When Did Sandustry Release?
Sandustry launched into Early Access on August 13, 2026. The Steam store page lists the developer as Lantto Games and the publisher as Hooded Horse, with that date as the Early Access release. The launch was simultaneous across Steam, GOG and the Microsoft Store, and the game joined PC Game Pass the same day.
The first week went well by any measure: as of August 17, 2026, Sandustry sat at 97% positive across roughly 1,500 Steam reviews - "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam's own scale - with two patches already shipped.
Sandustry Version History & Release Timeline
The release date is the end of a two-year public timeline. From the developer's official itch.io devlog, the demo grew through these versions:
- 0.0.2 - September 21, 2024 (first public demo)
- 0.0.3 - December 11, 2024
- 0.0.4 - January 5, 2025
- 0.0.5 - January 21, 2025
- Demo Hotfix 7 & 8 - February 2025 (last major demo updates)
- Early Access - August 13, 2026 (v0.5.x line begins)
- v0.5.3 Hotfix - August 14, 2026: better logging, memory optimizations, clearer objectives
- v0.5.4 Update #1 - August 17, 2026: better filter editing, Tier 5 softlock fixes, red block removal
One version note: there is no official "0.50" version. The pre-EA history tops out at 0.0.5, and the Early Access line began at v0.5.x. If you see "sandustry 050" mentioned online, it's a typo or shorthand, not a real version number.
From Demo to the Sandustry Early Access Release
After the demo validated the concept, the developer announced a full rewrite of the simulation for Early Access, including a redone movement system. These changes were not backported to the old demo, which is why the EA build plays differently from the free demo - the same reason the demo has not been updated since July 2025. The demo guide breaks down exactly what differs.
The rewrite is also why launch week shipped two quick patches: the new simulation needed a hotfix for logging and memory on day two, and Update #1 on day five addressed filter editing and a Tier 5 softlock. For a game four days old, that cadence is a good sign of active maintenance.
Sandustry 1.0 Full Release: What We Know
There is no 1.0 release date yet, but the developer has put real information on the record. The Steam Early Access section states that Lantto Games expects Early Access to last about a year - with the caveat that this can shift as player feedback changes the design. Treat "roughly a year" as a plan, not a promise: it does not translate into an August 2027 release date.
What the full version will add is more concrete, because the developer listed it: richer procedural generation, plus new buildings, resources, production chains, quests, biomes and technologies, unlocked as you push deeper into the planet. The Early Access version is described on the store page as fully playable and complete relative to what's advertised - not a slice of content holding the place of a real game.
What's Next After the Sandustry Release
Right after launch, the developer's stated priorities were crashes and major bugs first, then root-cause fixes (an indestructible red block bug needs a deeper core change), then quality-of-life. Feature requests are being collected on the official Nolt feedback board, where community voting influences what gets built - one reason the official Discord and Steam community page are the best places to watch for the next announcement.
One more thing worth knowing if you're waiting to buy: the developer has said the price may rise as Early Access content is added. The price guide tracks what it costs today, including the launch discount window.
Where to Follow Sandustry Updates
Each channel covers a different slice of the release story:
- Steam Community announcements - the canonical patch notes. Update #1 and the launch hotfix both landed here first as developer posts.
- The official Discord - the same announcements plus discussion, bug triage and the modding channel. Fastest signal, most noise.
- r/SandustryGame - patch discussion threads, community reaction and the official links list.
- itch.io devlog - the historical record: the whole demo-era timeline above lives there, which makes it the best source for "when did X happen" questions.
For a game this early, patch notes are genuinely worth reading - both launch-week patches changed real behavior (filter editing, objective clarity), and the red block root-cause fix is the thing to watch if it's affecting your save. The full community link directory is on the community resources page.