Sandustry
A factory automation game where every pixel of the world is a resource. Mine it, automate it, and dig toward an ancient civilization's secrets. Out Aug 13, 2026 in Early Access, on Steam and day-one on PC Game Pass.
What is Sandustry?
Sandustry comes from solo developer Lantto Games, published by Hooded Horse — the publisher that keeps shipping factory and strategy games people actually play. The hook is in the tagline: every pixel is a resource. The world is fully destructible, so you're not building on a fixed map; you're carving the map apart, hauling the sand away, and turning it into production lines.
The loop is classic factory-automation: explore, mine, build conveyor-fed chains, and keep pushing deeper. Under the surface sits an ancient civilization's tech, which is the part that turns a sandbox into a game with a destination. It's been compared to Mindustry and to Terraria's digging loop, but Sandustry is its own thing — a 2D pixel factory where the terrain itself is the input material.
How it plays
- Mine everything. Ground, rock, and anything in the way can be dug up and fed into your production lines.
- Automate upward. Start with manual work, then build increasingly complex production chains to handle it for you.
- Dig deep. The big discoveries are below — an ancient civilization's secrets are the end goal, and they're not on the surface.
- Workshop support. Steam Workshop is live, so mods and community maps are part of the plan from day one.
If you've bounced off factory games because they're stressful to optimize, this one is friendlier by design — there's no timer pressure, and the destructible world means you can reshape everything as your factory grows. The automation crowd on Reddit has already been trading early builds and first-hour impressions since launch.
Steam price checked Sep 21, 2026: $14.99 full price. The launch discount (-35%, $9.74) has ended.
Worth a look if
- You like factory games (Factorio, Mindustry) but want a more relaxed pace
- Terraria's digging loop was your favorite part — everything here is diggable
- You're on Game Pass and want to try it for free before paying
Skip it if you want a finished game — it's Early Access, so expect rough edges and ongoing changes as it develops.
Quick facts & FAQ
- Is it on Game Pass? Yes. Day-one on PC Game Pass and as a Game Preview title on Xbox, including cloud play.
- Is it multiplayer? Single-player only for now — the store page lists no multiplayer.
- What platforms? Windows, Mac, and Linux on Steam, plus the Xbox/Game Pass version.
- How does it compare to Mindustry? Both are pixel factory games, but Sandustry's world is fully destructible and its focus is digging deep rather than tower defense.
- Will the price change? It's Early Access at $14.99 now — the 35% launch discount has ended. Hooded Horse usually raises prices at 1.0, so getting in before then is the cheaper way regardless.
Watch the launch trailer on the Steam store page.
Watch it
Official launch trailer: Sandustry — Launch Trailer.