🎉 THEY'VE LANDED! Reactor Rescue Is in the Hubs (and Shipping Setup Has Begun)
8 days ago
– Thu, Sep 03, 2026 at 10:27:14 AM
Hello, hello, hello, from Mission Control,
We promised we'd be back the moment the containers touched land, and here we are, because THEY HAVE LANDED! 🚀
The US and AUS containers have both arrived, been unloaded and checked in, pallet by pallet, box by box. Reactor Rescue and Buzz Trace are now sitting in warehouses in North America and Australia, one step away from your table. ⚡
And the EU container? It's docked and will be received at the EU hub next week. Every box on it is accounted for, and the hub team is ready and waiting to unload it. Three continents, three containers, zero games left behind. 🌍
We said "end of August" back in Update #18, and we're (almost embarrassingly) on schedule. (Yes, we're going to keep saying that until it stops being fun. It hasn't stopped being fun.)
📍 Where your game is right now
- ⚡ US hub: LANDED ✅ — serving the USA, Canada and South America
- ⚡ AUS hub: LANDED ✅ — serving Australia and the region
- ⚡ EU hub: ARRIVING NEXT WEEK 🚢 — serving all European countries (including UK)
To our backers in Asia: your orders ship directly from the manufacturer, and we'll confirm your dispatch timing in a separate message. We will be reaching out to each of you individually to confirm the shipping costs next week.
And if you are curious to see what the games look like :) - Here are some images of the production run:
💳 What we're doing right now: shipping + taxes in BackerKit
This is the part we've been working toward since the campaign ended. We're not waiting for the last container to be unpacked to get going: with the games landed, we finally have the exact numbers we need, and the team is at this very moment loading shipping rates and taxes into your BackerKit pledge manager, country by country, for ALL regions, EU included.
Here's exactly how it will go, so there are no surprises:
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Now. We calculate and enter the exact shipping rate and any applicable taxes for every backer in BackerKit.
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Next week - Rates are published. You'll get an email from BackerKit ([email protected]) the moment your charge is ready to review.
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Right after. Shipping is charged through the card on your BackerKit survey. Nothing gets charged without that email first, ever.
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Immediately after charging. The hubs start picking, packing and dispatching. Your tracking number follows.
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September. Reactor Rescue on your table, and we CAN'T WAIT to hear your feedback!
One thing worth repeating from last time: every Kickstarter backer's game is in the hubs or docked and days away from it. The only thing standing between you and your box is the shipping charge, and that's what we're setting up right now. EU backers, this means your game is landing and your rates are being prepared at the same time, so you're not a step behind anyone.
We want the smoothest Kickstarter delivery ever, and that means ALL of you in the first wave. 🚀
💛 A small moment of gratitude
We can't believe it's been just three months since we closed the campaign and here we are! A little over a year ago, Reactor Rescue was a prototype on our kitchen table.
Today it is an award-winning game, manufactured, certified, shipped across the planet and landing in three warehouses for ~2,200 of you.
We can't wait to hear about your experience with the games!
Saying THANK YOU is not enough! This is a dream come true!
📦 Round 2 is still on track
Just like this delivery, our second batch is in production and on schedule for late October. If a friend or family member has been eyeing your copy, preorders are now open on Backerkit. We'd really appreciate your help spreading the word!
We'll be back very soon with the "rates are live" email and, right behind it, the words we've all been waiting for: Dispatched.
We salute you with so much love from all of us at Mission Control,
Arta & Fiona and the whole team behind Reactor Rescue 💜💜💜
🚀 THEY'RE ON THE WATER! Reactor Rescue Is Sailing to You
about 2 months ago
– Mon, Jul 27, 2026 at 06:10:17 AM
Hello, hello, hello, from Mission Control,
We know you've been waiting for an update, and we are incredibly excited to write this one!
It's done. Reactor Rescue and Buzz Trace are manufactured, boxed, palletised and loaded!
Right now, while you're reading this, thousands of copies are crossing the ocean in three containers heading to Europe, North America and Australia.
The games are moving, and they're on their way to your tables. 🚀
Where they're headed
We're shipping to three regional hubs so your order travels the shortest distance possible to your door:
⚡ EU hub: all European countries
⚡ US hub: USA, Canada and South America
⚡ AUS hub: Australia and the region
All three containers are in transit and scheduled to arrive at the hubs at the end of August.
To Backers in Asia: Your orders are shipping directly from the manufacturer, so your box skips the hub step entirely. We'll confirm your dispatch timing separately once we confirm the shipping costs.
