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System Era Softworks

Games & Interactive
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Founded
2014
Employees
11-50
Offices
1

About System Era Softworks

System Era Softworks is a Seattle-based video game developer founded in 2014. Its work focuses on sandbox exploration, survival and cooperative multiplayer experiences, with an emphasis on player curiosity, creative construction and a maker’s mindset. The studio develops games for global PC and console audiences and operates as a development subsidiary of Devolver Digital.

Exploration and creative play

The studio’s debut game, Astroneer, combines planetary exploration with resource gathering, construction and terrain manipulation. Its proprietary voxel-based rendering and procedural generation technology lets players reshape planetary terrain as part of exploration and building. Cooperative systems support shared sandbox experiences, while cross-platform development brings the studio’s work to multiple gaming platforms.

Astroneer entered Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview on December 16, 2016, before reaching its full release on February 6, 2019. The game subsequently reached more than 13 million players and generated over $87 million in gross revenue across PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Continued development has included free content updates, seasonal events and paid expansions. Astroneer: Glitchwalkers, released in November 2024, extended the game’s ongoing development.

Expanding the portfolio

The studio’s second major title, STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions, entered Early Access on June 11, 2026. Published by Devolver Digital, the cooperative extraction and planetary adventure spin-off expanded the studio’s work within the Astroneer setting, with releases for PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2.

System Era handles full-cycle game development across design, programming, art, sound and production. Its capabilities also encompass console adaptation, platform optimization and continuing maintenance and expansion after launch. Community-driven operations and player-focused design form part of its approach to supporting games over time.

Devolver Digital acquired the studio in November 2023. Following the acquisition, System Era retained creative and operational independence, continuing to develop and support its own games within the publisher’s broader portfolio.

More about System Era Softworks

Founders and leadership

  • The studio was founded by Paul Pepera, Brendan Wilson, Jacob Liechty and Adam Bromell, whose prior experience included 343 Industries, Valve, Ubisoft, EA and Disney.
  • The report identifies Brendan Wilson as co-founder and CEO, Veronica Peshterianu as COO, and Adam Bromell as CCO.

Working model

The studio describes a hybrid model combining its central development team with remote developers across North America and internationally.

Recent milestones

  • A March 2025 visual identity refresh marked the studio's expansion beyond a single-game team.
  • On October 22, 2026, the studio announced a workforce reduction affecting more than 30 developers after Starseeker's Early Access performance fell below commercial projections. The stated aim was to resize operations sustainably while continuing toward the game's full release.

Notable credits

3 credits
  • Astroneer
  • ASTRONEER: Glitchwalkers
  • STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions

Offices

Where System Era Softworks is based

1 location

  • Seattle offices

    Headquarters
    Seattle, Washington, United States
    About this office

    **Seattle Studio** Status: active Headquarters Address: 500 Yale Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States Overall headquarters housing studio leadership, core engineering, design, art and operational teams. --- **Office** Status: inactive / historical Address: 400 N 34th St, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98103, United States Former Seattle office identified in the report; the departure year is not supplied.

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