Xbox Game Pass has plenty of open-world survival-crafting games, but The Planet Crafter stands out for its focus on building and transforming an entire world, and it’s getting even more content on December 8. Already popular on Steam, The Planet Crafter joined Xbox Game Pass in July 2026, giving subscribers another highly rated open-world survival-crafting game to check out.
The Planet Crafter players start with a hostile environment but gradually introduce oxygen, increase temperatures, and eventually bring life to the planet. New areas become available as conditions improve, while additional technologies allow for more ambitious building projects. There’s also multiplayer support, letting friends work together to terraform the world. With 95% positive reviews on Steam and more than 1 million copies sold shortly after its full launch, The Planet Crafter has become one of the genre’s bigger success stories and best games on Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass Subscribers, The Planet Crafter is Getting DLC on December 8
Developer Miju Games has announced The Planet Crafter: Magnetaris, a new expansion launching December 8 for Xbox Series X, PS5, and PC. Priced at $9.99, the DLC introduces a massive new planet filled with electrical storms, dangerous magnetic fields, and unfamiliar environments. Players will need to develop new technologies and build machines to stabilize the planet while continuing to terraform it. The expansion can be accessed through the game’s interplanetary travel system or by starting a separate save directly on the new planet, bringing more options to the open-world survival-crafting game.
There’s more to The Planet Crafter: Magnetaris than simply surviving another hostile environment, too. Players will discover evidence of previous human activity and learn more about Sentinel Corp, including why the planet’s former inhabitants suddenly disappeared. Base-building remains a major part of the Planet Crafter experience, with new machinery and technologies available to help players settle their new home. Miju Games has also confirmed that Steam players only need one copy of the DLC to enjoy Magnetaris in multiplayer with up to 10 friends: 1 copy for a 10-person co-op game.
It’s worth noting that while The Planet Crafter is available through Xbox Game Pass, Magnetaris is a separate purchase, but for those interested in trying it out for the first time, it’s worth mentioning the expansion isn’t the only recent addition to the game. A free September 1 update introduced Skeo, another terraformable moon that becomes accessible after players fully transform a starting planet and unlock interplanetary travel. The update also works with existing saves, giving longtime players another destination to explore.
Between Skeo and Magnetaris, The Planet Crafter is continuing to grow more than two years after its original PC release. The next chapter is equally exciting as the last. Meanwhile, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can jump into the base game now and experience its open-world survival-crafting gameplay before Magnetaris arrives on December 8.
