Starfarers of Catan is getting an overhauled new edition for its 20th anniversary

One of The Settlers of Catan’s most hard-to-find spin-offs is returning later this year, after almost 20 years lost in space.

Starfarers of Catan was originally released in German in 1999, followed by an English-language edition the following year.

Designed by Catan creator Klaus Teuber, Starfarers was more than a reskin of Settlers. Players would travel around the hex-grid galaxy, collecting resources, colonising planets and trading with aliens, but could also run into space pirates and other encounters as the result of Starfarers’ deck of event cards.

Out of print for years following its release, Starfarers of Catan will be re-released as Catan: Starfarers later this year, marking the game’s 20th anniversary.

In the announcement of the new edition, Catan Studio said that the game was the most-requested reprint among its catalogue of out-of-print titles, but that Catan: Starfarers would be more than a reprint of the original game.

The new edition will include a complete overhaul of the game’s artwork and components, addressing problems with the original’s fragile 3D motherships, which looked great but often broke during play.

The rules will also be revised, clearing up existing elements and adding new ones. This includes a brand new ‘variable game plan’, which will let players create a different board layout each time for better replayability.

Catan: Starfarers will be released this autumn, following a preview at Gen Con in August.