Space Engineers 2 Alpha: VS2.3 - Drive, Automate & Detonate

Hello, Engineers!

Major Update VS2.3: Drive, Automate & Detonate is here, bringing the final Mechanical Blocks (Wheels & Hinges), destructive Warheads, and core Automation tools (Timer, Sensor, Event Controller) to the game!

This update also expands exploration with new planetary stations and Endless Encounters, while introducing critical Combat enhancements and foundational Reworks to Survival progression and Ore Distribution.

This Major Update pushes Space Engineers 2 forward in a big way - and we’re excited to finally share it with you!

• Full Blog Post: https://blog.marekrosa.org/2026/07/se2-vs2-3/
• Roadmap: https://2.spaceengineersgame.com/roadmap-2/

New Blocks

• Wheels (6 sizes: 100, 150, 250, 500, 750, 1250)
• Hinges
• Event Controller
• Timer
• Sensor
• Control Panel
• Wind Turbine
• Rocket Turret Large
• Rocket Turret Small
• Large Rocket Launcher
• Small Rocket Launcher
• Large Warhead
• Small Warhead
• Sound Block
• LCD (Large)
• LCD (Medium)
• LCD (Small)
• Wide LCD (Large)
• Wide LCD (Medium)
• Wide LCD (Small)
• Narrow LCD (Large)
• Narrow LCD (Small)
• Corner LCD (Large)
• Corner LCD (Small)
• Interior Wall Cutout 2.5 m
  • Wall Insert Panel 1.5 m
  • Wall Insert Pipes 1.5 m
  • Wall Insert Vent 1.5 m
  • Wall Insert Window 1.5 m
  • Wall Insert Conveyor 1.5 m
• Set of 9 Passage Blocks
• Catwalk Stairs Wide Half
• Catwalk Stairs Narrow Half

New in Almagest System / Almagest System Exploration

• Sector Stages
  • Foundation of world evolving, as you colonize 
  • Added new cutscenes
  • New encounters and contracts
• Foundations of Endless Encounters & Contracts
• Brand new Tutorial / Almagest Introduction
• Reworked ore distribution in Almagest sectors
  • Verdure now has gold, lead and magnesium (rare)
  • Ore nodes has 3 categories: surface, medium and deep (100 m)
  • rarer ores/larger nodes found further down you go
  • Volcanic areas contain rare resource spots
• Added planetary stations
  • Verdure - Vallis Reach
  • Kemik - Dustspire Junction
  • Palatine Orbit - Palatine Station
  • Caligo Orbit - Caligo Station
• Added additional foliage, flora improvements (Planet Verdure)

Features - System Foundations

• Wind Physics
• Added Flight HUD
• Explosions
  • O2H2 tanks
  • Functional Reactors
  • Ammo in inventories
  • Warheads
• New Game menu redesign
  • Classic Survival Start Added
• Character Skin system basics (Medical Bay)
• Decals 
  • Bullet hit
  • Drill impacting voxels
  • Explosions
  • Wheels

Features - Expansions

• Action Toolbar Groups support
  • Subgrid support not yet, but planned
• Action Toolbar improvements (mouse tooltips, drag+drop)
• Added limits for Rotors/Pistons
• Manual Turret Control
• Added function to buttons / button panels 
• Render, GPU optimizations
• Voxel Performance Improvements
• Unified access between Terminal and Cargo
• UI Tutorials
• Improved Landing Particle Effect
• Particle Effects randomization
• Flora Render improvements
• Better Grid guns crosshair alignment
• Added/Improved character animations and poses
• Added tons of new sounds
• Rework progression to fit current state of Almagest
• Fast travel sequence added
• F1 screen updated

New Character Weapons & Tools

• Iron sight for character weapons (RMB)

Game Localizations

• Russian
• Ukrainian
• In works: Simplified Chinese, Korean

• Added new music track
• Added Pioneer Suit (in-game)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3365540/Space_Engineers_2_Pioneer_Edition/

Please keep in mind that VS2.3 is still an Early Access and playable Alpha version of Space Engineers 2. We are planning daily hotfixes after the initial release.

• Some features of this update will need a new game to be started / Will need new save to be present (Planetary flora, ore distribution changes)
• Subgrid Projection Support: Copy/pasting projections of blueprints with subgrids is planned, but not fully supported yet.
• Planet modding is not fully supported at this stage of development - we will bring you modding support for planets at later stages!
• We are always keeping previous versions of the game available after major updates. This means you can return to an earlier version at any time and, for example, save your blueprints or creations. You will find these builds in the Steam Beta tab
• Known Issues (Fix is on the way)
  • Switching from jetpack mode to walking while holding the Drill causes the character to slide
  • Hovering over blocks show empty tooltip in G-screen
  • PCUs in the G-screen are not updating
  • No message is displayed when the internet disconnects during modded world loading
  • G-screen doesn't show right toolbar when switching the regular toolbar
  • Game can get stuck during unloading a scenario
  • Redo action does not restore previously placed Hinge block on a grid
  • Hydrogen tank refill sound loops/glitches when tank cycles between full and depleted via connector
  • Falling particles are shown when the character is not falling

