Overview
The Stardrift Test was the second closed beta for Petit Planet. It started on April 21, 2026, and ran on PC, Android, and iOS through May 25, 2026. The test added significant content over the earlier Coziness Test, including a live multiplayer social hub, an off-planet travel system, and an expanded neighbor roster.
Dates and Platforms
The Stardrift Test ran from April 21, 2026, through May 25, 2026, lasting roughly five weeks. Where the first closed beta was limited to PC and iOS, the Stardrift Test added Android, making it the first build playable on all three of the game's announced platforms (PC, iOS, Android). Sign-ups ran through the official Petit Planet site with rolling invitations across the test window.
New Content vs the First Test
The Stardrift Test introduced several systems that were not present or were significantly less developed in the Coziness Test:
System | What was added |
|---|---|
A persistent multiplayer social hub for trading, festivals, and community activities. Players from different planets and galaxies could meet in a shared space. | |
The off-planet travel system became playable, letting players visit distant islets and other Neighbors' planets. | |
Neighbor roster | Eight playable Neighbors were available in the test build, with expanded interactions for previously confirmed neighbors and new recruitment arcs for additions. |
Planet Customization / Planet Maker | Expanded terrain editing options, more decor categories, and an improved Planet Maker app interface. |
The five-color neighbor-development resource system was made visible to players for the first time. | |
Travel-fuel economy | Lumia Battery, the resource that powers Starsea Voyages, was integrated into the daily-activity loop. Batteries came from ranking up a Neighbor's Planette or from a shop stock that refilled daily at an escalating price. |
Galactic Bazaar mini-games | Two social mini-games appeared at the Bazaar: Word Chain (a chain-of-words party game) and Pitch & Profit (a trading-themed activity). |
Featured Neighbors in the Test Build
Eight playable Neighbors were available across the Stardrift Test. Three were highlighted in early questlines:
Neighbor | Role in the Test |
|---|---|
Cultivator. Featured as a shy green-thumbed farmer prominent in early questlines. | |
Battle Beetle Trainer. Featured as a bug-catching hero aspirant in early questlines. | |
A jellyfish-like Neighbor who loves music; recruitable during the test. |
Sign-Ups and Access
Sign-ups ran through the official Petit Planet site and the HoYoverse community channels. Selected players received access to the test client on their chosen platform. Like most HoYoverse closed betas, NDAs were not strictly enforced and players were able to share gameplay footage and previews freely, though the developers asked for context-sensitive sharing of unfinished content.
Press and Hands-On Coverage
The Stardrift Test was the first build with substantial outside press coverage. Hands-on previews appeared from multiple gaming outlets and content creators in the days following the test start date. Reviews framed the build as a meaningful step beyond the cozy-but-small Coziness Test, with focus on the new social hub, the Planet Maker upgrades, and the expanded Neighbor friendship loops. The build was described as a first data-wipe test: progress reset after the beta ended and will not carry over to the live game.
Notable Confirmations
Multiple features were explicitly confirmed in the Stardrift Test build that had been speculated or hinted at before:
Cross-platform play with shared saves between PC and mobile.
No combat in the playable build; progression comes through Farming, Fishing, Mining and Crafting, and Neighbor friendship.
Real-time clock synchronized with HoYoverse servers (preventing time manipulation for daily resets).
No inventory limit, a notable quality-of-life choice.
No gacha system in the test build; the final monetization model has not been confirmed.
End-of-Beta Events
As the Stardrift Test approached its May 25, 2026 closure, two end-of-beta activities were available to participants:
Event | What it offered |
|---|---|
Cafe Untamed Feedback Survey | An optional in-game survey completed at Cafe Untamed. The AI cafe NPC Nalo retained players' feedback as a memory of the test experience, framed as continuity between the Stardrift Test and later test cycles. |
Share Your Planet Memories | Participants posted written records or screenshots to the HoYoverse community platform using the #Stardrift Test Check-In tag to earn the Oumuamua profile background as a memento. |
Post-Test Developer Feedback
After the Stardrift Test ended, HoYoverse shared a summary of the changes it plans to make based on player feedback from the build. These were stated as development intentions rather than shipped features, so the exact form and timing of each change is still subject to change before launch.
Area | Planned Change |
|---|---|
Players reported needing to cook too often in the early game, so the team plans to rebalance cooking. HoYoverse also acknowledged it can be too easy to accidentally use good ingredients on crafted items. | |
Area load limit | HoYoverse said completely removing the limit on how many placed items can load in an area is not technically feasible just yet, and will instead try to increase the number of items that can appear. |
Blueprint sharing | A blueprint-sharing feature is in the works and is expected to roll out over time. No specific mechanics or timing were given. |
MiniCorner leaderboard | The MiniCorner leaderboard is planned to be removed, with changes to its feed. |
Starsea Voyage maps | Starsea Voyage maps are planned to be adjusted based on feedback. |
HoYoverse said it will look into how players acquire Archiboos, the sprites that appear from activities such as crafting, cooking, fishing, catching insects, mining, and chopping trees. |
Letter from the Starsea
The developer feedback above was published as a letter to test participants titled "Letter from the Starsea" on May 25, 2026, the day the test closed. Alongside the planned changes, it set out what the team took away from the build.
Topic | What the letter said |
|---|---|
Device support | The team had widened device support after the first beta so more players could take part, and apologised for the overheating, lag, and other rough edges that came with it. A smooth and stable experience was described as the foundation the rest of the game rests on. |
Starsea Voyage guidance | Players reported that finding new Islets and meeting new Neighbors was harder than intended. The stated fix is clearer maps, more intuitive guidance, and a smoother overall journey rather than a change to the underlying system. |
Building room | Raising the area load limit and improving the building experience were both committed to, with blueprint sharing named as a feature the team plans to introduce over time. |
MiniCorner | The leaderboard is planned for removal so the feature reads as a social feed for sharing daily moments rather than a competition. The rest of its design was described as still being worked out. |
Collection and cooking friction | Difficulty obtaining Archiboos, the need to cook too often early on to recover Strength, accidental use of high-tier ingredients, and the difficulty of completing the Islet creature collection were all named as frustrations under discussion. |
Long-term vision | The stated goal is a life simulation game that can stay with players for years, with everyday activities such as farming and cooking made to feel more grounded, more stories from the Starsea, a full cycle of seasons, and festival nights. |
The letter closed on the social side, describing a cosy and wholesome atmosphere as a core goal and committing to keeping the shared space friendly and respectful.
Position in the Beta Roadmap
The Stardrift Test followed the Coziness Test (November 7 to December 1, 2025) and represents the second major closed-beta phase. A separate long-term playtest called the Staycation Program is also ongoing as a small-scale, confidential testing effort. No official release date for Petit Planet was announced during the Stardrift Test cycle.
Details
Detail | Information |
|---|---|
Test name | Stardrift Test |
Start date | April 21, 2026 |
End date | May 25, 2026 |
Duration | Approximately five weeks |
Platforms | PC, Android, iOS |
Predecessor | |
Headline additions | Galactic Bazaar, Starsea Voyage, Archiboos, expanded Planet Customization |
Combat | None |
Gacha | None in test |
Inventory | Unlimited |
Data wipe | All progress reset at the end of the test |