Boundless

Lore & Background

Boundless began development under the title Oort Online, announced in July 2014 as a goal-funded project. It gained traction as a browser-based game and reached its first funding goal in early August 2014. After outgrowing browser capabilities, the project moved to Steam Greenlight and was successfully greenlit in September 2014. The name changed to Boundless in October 2015, when it was also announced that Sony had backed the game as a console exclusive on PlayStation 4, enabling cross-play between PS4 and PC players in the same online universe.

Players control a customizable avatar in first-person or third-person perspective across procedurally generated planets composed of various blocks. They gather resources, survive hostile wildlife and hunger, and build bases called Beacons that reserve land and protect it from editing by others. Ancient technologies can be discovered to craft tools, weapons, and machines, eventually allowing players to open warps and portals to other worlds. Large groups collaborate on intricate projects or undertake large-scale hunts.

After an extended development lull due to Wonderstruck assisting Larian Studios with Baldur's Gate 3, it was announced on September 11, 2022, that the development and rights to Boundless had been sold to American video game developer Monumental, LLC, which would take over future updates and development.

Reader's Guide

Boundless represents a notable entry in the sandbox MMO genre of the 2010s, distinguished by its procedurally generated planets made of blocks and its cross-play between PC and PlayStation 4 from launch. The game's journey from a browser-based goal-funded project called Oort Online to a full release on Steam and console illustrates the shifting landscape of indie game development during the decade. Its early adoption of Steam Greenlight and later Sony backing for console exclusivity highlights the evolving distribution and funding models of the period. The game's emphasis on player-driven construction, resource gathering, and survival across a shared universe of planets placed it alongside other block-based sandbox titles, while its portal technology allowing real-time travel between worlds added a unique layer of exploration. The eventual sale of the game to Monumental, LLC in 2022, after Wonderstruck's work on Baldur's Gate 3, marks a transition in its ongoing development and community support.

Did You Know?

• Boundless was originally announced in July 2014 under the title Oort Online.
• The game was backed by Sony as a console exclusive on PlayStation 4, enabling cross-play with PC.
• All planets in Boundless can be visited using Portal technology, allowing real-time travel between worlds.
• Development rights were sold to Monumental, LLC in September 2022 after Wonderstruck assisted Larian Studios with Baldur's Gate 3.