Sandustry Launch Week Notes
What is true two days after Early Access — storefronts, discount, and what has not patched yet.
Sandustry entered Early Access on Thursday, August 13, 2026. This page is the launch-week ledger written on August 15, 2026 — two days in. It exists so Guides do not have to repeat storefront caveats, and so EA Launch can stay the snapshot of opening day while this page tracks what we know now. If Steam news posts a hotfix after this date, that note belongs here first.
Status as of 2026-08-15
| Item | Launch-week fact |
|---|---|
| EA start | 2026-08-13 (Hooded Horse / Lantto Games) |
| Storefronts | Steam, GOG, Microsoft Store, PC Game Pass |
| List price | $14.99 / £12 / €14.99 / ¥1,480 |
| Launch discount | 35% through 2026-08-27 (EU Steam showed €9.74) |
| OS | Windows, macOS 12+, Linux (native) |
| Players | Single-player |
| Demo | Free Steam app 3490390 still live |
| First EA hotfix | None posted on the Steam news hub at time of writing |
No official balance patch has landed in the first 48 hours. Factory advice on this wiki still matches the launch build plus the demo hotfix history on Demo Patches.
Game Pass is PC-only
Day-one coverage is consistent: Sandustry is on PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate for desktop PC, not Xbox consoles, and not Cloud Gaming. Microsoft’s streaming stack is console-shaped; there is no Xbox port in the launch announcements. If a friend “doesn’t see it on the Xbox,” they are looking at the right store and the wrong device. The Microsoft Store PC listing is the Game Pass path. Progress is not the Steam demo folder.
That matters for Should You Buy Sandustry: Game Pass is the low-cash way to play the paid EA build, not a console preview.
Linux, Mac, and accessibility notes
Launch-week Linux coverage (including GamingOnLinux hands-on) reports a native Linux build and praises UI scale plus a dedicated zoom control. Steam lists macOS 12+ on the main app. Large sand sims still want the recommended CPU/GPU on Release Date and Platforms. Demo listings have historically been Windows-first — confirm the demo page if you only want the free slice on Mac/Linux.
What you are actually buying this week
Hooded Horse’s launch copy and the Steam EA FAQ agree:
- The EA build includes the store-page factory: pixel physics, research, logistics, tools, artifacts, botanical Fluxite.
- Full 1.0 is planned to add more buildings, resources, chains, quests, biomes, and finer procedural generation, influenced by Discord and Steam feedback.
- Stated EA length is about one year, flexible.
- Price might rise later in EA as content lands.
- Steam extras at launch: 16 achievements, Steam Cloud, trading cards, Family Sharing, Steam Workshop.
Workshop sits beside community Fluxloader maps. Loader + EA executable pairs can break; keep a vanilla slot (Mods, Fluxloader Install).
How EA feels versus the demo (launch-week play)
Creator footage from the first days repeats the same deltas:
- Movement rewrite — faster, automatic pixel traversal, hover upgrade, phase-through while flying (Movement and Hover).
- Map size — playthroughs describe the EA world as on the order of fifteen times the demo slice, with a zoomable minimap unlock.
- Water — steam rain and Snow replace “rocket the wall until it rains” as the intended refill.
- Picker — hold F to copy a placed building; U opens Fluxite upgrades.
Mechanics that did not change: diagonal shakers, 1+1 wetting, collectors with foundations, one Flux Emanator, single-player.
What we are watching next
- First hotfix — loading, belt, or flower-algorithm follow-ups. Summarize on this page and Demo Patches if the note is demo-only.
- Workshop vs Fluxloader — which custom maps load on the EA exe.
- Discount end (2026-08-27) — price returns toward list unless a new promo posts.
- Research / shaker numbers — if yields or costs move, update Research Checklist and Material Ratios the same day.
Where official words live
- Steam news for app 2764460 (the news hub was quiet on extra posts when this page was written).
- sandustry.com — Steam, demo, trailer, Discord, Reddit
r/SandustryGame, YouTube@sandustry. - Hooded Horse Games Press notes (June 25 date announcement; August 13 “out now”).
- Community wiki on wiki.gg for raw material tables.
This site is unofficial. We do not invent patch notes. If a number here disagrees with the live Steam page, the store wins.
Related
- EA Launch — Opening-day trailer and first-session plan.
- Release Date and Platforms — Specs and store IDs.
- EA Roadmap — Year-of-EA themes, not a contract.
- Early Game Tips — What to do in the larger map this week.
Launch week is for learning the lake factory, not for assuming 1.0 biomes already shipped. Play the build that exists on August 15; wishlist the rest on the roadmap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common Sandustry questions.
Has Sandustry had an Early Access hotfix yet?
As of **2026-08-15**, no EA hotfix was posted on the Steam news hub. Demo Hotfix 8 (2025-02-21) is still the last detailed public patch list on Demo Patches.
Is Sandustry on Xbox consoles or Cloud?
No at launch. **PC Game Pass** / Ultimate on **desktop PC** only. No Xbox console port and no Cloud Gaming in the day-one coverage.
How long does the 35% launch discount last?
Steam showed the introductory **35%** offer through **August 27, 2026**. Confirm the live storefront; no end hour was specified in launch write-ups.
Does Linux work at launch?
Yes — Steam lists Linux on the main app, and launch-week hands-on reported a native build with UI scale and zoom. Specs: Release Date and Platforms.
Is the free demo gone after launch?
No. Steam app **3490390** remains. It teaches the shaker loop; it is not the full EA map. See Demo vs Early Access.