What happens next
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End of August. Containers arrive and are received at the EU, US and AUS hubs.
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Immediately after. We calculate exact shipping rates and taxes per backer and publish them in your BackerKit pledge manager.
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Early September. Shipping is charged in BackerKit, orders are picked and dispatched.
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September. Delivery, on schedule, as promised! (Aren't we the best? :P Pun intended.)
Two things worth being clear about: every Kickstarter backer is in the shipment that's on the water now, and shipping and taxes will be charged through BackerKit once the rates are published. You'll get an email the moment that happens, and nothing gets charged without notice.
⚠️ One concern from our side: 182 surveys are still not completed
This is the one thing that can hold a box back. No survey means no address, no language choice, and no way for us to charge shipping, which means the hub can't pick your order in September.
We've been sending reminders almost every week, so if you haven't seen one, the emails come from [email protected]. Search your inbox for that address, and check your spam and promotions folders too, because that's usually where they end up.
Please complete your survey as soon as you can so this becomes the smoothest Kickstarter delivery ever! 🚀
If you still can't find it, please, please reach out to us immediately. Comment below or email us at [email protected] and we'll get it to you personally. Without a completed survey, we can't deliver your order.
Pledge Over Time backers, your surveys are now live!
All Pledge Over Time pledges have now completed, which means your survey has been released and is waiting for you right now. Check your inbox, and if it's not there, check your spam folder or use the "Lost your survey?" link to retrieve it.
Link here: https://reactor-rescue.backerkit.com/
If you still can't find it, please reach out to us immediately.
One known culprit: Apple's "Hide My Email". If you backed using Apple ID with this feature switched on, your Kickstarter account is linked to a private relay address (something like [email protected]) rather than your real inbox, which means our survey emails have never reached you. The good news is that this is easy to fix, but we do need you to reach out. Just write to us ([email protected]) with the email address you'd like to use, and we'll update it in BackerKit so your survey finally comes through.
✅ Tested, certified and safe
A huge thank you to the Hape team for the incredible work on Reactor Rescue and Buzz Trace. Both games not only have been manufactured in time but both have been thoroughly tested against the highest international safety standards (EN 71, EN IEC 62115, ASTM F963, AS/NZS ISO 8124, Canada's SOR/2011-17, REACH and the relevant EMC/FCC requirements) and have passed all testing.
🏆 MORE EXCITING NEWS: Reactor Rescue won the GEE! Award
We are incredibly happy to announce that Reactor Rescue has won the 2026 GEE! Learning Game Award in the Analog Games category! 🎉
The GEE! Learning Game Awards recognise excellence in educational game design and celebrate games that create meaningful, engaging learning experiences. Inspired by the work of renowned learning scientist Dr. James Paul Gee, the awards are judged by an international panel of experts in game based learning and education.
"The setup and gameplay are relatively simple, which is a strength given that both the complexity and the real draw of the experience reside in the circuits themselves. Where the subtlety of the design really appears is in the way the game slowly deepens the player's knowledge in a process that is one of the best examples of cycles of expertise that we have seen in the analog category."
Read the full review here: https://www.geeawards.com/blog/analog2026
The box that's currently on a ship with your name on it is an award winning game. And that's down to you. It only got built because you backed it.
❤️❤️ We love you so much for it! ❤️❤️
📦 Round 2 is already confirmed
Demand didn't stop when the campaign did, so neither did we. The second production run is booked and already in production, with delivery expected in late October. That covers late pledges, pre-orders and retail, so anyone who discovers Reactor Rescue now won't be waiting until next year.
Pre-orders are open through BackerKit here:
We'd really appreciate you spreading the word!
We'll be back at the end of August with confirmation that the containers have landed, plus the shipping rates/taxes in BackerKit.
Until then, thank you for your patience, your excitement and your messages. We cannot wait to see the games hit your tables. 💡
We salute you with so much love from all of us at Mission Control,
Arta & Fiona
Founders of Reactor Rescue
🚀 The Games Are Coming! Final Call for 269 Surveys
3 months ago
– Mon, Jun 22, 2026 at 06:41:54 AM
Hello crew! 👋
Exciting news from Mission Control: your games are now coming out of mass manufacturing! 🎉 The first stock is rolling off the production line, and we couldn't be more thrilled to see Reactor Rescue become real.
Here's what we're working on: we'll be packing everything right at the manufacturer, the fastest, smoothest way to get your games shipped and into your hands. But to do that, we need every backer's details locked in. So many of you have already completed your survey — thank you! — but we still have 269 backers who haven't.
⚠️ 269 Surveys Still Outstanding — Is Yours One?
