Approximately Up Demo vs Full Release

Approximately Up’s public demo surprised many players by staying online long after Steam Next Fest — and by packing more hours than a typical festival slice. The full game launched on Steam on August 6, 2026, and the extended demo was delisted so Approximately Games could focus support on the retail app. This page is now a historical comparison: what the demo offered, what the paid game shipped with, and what players should expect about saves, languages, and achievements after purchase.

Side-by-side overview

Feature	Demo (extended playtest)	Full release (live)
Price	Free (while listed)	$24.99 USD (20% intro discount → $19.99 first 10 days, ~through Aug 16)
Planets	15 unique worlds in marketing copy	17 planets per developer announcements
Languages	English only (UI/audio/subtitles)	14 languages on Steam interface list
Co-op	Up to 4-player online	Up to 4-player online
Progress	Demo save / unlock path	Full campaign and mission tree
Achievements	None (demo)	22 Steam Achievements
Availability	Delisted before / at launch	Permanent purchase
Purpose	Bug reports, suggestions, learning	Complete experience + live patches

Numbers come from Steam store text and developer community posts — re-check Links and the Launch Guide if storefront copy changes.

The 15 vs 17 planet question

Steam’s About This Game section describes exploring 15 unique planets with distinct look, gravity, atmosphere, and soundtrack. Separately, the developer told the Steam Community the full version should contain 17 planets — bigger than the demo slice players explored during the extended playtest.

Practical takeaway for post-launch players:

• Former demo players already knew a substantial multi-planet system — not a single-level teaser.
• Full buyers get at least two additional worlds plus polish on stations, missions, and audio.
• Wiki planet guides note known names on Planets map and flag farther destinations tied to achievements (Aundara, Outcast, Tenebra, and more).

If you only played the demo, you were not missing “just Earth” — you were missing the outer rim the team finished for retail.

Demo history and why it was removed

The demo debuted during Steam Next Fest in February 2026. Initial messaging suggested a short availability window; the developer later extended access until the full game shipped, citing strong community growth and the value of continued bug reports.

During the extended demo period, the team focused on:

1. Bug fixes from player reports
2. Suggestion channel reviews on Discord
3. Polish for the larger full-game map
4. Fred’s Star finale — the June 6, 2026 mission patch marked the last demo content update before launch

When the paid version went live, the demo was delisted. Steam demos often unlist when the main app releases. There is no longer a free path into the garage — buy the full game on the Steam store.

Languages: English demo, fourteen at retail

The demo shipped English-only for interface, full audio, and subtitles. The Steam store lists 14 supported interface languages for the full product, including French, German, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal), Japanese, Korean, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Czech, Polish, Turkish, and Italian.

Wiki locales (en, fr, de, es) mirror common player languages but are fan translations — in-game text follows Valve’s language list. Launch-week reviews are the best check for VO/subtitle coverage per locale.

Content depth: missions, parts, and co-op

Both demo and full game centered the same core loop from Approximately Games:

• Modular shipbuilding with frames, thrusters, cables, sensors, and logic
• First-person flight from the deck
• Planet Stations as permanent unlock garages
• Delivery and experimental missions rewarding new components
• Co-op blame-game humor with up to four players

The full release added scale — more planets, more mission variety, more parts — plus live patches (1.0.005–1.0.007) covering hotbar rebinds, Fuse Box recovery, Metal compatibility, and clearer objectives (Patch Notes). Skills from the demo era (TWR planning, lunar electric landings, radar approaches) still transfer. Use Getting Started, Thruster tier list, and Thrust calculator if you are new to the retail build.

Saves, purchases, and Steam expectations

Steam demos often used a separate app ID from the full game. Post-launch reality for most players:

• Non-transferable saves — treat demo progress as practice
• Separate install — the retail app downloads fresh even if old demo files linger locally
• Achievements — tied to the full app only (Achievements)

No official save-migration path was announced before launch. Keep building new blueprints with B on the paid install.

Should you have played demo — or buy now?

You already played the demo if you wanted free co-op practice before August 6 — that window is closed.

Buy the full release if you want localized UI, the complete 17-planet map, Steam achievements, and ongoing patches.

Watch the intro sale — the 20% discount runs roughly through August 16, 2026. Details live on the Launch Guide.

Official channels to watch

• Steam store news
• Discord announcements
• Updates hub on this wiki

Related reading

• Launch guide — price, intro sale, post-launch checklist
• Patch Notes — 1.0.x changes after launch
• Planets map — gravity and atmosphere per world
• Codes — no Roblox-style codes; progression is mission-based
• Co-op guide — four-player workflows
• Fred’s Star finale — last demo mission (June 2026)
• Links — socials and disclaimer about fan wiki status

The demo was a generous rehearsal; the full release is the tour that is already on stage. 15 planets taught players to crash creatively — 17, plus patches and achievements, give you somewhere new to rebuild afterward.