"Starflight" was developed by Binary Systems, a five-man team consisting of Rod McConnell, Greg Johnson (lead designer), Alec Kercso (programming), Tim C. Lee (graphics and programming), and Bob Gonsalves (sound). Then-vice president of Electronic Arts Joe Ybarra was also closely involved, and produced the work. The original idea for making a video game was conceived by McConnell and Ybarra in 1983. McConnell hired colleague Dave Boulton, who had an idea for using fractals to generate an endless virtual universe, along with Kercso, Gonsalves, Lee, and Johnson, all of whom were first time game designers. Boulton quit the project early on in development, saying it was too ambitious, with Lee replacing him.