We're still waiting on 269 backers to complete their BackerKit survey. If that's you, please complete your survey NOW— the sooner you do, the sooner we can include you in this packing run!
👉 Can't find your survey? Check your spam folder first. If it's still missing, retrieve it at reactor-rescue.backerkit.com using the "Lost my Survey" feature with the email linked to your Kickstarter account.
If your email is hidden because you logged in with your Apple ID, just reach out to us with the correct email address where you'd like to receive your survey, and we'll update your account right away.
💳 Pledge Over Time backers — we need you too!
If you used Pledge Over Time, you won't receive a BackerKit survey — but we still need your details! Please send us your delivery address and preferred language version(s) as soon as possible:
⏳ Why It's Urgent
Since we're packing at the manufacturer, your details need to be in before your box goes on the line. Completing your survey (or sending your info) now is the best way to make sure your game ships on time. Don't let yours get left behind!
Thank you, as always, for being the best crew out there. Let's get these final details in and bring this mission home! 💜
From everyone at Mission Control, we salute you! 🫡
Arta & Fiona
Follow us on BGG / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube.
⏰ Last Call: Complete Your BackerKit Survey Before Friday!
3 months ago
– Wed, Jun 10, 2026 at 05:38:40 AM
Hello crew! 👋
Quick but important transmission from Mission Control, we're locking in orders this Friday, and we need everyone on board before then.
📊 We're 75% There, 25% to go! We need YOU all to complete the Surveys!
As always, thank you for being the best crew!
75% of you have already completed your BackerKit survey! 🙌
But that means we're still waiting on around 504 backers to finish theirs. If that's you, this is your friendly nudge: please complete your survey as soon as possible!
Your survey is where you confirm your order, your language version(s), and your delivery details — and we can't lock in your numbers without it. Please complete your survey by June 11th at the latest! The sooner you do, the smoother we can keep the whole mission running.
👉 Can't find your survey? Check your spam folder first. If it's still missing, you can retrieve it through this link: reactor-rescue.backerkit.com using the "Lost my Survey" feature with the email address linked to your Kickstarter account.
A quick note for anyone who signed up using Apple ID with the hidden email feature enabled: if your survey doesn't show up through "Lost my Survey," please reach out to us with the email address where you'd like to receive your survey. We'll update your account and resend it right away.
🛒 Already Done? One Last Check!
If you've already completed your survey, you're a star, and we love you so much! But before Friday, do us one small favour: log back in and double-check whether you'd like to add any add-ons.
This is your last chance to add extra copies or add-ons before we lock everything in. Once Friday hits and orders are finalised, we won't be able to make changes, so if there's anything you've been eyeing, now's the moment! 🚀
💳 Used Pledge Over Time? We Still Need Your Details!
Important note for our Pledge Over Time backers: because of how this payment option works, you won't receive a BackerKit survey, but we still need your information to complete your order!
So we don't lose your details, please message us directly through Kickstarter's messaging feature and send us:
- 📦 Confirm your order (if you like to add anything more to your order please let us know)
- 🗣️ Your preferred language version(s)
- 📦 Your delivery address
This is just as time-sensitive as the surveys, so please send it over before Friday so we can lock in your order along with everyone else. Thank you! 🙏
🔒 Why Friday Matters
We need everyone's final details in by Friday so we can organise the production and fullfillment process with Hape. This is needed to keep everything on track for our September delivery. Things are moving fast on the production side too, we're expecting the first batches of games to start rolling off the production line by June 20th, so getting your details in now means we're ready to move the moment your games are made. Every completed survey gets us one step closer to getting Reactor Rescue into your hands!
⚠️ Surveys submitted after Friday may cause disruptions in our production and fulfillment process, which could result in delivery delays. We'd hate for that to happen, so please make sure to complete your survey as soon as possible.
So to recap:
- ⚠️ Haven't done your survey? Complete it now — we need ~504 more!
- ✅ Already done it? Hop back in and check your add-ons latest by June 11th (before Friday).
Thank you, as always, for being the best crew out there. Let's get those final surveys in and lock this mission down together! 💜
We are sooo excited to bring the games to you!
From everyone at Mission Control, we salute you! 🫡
Arta & Fiona
P.S. Have questions about your survey, order, or add-ons? Feel free to leave a comment or reach out to us, we're always happy to help!
