The next Stars Reach update is a big one, and it’s coming next week. On July 10, 2026, the devs announced Update 8.1.5 will introduce a brand new character customization system, a major UI overhaul, new fauna types, visible creature spawners, and control improvements. But there’s a catch — they’re hitting the reset button.
The Great Wipe
The Great Wipe is happening with this update. That means everyone starts from zero. The devs are blunt about it: “This is your final warning to grab screenshots and video of your best creations.” After the update, you’ll begin by giving your character a brand new look. They’re clear this is an intermediate step, not the final vision. You’ll be helping them test the foundations of these systems.
Character Customization
The old template characters are gone. The new system lets you customize:
- Species and Body Type
- Facial Features (eyes, nose, mouth, jawline, chin, ears, eyebrows, cheekbones, forehead)
- Body Attachments like hairstyles, tails, and horns
- General Appearance with sliders for musculature, weight, and height
It’s early, though. The devs admit it’s “light on clothing content, attachable options, and it has a lot of graphical glitches still.” Their target was just “one of each thing” to make sure the pipelines work. Color options, full texturing, and more variety are all on the way.
What Else Is New
Stability gets some love with server crash fixes, though the devs know there are more issues to address. You’ll also see new fauna types and changes to creature spawners — you can actually see them now. The update includes a major evolution of the user interface and a number of control and movement improvements.
The devs are putting this out early specifically to get testing feedback. It’s rough, but it’s in players’ hands now.
