Starsand
Released Nov 2022
Starsand is a mystic survival game set among the dunes of an arcane desert. An open-world full of danger, vast environments and mysterious happenings await you! Explore, hunt, craft, build – and SURVIVE.
66% positive · 1,251 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Where to buy
Steam Lowest $1.99 $19.99 −90% Green Man Gaming Steam key $4.10 $19.99 −79% IndieGala Steam key $19.99
Prices in USD, as listed by each store.
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Evaluation
Starsand launched into Early Access in November 2021 and graduated to its full 1.0 release on November 17, 2022. During Early Access, the developer published two roadmaps (November 2021 and April 2022) and delivered regular content updates — the Beetle Update (April 2022), the Sandboard and Saves Update (May 2022), an Enemy and Weapon Update (July 2022), and a September Update (September 2022) — all building toward the 1.0 launch.
The 1.0 release on November 17, 2022 delivered the endgame content: a new zone with machinery, the alien queen boss encounter, and a closing cinematic, framing it explicitly as the complete journey ("This time, you have all you need to end your journey").
After 1.0, the developer shipped one small bug-fix patch (Update 1.0.6, April 28, 2023), which notably stated that "the frequency of regular updates will be lower in the near future, as we are currently working on the multiplayer mode." A final quality-of-life patch followed on June 28, 2023. There have been no developer communications of any kind after June 28, 2023 — now more than three years ago.
The multiplayer mode mentioned in April 2023 was never announced as a formal, named deliverable, and no subsequent post confirmed it was released or still in development. Given the complete absence of any developer communication since June 28, 2023, and no roadmap, DLC listing, or announcement referencing future content, the game appears to have reached the end of its active development cycle. The single DLC in the store is a cosmetic Digital Supporter Pack that released before Early Access and carries no content implications. The game shipped as a complete narrative experience with a defined ending.
Evidence
Starsand 1.0 launched with the final zone, queen boss mechanic, endgame cinematic, and full narrative conclusion — developer framed it as the complete journey.
Update 1.0.6 delivered bug fixes and noted that update frequency would drop as the team was working on a multiplayer mode. No timeline or formal announcement given for multiplayer.
Content
1 of 1 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Toplitz Productions
Achievements
27
Platform
Windows
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Verified
Players
Single-player
About this game
Your day started as planned. Motivated and full of ambition you started the marathon of your life in the middle of the desert. The months of hard training should finally bear fruit. Suddenly, you were caught in a monstrous sandstorm and now you find yourself alone in an inhospitable, hot environment. Deserted and merciless, an ocean of sand stretches to the horizon.
You feel the scorching heat on your skin, sand blowing right at your face, far and wide only vast desert ... but wait, what is that? Something is moving in the far distance. What happened?
Your first thought: Survival.
Your second thought: Rescue will surely come.
The bitter realization: No one will come, you are completely on your own.
The big question: Where are you and why are there two moons in the night sky?
Find shade, find water, find life. Use your energy wisely, avoid too much effort in the heat, keep warm in the coldest nights. You must keep your wits to survive.
Starsand is THE desert survival game. Dangers, mysteries, and puzzles await you! Find out what exactly happened, where you are and what connects you to the history of an extinct civilization. Will you manage to survive in the inhospitable environment, find answers and find your way back to your old life?
Hunt for food, make weapons, build a shelter. Secure your shelter - the dunes are teeming with scary creatures.
Find your way in the vast and lonely desert, orient yourself in sandstorms and mark your path. Thirst and heat become an invincible enemy during the day - cold endangers you during the night. Learn to live with adversity, see the beauty that the world holds, and learn from the animals and nature!
In this desert you are both a hunter and prey. Insect-like predators come out of their dark nests, always looking for food. Protect yourself with fire, blow up enemies with explosive coconut grenades, secure your base and do whatever it takes to survive.
We, Tunnel Vision Studio, are a small creative team ready to conquer the world with RAM sticks, dressed in GPU-coated armor and wearing a VR visor as a helmet. We are a handful of brave geeks based in Rome, not ready to give in to the temptations of countries with fiber broadband and unhealthy food. We make a living doing what we love: everything related to virtual reality and video games.
You feel the scorching heat on your skin, sand blowing right at your face, far and wide only vast desert ... but wait, what is that? Something is moving in the far distance. What happened?
Your first thought: Survival.
Your second thought: Rescue will surely come.
The bitter realization: No one will come, you are completely on your own.
The big question: Where are you and why are there two moons in the night sky?
Find shade, find water, find life. Use your energy wisely, avoid too much effort in the heat, keep warm in the coldest nights. You must keep your wits to survive.
Starsand is THE desert survival game. Dangers, mysteries, and puzzles await you! Find out what exactly happened, where you are and what connects you to the history of an extinct civilization. Will you manage to survive in the inhospitable environment, find answers and find your way back to your old life?
Hunt for food, make weapons, build a shelter. Secure your shelter - the dunes are teeming with scary creatures.
Find your way in the vast and lonely desert, orient yourself in sandstorms and mark your path. Thirst and heat become an invincible enemy during the day - cold endangers you during the night. Learn to live with adversity, see the beauty that the world holds, and learn from the animals and nature!
In this desert you are both a hunter and prey. Insect-like predators come out of their dark nests, always looking for food. Protect yourself with fire, blow up enemies with explosive coconut grenades, secure your base and do whatever it takes to survive.
We, Tunnel Vision Studio, are a small creative team ready to conquer the world with RAM sticks, dressed in GPU-coated armor and wearing a VR visor as a helmet. We are a handful of brave geeks based in Rome, not ready to give in to the temptations of countries with fiber broadband and unhealthy food. We make a living doing what we love: everything related to virtual reality and video games.
Features:
- Large open game world in an exciting desert setting with an area of over 64 km².
- The lovingly designed world, far away from civilization, holds many impressive monuments, artifacts, and creatures of the past, as well as modern times.
- Survival action par excellence! Weather and desert capers as well as terrestrial and extra-terrestrial enemies awaken the pure survival instinct!
- Gather, build, secure - for protection against heat, cold, and the unknown enemy.
- Dynamic weather and day/night changes demand good planning, wise action, and a large portion of courage, especially in the desert.
- A mystical, thrilling story and the solving of numerous puzzles answer many open questions during the exciting journey into the unknown.
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 24, 2026
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