Stability

• Fixed a crash after entering a ship at HkSession+__Internal.StepCollide
• Fixed a crash after trying to spawn tops for multiple blocks at ToppedMechanicalBlockDetailModel.TopAttached
• Fixed a crash at ControlPanel.BlockDetails.FunctionalBlockDetailModel.Working
• Fixed a crash at HavokPhysicsEngineComponent.Destroy
• Fixed a crash at PanelContainerGenerator.OnItemsChanged when accessing contract containers
• Fixed a crash at RawJsonValueSerializer.Serialize
• Fixed a crash at VoxelPhysicsComponent.ReleaseChunk
•  Fixed a crash when adding a single curly bracket to a block's name
• Fixed a crash when finishing a contract
• Fixed a crash when renaming a copied asset back to its original name in the Editor at ContentCache.ContentCache.SetMapping

Functional

• Fixed an issue with asteroid materials not being correctly applied on Kemik surfaces
• Fixed an issue with block projections being blocked despite no obstruction being present
• Fixed an issue with character getting stuck between collisions in FTUE
• Fixed an issue with characters becoming stuck in voxels
• Fixed an issue with cockpit projections not being placeable on another projection on the Sledge ship
• Fixed an issue with contract locations remaining visible after completing a contract
• Fixed an issue with copied blocks not being centered
•  Fixed an issue with drill physics behaving erratically on grids disconnected from static grids
•  Fixed an issue with Excavation Site contracts spawning under voxels
•  Fixed an issue with flora being duplicated and becoming indestructible after being shot
• Fixed an issue with Gatling Cannons remaining enabled after being repaired
•  Fixed an issue with gravity effects being delayed after grinding down a block
• Fixed an issue with it being possible to enter voxels using a cockpit
•  Fixed an issue with landing gear being impossible to unlock on Sector Stations
• Fixed an issue with levitating rocks on Kemik after drilling beneath them
•  Fixed an issue with line and plane building not working correctly with Blueprints, copied grids, and partial copies
•  Fixed an issue with projections being overlapped when placing them on an existing grid
•  Fixed an issue with projections not being placeable on ships due to incorrectly detected collisions
• Fixed an issue with reactor explosions not pushing dynamic grids and fractures
• Fixed an issue with rocks fractures being walk-through
• Fixed an issue with some rocks missing collision
• Fixed an issue with some voxel materials not being selectable using the Voxel Hand Material Picker
• Fixed an issue with switching to Shoot mode "Off" preventing firing with the left mouse button

UI

• Fixed an issue with battery blocks being placed in the wrong G-Screen subcategory
• Fixed an issue with block enabled state displaying "Powered On" without power
• Fixed an issue with block renaming not updating immediately in the Production screen
• Fixed an issue with block renaming not updating immediately in the Inventory
• Fixed an issue with Buy, Sell and Choose Amount dialogs not appearing when the HUD was hidden
• Fixed an issue with game menu opening over other screens
• Fixed an issue with GPS names extending beyond the screen
• Fixed an issue with inventory error messages appearing behind the Inventory screen
• Fixed an issue with max speed values not updating in the HUD after changing units
• Fixed an issue with Ore Detector "Broadcast with..." settings not being persistent
• Fixed an issue with oxygen tanks displaying "Charge Level" instead of "Fill Level"
• Fixed an issue with player-made GPS markers not being persistent
• Fixed an issue with production screens becoming unresponsive and failing to update correctly
• Fixed an issue with production block switches displaying empty tooltips
• Fixed an issue with redundant toast notifications appearing after starting a scenario
• Fixed an issue with tiles displaying empty thumbnails after deleting local Blueprints
• Fixed an issue with toolbar slots not being grayed out for unusable consumables

Animation

• Fixed an issue with character using the same animation for jumping backward and forward
• Fixed an issue with switching tools while using the Drill breaking the animation
• Fixed an issue with paint tool clipping into blocks and voxels

Visual

•  Fixed an issue with atmospheric thruster exhaust effects remaining visible outside atmospheres
• Fixed an issue with auto-light not triggering in tunnels below the eye adaptation threshold
• Fixed an issue with fast travel connection lines rendering incorrectly at certain camera zoom levels
• Fixed an issue with floating objects being lost due to tessellation
• Fixed an issue with planet atmospheres being visible from inside caves on other planets and asteroids
• Fixed an issue with projectile impact effects becoming difficult to see beyond 350 meters
• Fixed an issue with spotlight 0.5 m shadows rendering incorrectly

Audio

• Fixed an issue with audio turning off when repeatedly reloading (F5) during game loading
• Fixed an issue with depleted jetpack fuel sounds starting and ending abruptly
•  Fixed an issue with only one Gatling Cannon or Gatling Turret being audible regardless of how many were firing
• Fixed an issue with sound becoming completely silent in space at certain camera angles
• Fixed an issue with the first placed thruster overriding the sound effects of subsequently placed thrusters

Tools

• Fixed an issue with altered Sun positions not being remembered in the Editor
• Fixed an issue with animation previews not playing while the Animation Controller was paused
• Fixed an issue with animations not playing in the Render View window
• Fixed an issue with connecting nodes to Mixer1D after switching or reopening the Animation Controller
• Fixed an issue with inconsistent import behavior in the Editor
•  Fixed an issue with invalid ModSDK assets never finishing processing
• Fixed an issue with ModSDK fullscreen and window size settings not being remembered
• Fixed an issue with node progress not being displayed on the first node after stopping and restarting playback
• Fixed an issue with search prioritizing results incorrectly in the Editor
• Fixed an issue with slider values not updating correctly when reaching min/max using arrow controls in the Dev Editor
• Fixed an issue with transition highlights not disappearing after selecting a Mixer or Single Clip in the Animation Controller