🚀 Drifter: Edge of the Black
Trade. Fight. Drift.
A persistent-universe space trading game inspired by TradeWars 2002. Trade commodities across thousands of sectors, build economic empires through port ownership and planetary control, run with a corporation (guild), and choose your play style — peaceful trader, pirate, mercenary, or smuggler. Free-to-play with a monetization model that sells time and convenience, never power.
In development — not yet playable.
Your Ship. Your Code.
You're ex-something — ex-military, ex-corporate, ex-convict. Doesn't matter now. Beat-up ship, empty cargo hold, full tank of energy. How you survive the black is your call.
Core Features
~5,000-Sector Node Map
Not a grid — sectors connect via jump lanes, creating natural chokepoints and trade corridors. Core sectors are safe and regulated; the outer rim is lawless, dangerous, and profitable. Fog of war lifts as you explore. Universes support 500–2,000 players each.
Energy-Based Sessions
100 base energy, 1 regen per 6 minutes (~10 hour full recharge). A typical session is 10–15 energy: a few jumps and a port stop. Make your moves, come back later. No real-time pressure.
Corporations & Universe Sharding
Form corporations (guilds) for cooperative play. Universe-wide leaderboards. Fresh universes every 2-3 months so newcomers aren't permanently behind veterans — your story arc has a beginning, middle, and end.
Dynamic Markets
Port prices fluctuate based on faction production, trade volume, proximity to conflict, and random events. Pin up to 3 port prices for free to track your routes. Read the market better than the next drifter.
Combat & Missions
Encounter pirates en route, take faction combat missions, run supply or sabotage jobs. Combat encounters consume energy and carry real risk — losing costs cargo and credits.
Async Social
Leave trade tips at ports for other players. Post bounties on pirates. Compete on leaderboards. The universe has other drifters — you just might not be in the same sector at the same time.
Fair Monetization — No Pay-to-Win
Money buys time and convenience, never power. A free player who plays smart can beat a paying player who plays carelessly. That's a design constraint, not an afterthought.
We will never sell: combat power, resources directly, unlimited actions, or critical intel that determines battle outcomes.
Spiritual Successor to a BBS Classic
Built by someone who grew up on TradeWars 2002 — and is now building the persistent, mobile-first version of that game in Flutter. Join the beta list for first access on iOS and Android when builds are ready.
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