It feels like the idea of going to Mars has been in the minds of humankind for a very long time. We often fantasize about colonizing the Red Planet in Sci-Fi shows or movies or wonder ‘what would it look like?’ if we were to create a game that set up an offworld operation there, like we do in Offworld Trading Company.

Every day, it seems like we inch closer and closer to a reality. We’ve had quite a few unmanned missions to Mars - Opportunity, Curiosity, Perseverance, and others - but as the technology continues to evolve I think that I might in my lifetime actually see a piloted mission to Mars. 

The thought is pretty incredible. Where does this sudden burst of sentiment come from, you ask? The answer lies in a recent video put out by SpaceX. Earlier this week, they released a video on their YouTube channel portraying a future Starship mission.

It’s pretty incredible to watch, and honestly it made me want to go play all the space games. I’ve been bullied enough by pirates in Galactic Civilizations IV lately, so that made my choice to go back to Offworld Trading Company a lot easier. 

…wait, there are pirates in that game, too. Dang it, I hate those filthy bandits!

I have an easier time recovering my lost resources from the pirates in Offworld than I do in GalCiv IV, at least. While we may be a ways off from realizing Martian colonization, I think it’s fun to dream by playing games that put me in a world outside my own.

I shouldn’t get too ahead of myself, though - first, SpaceX needs to get a test flight off for its Starship rocket. They’re in the midst of prepping for its orbital test flight, which could potentially happen as early as next week. I know I’ll be eagerly watching.

Have you been watching these developments? Share your thoughts with me!