About The Message from Deep Space
The Message from Deep Space is a puzzle game by the developer Applesinmypants, released on Steam in June 2026.
Its premise is a first-contact problem. A transmission has arrived from far beyond Earth, and your task is to translate it. There’s no dictionary to lean on. You work through the message symbol by symbol, using math and science, the subjects most likely to mean the same thing to any civilization, as your key.
The premise echoes real attempts to design messages for other civilizations. The 1974 Arecibo message, for example, used binary numbers and basic chemistry to describe the people who sent it. If that kind of problem appeals to you, this game turns it into something you can sit down and work through.
How it runs in your browser
This is an unofficial web port by dasher, hosted on wasm.rip. It plays right here on this page in the player above, so there’s nothing to install.
Save support isn’t listed, so the symbols you’ve worked out may not be remembered after you close the tab. Decoding puzzles reward note-taking anyway, so keeping your own notes on paper or in a text file is a practical backup if you want to come back later.
It’s a single-player game with no online features.
Controls and devices
Use a computer for this port; phones and tablets aren’t supported, and controller support isn’t listed. A key list isn’t published here, so follow the prompts in the game when it starts.
Who it’s for
It’s aimed at players who enjoy deduction puzzles and don’t mind some arithmetic and basic science along the way. A love of codes, ciphers or language puzzles will help more than speed or reflexes.
The game is a recent release, so the official Steam version is the place to get updates and support from its developer. This browser port is best for trying the idea before you commit to it, or for a session on a computer where you can’t install games.
Is The Message from Deep Space Free, Safe and Official?
What is The Message from Deep Space about?
You work out what an incoming alien message means, symbol by symbol, with math and science as the shared language. It’s a puzzle game from 2026.
Is this the official version of The Message from Deep Space?
No. It’s an unofficial fan web port by dasher, and it isn’t made or endorsed by its developer, Applesinmypants. The official game is on Steam.
Can I play The Message from Deep Space on a phone?
No. The port is meant for a computer, and phones and tablets aren’t supported. Save support isn’t listed either, so keep notes as you go.