If you're experiencing any issues with BackerKit, please contact the BackerKit Support Team directly through their support page:
https://reactor-rescue.backerkit.com/faq#contact-us
📡 BackerKit Surveys Are OUT + Stretch Goal #6 UNLOCKED + We're Award Finalists! 🏆
3 months ago
– Thu, Jun 04, 2026 at 02:43:48 AM
Hello crew! 👋
Mission Control checking in with a big one:
- BackerKit surveys,
- An Unlocked stretch goal,
- Award news, and
- A production update.
Let's get straight into it!
📨 BackerKit Surveys Have Been Sent!
Check your inboxes, your BackerKit survey is officially on its way!
First, a small apology: these went out a little later than we originally planned. We held back on purpose, as Kickstarter and Backerkit highly recommend waiting two weeks after a campaign closes to leave space for all transactions to be fully processed. We wanted every single backer accounted for before opening the surveys, and now we're good to go!
Here's what we need from you — and this part is really important:
Check your email and complete your BackerKit Surveys!
- ✅ Confirm your order and the language version(s) of your games. This is the MOST important step! Your confirmations directly determine how we organise our stock, so please double-check this carefully. We do need this done latest by 11th of June!
- ✅ Confirm your delivery address. Don't worry if you move later, you'll be able to update your address closer to the fulfilment date. For now, your country is what matters most.
Due to the current volatility in global shipping costs, shipping fees and applicable taxes for this project will be calculated at a later date, once we can provide the most accurate estimates based on each backer’s delivery address.
Our plan is to finalize and collect shipping fees and taxes approximately one month before fulfillment, when we have a clearer understanding of the actual costs involved in delivering rewards.
We will notify all backers as soon as shipping costs have been finalized and before any charges are made through the BackerKit survey process. Throughout the project, we will keep you informed every step of the way and provide regular updates as new information becomes available.
In case you missed it, we have included the shipping estimates on our Kickstarter campaign page
Completing your survey on time keeps the whole mission running smoothly, so please don't leave it floating in space! 🛰️
More information about Backerkit Surveys here
Now some great news.....
🔓 Stretch Goal #6: The Project Lab — UNLOCKED!
YOU DID IT! The Final Reactor Sequence is complete, and Mission Control has officially approved the unlocking of Stretch Goal #6: The Project Lab! 🎉
Those final transmissions, Reactor Room photos, and comments came pouring in, and once again, this community showed up. Thank you!
As a reminder, here's what you've unlocked:
- 🖨️ 3D-Printable Clip-it Files — Download, print, and snap your LabBox blocks onto anything. No 3D printer? No problem — the files are compatible with all major online printing services.
- 📘 5 Guided Project Books — Step-by-step guides to build 5 real-world projects using only the blocks already in your Reactor Rescue box, with the science behind each one.
We'll be sharing the files closer to the delivery date in September, so keep an eye on these updates!
🏆 Reactor Rescue Is a GEE Awards Finalist!
We have some incredible news to share: Reactor Rescue has been selected as a finalist at the GEE Awards! 🚀
We're beyond honoured to see our game recognised among amazing educational games. Winners will be announced on July 9th, fingers, toes, and circuits crossed!
And here's where you come in: there's also a People's Choice Award, and voting is now LIVE!
You've carried us this far, crew! We'd would absolutely love your support on this vote. It takes less than a minute, and it would mean the world to us! 💜
🏭 Production Update: On Schedule for September!
Quick and sweet: Production is moving along exactly as planned with our partner Hape, and we remain on track to deliver Reactor Rescue to you in September. We'll keep sharing behind-the-scenes progress as things roll off the line!
🔧 Add-on Update: Silicone Bowls are now Felt Bowls!
During the campaign we dropped an Add-on: The Silicone Bowls.
During prototyping and testing, we found that felt material outperforms silicone in the ways that matter most for gameplay: tokens don't slide around, and the bowls snap flat more reliably for storage — silicone's shape memory kept fighting the fold, and we just weren't happy with it. So we made the call: the bowls are now premium felt.
We only make changes like this when testing shows it makes the experience better in your hands, and this one absolutely does.
Your choice, always: Since this is a material change, we want to make sure everyone is happy with it. For all of you who have the bowls in your pledge, your BackerKit survey includes the option to keep them or remove them, entirely up to you. We're confident you'll love the felt, but the choice is yours!
And lastly...
Thank you, as always, for being the best crew a first-time creator team could ask for. Complete those BackerKit surveys, cast your GEE Awards vote, and we'll see you in the next transmission!
From everyone at Mission Control, we salute you! 🫡
Arta & Fiona 💜
P.S. We love hearing from you, the community. Join us on our social media channels, engage with us and see what we're up to, in addition to all the updates here!
Follow us on BGG / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube.
