Sandbox Game
Ongoing coverage on Sandbox Game.
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Drawquarium is one of the most relaxing sandbox games I've played in a hot minute, even if it did remind me I have…
Drawquarium is a relaxing sandbox game where players draw fish and plants to populate their aquariums and attract customers. While the demo offers limited base designs, players can customize their creations extensively. The game promises more decor, themes, and custom backgrounds upon full release, offering a peaceful experience regardless of artistic skill.
After 3 years of work, GTA 4 dev's sandbox game hits Steam as he has to tell people it's "completely different" from Minecraft: "For starters, no Steve"
Former Rockstar Games technical director Obbe Vermeij has launched his new sandbox game, Plentiful, into Early Access on PC. Despite its blocky visuals, Vermeij emphasizes that Plentiful is a god game inspired by titles like Populous, focusing on environmental consequences rather than direct player avatars like Minecraft's Steve. The game allows players to shape the land and create ecosystems, with a demo available.
S&box makes nearly $1 million on launch day, and yes there are problems but that's okay: 'We love it when things break because then we get to fix them'
S&box, the successor to Garry's Mod developed by Facepunch Studios, generated nearly $1 million on its launch day despite mixed reviews and technical issues. Studio head Garry Newman stated that the problems encountered were expected and are being addressed. The company is doubling its Play Fund for community developers to $1 million due to the strong launch revenue.
The Garry's Mod 'successor' is, tragically, more Roblox than anything else
S&box, developed by Facepunch Studios as a spiritual successor to Garry's Mod, is criticized for prioritizing a Roblox-like platform model over the creative freedom of its predecessor. While showcasing potential with various game genres built on a modified Source 2 engine, its current state suffers from jankiness and a business model involving paid cosmetics, leading to disappointment for those expecting a true Garry's Mod 2 experience.
Garry's Mod successor s&box finally arrives on Steam on April 28
Facepunch Studios has announced that its sandbox successor to Garry's Mod, s&box, will launch on Steam on April 28. The game will feature a licensing deal with Valve, allowing users to export and release their creations as standalone Steam games without paying Facepunch. The studio founder, Garry Newman, stated his motivation is to provide opportunities for others, similar to what Valve did for him.
VR multiplayer sandbox Rec Room is shutting down on June 1
Rec Room Inc. has announced that its VR multiplayer sandbox game, Rec Room, will be shutting down on June 1st after a decade of operation. Despite efforts including paid user-generated content and AI tools, the game failed to reach profitability. Developers will allow players and creators to download their data, with room data available in formats for potential recreation in standalone setups.
Garry's Mod creator partners with Valve in deal that ensures games made in his sandbox gem's new successor can be sold royalty-free on Steam: "It's just waiting for us now"
Valve and Garry Newman have partnered to allow creations made in S&box, the successor to Garry's Mod, to be sold royalty-free on Steam. This deal ensures creators using the Source 2 engine-based tool will receive full returns, similar to using Unity. S&box is set to launch publicly in April, with some games already listed on Steam.
My Time at Evershine talks about development scope and changes to building
Developer Pathea Games is discussing significant changes to the development scope of their Kickstarter-funded multiplayer sandbox, My Time at Evershine. Features like brick-by-brick building are being re-imagined for overall town growth, and NPC interactions are being enhanced with more personalized elements. The game is also introducing grid-based placement for structures and more tangible progression rewards for the governor's mansion.
Minecraft devs say anything is possible in the sandbox game's future as they start to dip into old ideas for new updates: "You always have more ideas than you can realize"
Mojang product manager Anna Lundgren stated that anything is possible for the future of Minecraft, with the developer even revisiting abandoned ideas. She highlighted that the team consistently has more ideas than can be realized, but that doesn't mean they won't eventually come to fruition. This comes as the game prepares for its Chaos Cubed update following the Tiny Takeover update.
Assassin's Creed Shadows players sunk 334 million hours into the endless Ubisoft sandbox, killing 4 billion targets but paying their karma by petting 26 million cats
Ubisoft has released player statistics for Assassin's Creed Shadows one year after its release, revealing that players have collectively spent over 334 million hours in the game. During this time, players have eliminated over 4 billion targets, but also took the time to pet 26 million cats.
A Pokemon Pokopia player built a working calculator and the game's not even 3 weeks old: "The countdown to a…
A player in Nintendo's new sandbox game, Pokemon Pokopia, has built a fully functional calculator using in-game elements. This impressive feat of digital engineering, achieved within weeks of the game's release, highlights the creative potential of the title and sparks speculation about future complex creations, such as a playable version of Doom.
Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (21st March)
Several Nintendo Life staff members share their weekend gaming plans, with Pokopia being a dominant choice on the Nintendo Switch. Other titles mentioned include Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Resident Evil Requiem, Yakuza Kiwami 3, and new PC releases like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II.
Minecraft 26.1 release date estimate, features, name, and more
The upcoming Minecraft update, 26.1, codenamed "Tiny Takeover," is expected to release around March 24, 2026, aligning with the Minecraft Live event. This update focuses on overhauling baby mob textures and sounds, introducing a Golden Dandelion item to prevent mobs from growing up, and adding craftable name tags and a new trumpet sound effect.
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (2003) The Classic Lightsaber Combat Sandbox
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, released in 2003 by Raven Software, is analyzed as a classic action sandbox game. It offered expanded lightsaber combat, player choice in Force abilities and missions, and a lasting multiplayer legacy.
Sandcastle is an upcoming physics simulator for beachside fun
Sandcastle is an upcoming physics simulator from Bubblebird Studio that allows players to build and interact with sand on various beaches. The game features realistic sand and water physics, numerous tools for construction, and a relaxing, no-rush gameplay experience with unlockable beach layouts and hidden collectibles. A release date has not yet been announced, but the game is available to wishlist on Steam.
