Interview with Michael Schade, ROCKFISH Games CEO and Co-Founder – Everspace 2
When EVERSPACE 2 first launched, it represented a pretty significant change for ROCKFISH Games, moving away from the roguelike structure of the original EVERSPACE and into a much larger, open-world action RPG adventure. Since then, the game has continued to grow across PC, Xbox and PlayStation, eventually becoming the huge Galactic Edition we have today. Now, that entire adventure has made its way to Nintendo Switch 2, bringing its handcrafted star systems, fast-paced space combat and all of its expansions to a handheld for the first time. But getting a game of this scale running on Nintendo’s new hardware was far from a straightforward task, with ROCKFISH Games themselves initially believing it might not even be possible. So, to find out how EVERSPACE 2 made the jump to Switch 2, what the team learned along the way, and what the future holds for the EVERSPACE series, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Michael Schade, CEO and Co-Founder of ROCKFISH Games, to talk about the journey behind one of the biggest space adventures to land on Nintendo’s latest hardware.
At its heart, the EVERSPACE universe is a place where players should feel like anything could happen. We want space game fans not only to feel immersed in fast-paced, moment-to-moment gameplay, but also to take their time exploring the handcrafted world we’ve put together.
EVERSPACE 2 made a pretty significant departure from the formula established by the original game, moving away from its roguelike structure towards a much more traditional open-world action RPG. How difficult was it for the team to step away from that established formula, and what ultimately convinced you that this was the right direction for EVERSPACE 2?
This was not a difficult decision at all. Our original plans for EVERSPACE fell closer to the semi-open world action RPG that EVERSPACE 2 is. Due to budget and time constraints the team used roguelike mechanics for the first EVERSPACE as formulas in that genre allowed for more asset reuse, making it more achievable for a first PC forward project for a team who had previously mostly worked on mobile titles.
That first game in our EVERSPACE series set the foundations for the grand adventure EVERSPACE 2 became. Many people on our team are longtime fans of games like Wing Commander and Freelancer, and you can see the DNA of those games in ours.
Looking back now, with EVERSPACE 2 having grown into such a substantial game, is there anything about that original shift that you think the team underestimated or learned the hard way during development?
During our Kickstarter we promised and delivered on the number of star systems players can explore, however filling those star systems with meaningful and challenging content took more time than we had expected and some additions, such as racing, were less well received than others. In future titles, we plan to still have a variety of activities players can discover and engage in, but with more depth instead of breadth.
EVERSPACE 2 has now been on PC, Xbox and PlayStation for several years, so what made Switch 2 the right platform to bring the Galactic Edition to next? Was there something about the hardware or the audience that particularly appealed to the team?
EVERSPACE 2 is a vast adventure that sprawls across multiple star systems, however many quests and explorable handcrafted locations can be completed in twenty to thirty minutes, making the game perfect for on-the-go play sessions like bus or train commutes. We saw this initially with players on Steam Deck and we’re glad to see Nintendo Switch 2 fans enjoying the game in a similar manner.
Getting a game of this scale running on a handheld is no small undertaking. What was the biggest technical challenge you encountered while bringing EVERSPACE 2 to Switch 2, and was there a particular moment during development where you realised, “Yes, we can actually make this work”?
We didn’t think EVERSPACE 2 on Switch 2 would be possible. Nintendo space game fans had been asking us to release our game on that platform, and while we didn’t want to disappoint, it was unlikely to happen. Our friends at Engine Software who handled the XBOX and PlayStation ports were convinced they could deliver an experience comparable to what players on Steam Deck were enjoying. After months of work, they brought forward a build that completely surprised us and showed that EVERSPACE 2 on Switch 2 was not only possible, but an exciting experience.
The Switch 2 version targets 30fps, while still bringing the full game and its expansions to the system. What were the biggest compromises or technical decisions you had to make to balance visual quality, performance and the sheer scale of EVERSPACE 2?
