Astroneer relies heavily on official servers or Steam /Xbox integration for co-op. Pirated versions generally cannot connect to these services, stripping away the best part of the game.

New ways to manage and move power across your base more efficiently.

Websites offering "Astroneer for free" (especially specific older versions like v1.19.143.0) are usually distributing "cracked" software. Here is why that is a problem:

Significant stability improvements and performance optimizations for larger bases. Why You Should Avoid "Free" Downloads

Introduction of sensors (power, battery, and storage) that allow players to automate their bases.