Community support accelerates as RocketWerkz’s newest spaceflight project charts a new path for game developmentAUCKLAND, New Zealand – Dec. 8, 2025 – RocketWerkz, the independent studio behind ICARUS and Stationeers (together played by more than two million players), announced today that the free pre-alpha launch of Kitten Space Agency (KSA) has surpassed $100K USD in community contributions within just 14 days of release. The milestone signals strong early momentum for the project’s contribution-led development model and rising interest in the studio’s next major simulation title.
Kitten Space Agency is a spaceflight game that turns real aerospace concepts into something players can learn, test, and explore. Built in Auckland, New Zealand by RocketWerkz, the project aims to inspire future explorers while giving players deep control over engineering, mission planning, and flight execution.
KSA is powered by RocketWerkz’s new BRUTAL development framework, designed to enable moddability, high performance, and long-term scalability. Players can download and play the current pre-alpha for free through Ahwoo and directly contribute to the game’s development.
A Community-Driven Launch That’s Gaining Speed
Powered by a contribution-based model facilitated through Ahwoo, the KSA mission has quickly gathered a dedicated supporter base:
• 3,200 individual contributors with an average contribution of $31.25 USD
• 42,000 Discord members, a 20 percent increase (7,000) since launch
• More than 43,000 Ahwoo user accounts created since the pre-alpha announcement
The project is led by DayZ and ICARUS creator Dean Hall, joined by Felipe Falanghe (HarvestR), original creator of Kerbal Space Program, and Stefan Moluf, former SpaceX flight software engineer.
The mission also includes veteran contributors from the Kerbal Space Program community such as Blackrack, Linx, and Daishi. Jamie Leighton (JPLRepo) also joins the mission, having risen from a well-known community mod creator to a Lead Developer on Kerbal Space Program, bringing deep franchise experience to the project.
This combination of game industry veterans, aerospace professionals, and influential modders ensures the project stays grounded in technical credibility while remaining accessible and community-shaped.
A Transparent Model That Resonates
KSA represents a deliberate shift from traditional release cycles. Rather than gating content behind a purchase, RocketWerkz and Ahwoo are testing an open model where players can:
• Download and play the game for free in its current form
• Contribute directly to development
• Join the mission, help with testing, and influence long-term direction
The model is further reinforced by a rapid update cadence, often with daily builds, giving players immediate visibility into progress and improvements. The early response suggests strong alignment between this approach and the expectations of today’s simulation communities.
“The support for Kitten Space Agency has been incredibly encouraging. We set out to try a more open way of building games and it’s clear people want to be part of that mission. Contributions through Ahwoo help us keep developing the project, but so does playing our other games like Stationeers or Icarus which help fund the work behind Kitten Space Agency. However people choose to support us, we’re grateful. It all helps us keep pushing this mission forward.”
–Dean Hall, CEO, RocketWerkz
Join The Mission
Aspiring space explorers can join the KSA community on Discord and take part in shaping the project as it grows.Kitten Space Agency’s live pre-alpha build is available for free on Ahwoo. Support the mission by joining the developers on Discord, Reddit, and Ahwoo. Follow the team on X, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube.
About Kitten Space Agency
Kitten Space Agency is a rocket launch and spaceflight game built by RocketWerkz in Auckland, New Zealand. The project is currently in pre-alpha and available for free at ahwoo.com. Players can support development through contributions that directly fund ongoing updates and new features.
About RocketWerkz
RocketWerkz is an independent game studio founded by Dean Hall, known for Icarus and Stationeers with more than two million units sold combined. Based in Auckland, the studio focuses on ambitious simulation projects that combine technical credibility with community collaboration.
About Ahwoo
Ahwoo is the platform that delivers Kitten Space Agency and enables its contribution model. Designed to support projects that don’t fit traditional storefronts, Ahwoo provides a simple, transparent way for players to contribute directly to the work of game developers.
For more information, visit the official website.
