Sandustry Wiki
Sandustry is a factory automation sandbox from solo developer Lantto Games, published by Hooded Horse (Manor Lords, Against the Storm, Old World). It launches into Early Access on August 13, 2026 on PC via Steam, GOG, and the Microsoft Store (with day-one PC Game Pass availability), and is also playable on Mac and Linux.
A Genuinely Apt Comparison: Factorio Meets Terraria
Press coverage has consistently reached for the same comparison, and it fits. PCGamesN described it as "blending the automation of Factorio with the 2D pixel world of Terraria," while Rock Paper Shotgun called it "a factory sim set in the labyrinths of Noita." Every pixel of the fully-destructible, procedurally generated world is a resource -- to be mined, mixed, processed, or destroyed -- as you dig, explore, and gradually industrialize an unexplored planet.
A Deliberately "Noisy" Approach to Automation
Unlike automation games built around tidy, orderly belt puzzles, Lantto Games has been direct that Sandustry favors a chaotic, "noisy" approach -- managing filters, pumps, pipes, and drones while contending with real simulated elements like melting ice, rising steam, and volatile combustion. The core loop starts humbly (sifting gold from sand) and expands into increasingly complex production chains, unlocking new technologies as you assess a planet's viability for deeper industrialization.
Exploration and Ancient Artifacts
Beyond pure factory-building, the fully destructible world hides powerful artifacts left behind by an ancient civilization -- discovering and unlocking their boons is confirmed as a genuine alternative focus for players who'd rather explore and hunt than optimize production lines exclusively.
A Genuinely Remarkable Demo Reception
The free demo has been a real breakout success -- ranked the #3 highest-rated demo of 2025 and #12 highest-rated demo of all time on SteamDB. Lantto Games has spoken candidly about being caught off guard by this, having originally planned a quiet release while slowly building an audience. GamesRadar even noted a direct endorsement from a Palworld developer.
Honest, Hedged Roadmap Teasers
True to its solo-developer origins, Lantto Games has been upfront that a fixed roadmap is risky given how many ideas need real prototyping first. Teased (not promised) features for the Early Access period include a World Engine (further procedural generation and new biomes), Advanced Materials (more elements and processing tiers), Core Descent (a new mining mechanic involving drills and lasers), a Quantum Collider (a new physics-based mechanic tied into the core simulation), and Deepmire (a hostile new area).
Extensive Language Support
A genuinely large localization effort covers 22 languages at Early Access launch: German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Italian, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin American Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese -- a real effort to make the game's complex tech chains and tooltips accessible to a global audience from day one.