While it may have only just launched a mere two months ago to date, the still in-development sci-fi sandbox title Starbound is looking to the future in the shape of more progression, a bigger focus on PvP and the show-stopping end game content according to a new blog post by developer Chucklefish.

"As it stands, almost the entirety of the progression in Starbound is temporary. Built quickly to enable some basic gameplay during beta," states creator Tiy when talking about the progression of Starbound. "The final game will be structured differently.

The current 10 tiers of gameplay will all play out on the same Starmap, with each tier introducing hazards that can only be overcome by progressing through the previous tier and completing a mission at the end of each tier."

Another note on progression, Tiy explains that while pixels may currently seem like a large grind, this is due in-part to unimplemented features missing from the core game. To help alleviate this issue Chucklefish are looking to improve on how you obtain pixels, expanding on the freedom of choice that Starbound harps for.

If you’d like to become an intergalactic farmer, growing and selling crops, keeping livestock and so on. The farming feature will be fleshed out enough for that to be your means of pixel gathering. On the other hand, if you prefer to be an adventurer, taking quests and gaining pixels as rewards. That route is just as good. Perhaps you prefer to be a builder, charging npcs rent based on the quality of the homes they inhabit. A pirate, robbing towns and ransacking villages. A tomb raider, gathering rare artifacts.

There will be many different routes through the game, each just as deep and profitable as the last. Each will branch out and become more complex as the player advances through tiers, unlocks new technology and becomes more proficient in their chosen skills. Essentially we’re describing the gameplay equivalent of a tech/skill tree.

For those looking to jump on the end game content, this is where Sector X comes into play. Sector X is a collection of planets in which PVP is enabled by default and players will battle over controlling various planets, though you'll need to form an in-game organisation to be competent in battle.

Of course that isn't all Chucklefish are looking at implementing into the game, which has now surpassed more than one million in sales since launching in December. The future is a bright one it seems for Chucklefish, with the team also looking to expand into a second, untitled game thanks to the success of Starbound. Check out the full brief for what the indie developer is bringing to the table.