Back in 2011, Kerbal Space Program was released by developer Squad, and over time, it grew into a beloved, surprisingly realistic game about launching into space. Making a game out of the principles of rocket science, Kerbal Space Program was a challenging and unique experience that grew into something so much more. Over a decade later, Intercept Games pushed out its sequel, Kerbal Space Program 2, promising a new and improved version of the game — but it has some problems at launch.
Unfortunately, while user reviews of the original Kerbal Space Program were very positive, Kerbal Space Program 2’s initial reception has been mixed at best. Despite having an early access period to try to work out the bugs and get some user feedback, Kerbal Space Program 2’s largest hurdle hasn’t been the gameplay — it’s the way the game runs.
Related: Kerbal Space Program 2 minimum specs and recommended requirements
Unless you have some of the highest-performing technology in the PC world with amazing specs, Kerbal Space Program 2 is prone to serious bouts of lag. For example, as some reviewers described it, the rocket base gameplay can start smoothly, but the second you get to space, the frame rates drop exponentially. Depending on your hardware situation, the FPS change can become almost unplayable. Even positive reviews have mentioned the inconsistent and frustrating game optimization.
These performance problems, paired with what feels like an incomplete game, have frustrated a lot of long-term Kerbal Space Program fans. For a sizeable price of $50, many players say that the game should have more content or work better. However, the game is also missing many popular features of the original Kerbal Space Program, like careers and interstellar travel. Though Intercept Games offered a road map explaining when these features will be added, that doesn’t make the game feel complete.
Between its performance issues and lacking content, Kerbal Space Program 2 is simply failing to launch.