Our priority with EVERSPACE 2 Galactic Edition on Switch 2 was to provide a solid experience throughout the entirety of the game. With each platform, hardware limitations are a major factor. A PC player with a high end PC will nearly always be able to experience better gameplay performance and visual fidelity than a console player, not to mention Unreal Engine 5 features such as Lumen cannot always be used across all platforms. On Switch 2, we had to tone down visual and particle effects to ensure players would not see stuttering during combat where many ships were involved.
Most notably, cockpit mode is not available in the Switch 2 version of EVERSPACE 2 Galactic Edition as performance drops using that mode were too severe and compromises to support it would have affected the rest of the game in a manner that did not meet our quality standards.
One of the most interesting things about this release is that the work done for Switch 2 has actually benefited the other versions of EVERSPACE 2. What did developing for Switch 2 teach the team that you were then able to bring back to PC, Xbox and PlayStation?
In my experience, developer teams often work best within limitations. In this case, developing for the Switch 2 meant the team at ROCKFISH and Engine Software both had to seek new ways to optimize for the hardware.
Some of these optimizations learned during Switch 2 development became the focus of a cross platform update that we recently rolled out alongside improvements that allowed us to finally achieve Steam Deck Verification. We also saw improvements on lower-powered PCs and the XBOX Series S which with the rising cost of hardware, means that players on a budget can also enjoy our game.
Returning to the project also gave us a limited amount of time to find and fix certain community-requested bug fixes, which we hope is appreciated.
With the Switch 2 port now complete and the final technical update released across the other platforms, does this feel like the true conclusion of EVERSPACE 2’s development journey for the team, or are there still things you wish you could go back and change if you had the opportunity?
There are more things the team would have liked to do with EVERSPACE 2, but I think that’s true of many projects that creators are passionate about. Grand space operas in particular have nearly endless opportunities for stories to tell and adventures that could be expanded on.
As much as we enjoyed creating this chapter, it’s vital we move on to creating the next. Longtime fans of the series will find continuations and closure of many stories found in our previous two games and expansions. We’re looking forward to when we can reveal more, but it will be a while until the time is right.
You’ve described the EVERSPACE 2 project as an eight-year journey, and you’ve also teased that the team is working on a new EVERSPACE project. After spending so long with EVERSPACE 2, what lessons are you most eager to carry forward into whatever comes next?
Our time in Steam Early Access was instrumental in making EVERSPACE 2 the game it is. Through player feedback, we were able to shape many in-game systems to better suit the world and gameplay. Just as importantly, it is a way for us to bring space game fans along for the ride during development, giving them a transparent look into the inspirations and thought processes behind many of the decisions that go into the creation of a game like ours.
Finally, what do you hope a player who has never played EVERSPACE 2 before takes away from the Galactic Edition on Switch 2, particularly someone discovering the series for the first time through Nintendo’s new hardware?
At its heart, the EVERSPACE universe is a place where players should feel like anything could happen. We want space game fans not only to feel immersed in fast-paced, moment-to-moment gameplay, but also to take their time exploring the handcrafted world we’ve put together.
We hope that brand new players use EVERSPACE 2 as a stepping stone into the reemerging genre of space games. There are many exciting classic and new adventures to be found that focus on exploration and combat in space, and we’d like to see more people around the world enjoying the same kind of games we’re excited about.
A huge thank you to Michael Schade for taking the time to speak with us and for giving us such an interesting look behind the scenes at ROCKFISH Games, the journey of EVERSPACE 2, and what the future might hold for the series. We absolutely loved our time with EVERSPACE 2, and if you’re a fan of space exploration, action RPGs, or just looking for a seriously impressive adventure to take with you on the go, the Galactic Edition is available right now on Nintendo Switch 2. And with the team now looking towards whatever comes next for EVERSPACE, it certainly sounds like this won’t be the last time we’re heading back into the stars!
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