruns everything), Gunship (a turret you leave behind), Phantom (a cloak that hides you from the screen and the minimap), Bomber (proximity mines), Carrier (a warp beacon you can jump home to), and Specter (a charged railgun). All six are available from your first match, and none is simply stronger than the others.
What game modes does StarForge Arena have?
Six: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, Battle Royale, and StarBall, a zero-gravity ball game where you can shoot the ball into the goal.
What is StarBall?
StarBall is space soccer. Touch the ball to pick it up and press FIRE to kick it, or shoot a loose ball to knock it along, and put it in the other team's goal. You can't use your guns or special while carrying it. The ball keeps its momentum, so a pass you set up a couple of seconds early often decides the match.
How does Battle Royale work in StarForge Arena?
There are no respawns, and a storm closes in on the map. The safe zone shrinks toward a different spot each phase, so there is no safe middle to camp in. It plays on an arena nearly twice as wide as the other modes, and the last ship flying wins. If the clock runs out first, the survivor with the most hull left takes it.
How big is the StarForge Arena map?
Small enough that the whole arena fits on your minimap, and big enough that crossing it takes a real decision. Battle Royale uses the same arena at nearly twice the width, to make room for up to twelve players.
Does cover actually block shots?
Yes. Every shot stops at rock, including a fully charged railgun beam, so hiding behind an asteroid really does protect you. Many rocks break apart under enough fire, though, so cover does not last forever.
Do I keep my pickups when I die?
No. Shields and boosts are lost when you are destroyed. Speed and damage boosts also do not stack; picking up a second one resets the timer.
Accessibility and privacy
Is StarForge Arena colorblind accessible?
Yes. Settings include colorblind-friendly palettes for deuteranopia, protanopia and tritanopia, and they change the team colours of the ships themselves.
Does StarForge Arena track me or show ads?
No. There is no advertising, no third-party analytics and no tracking prompt. An online account stores your email address, pilot name, match results and settings. Aim and damage statistics from online matches are sent to help balance the game, and you can turn that off in settings. The game also collects crash reports.
Account and support
How do I delete my account?
In the game, open SETTINGS, go to the EXTRAS tab, and choose DELETE ACCOUNT. This removes your profile and the data that goes with it.
More on the play space in the arena, and on match formats in how it plays.