Starsand Island

Background

Starsand Island was developed by Chinese studio Seed Sparkle Lab and produced by Golton Gao, with investment from Kingsoft and its subsidiary Amazing Seasun Games. The game was first announced on 6 May 2024, originally planned for a Q4 2025 release on Microsoft Windows. A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign ended on 31 May 2025, raising over $300,000. The game entered early access on 11 February 2026 for Windows and Xbox Series X/S, with a full release on 18 August 2026 for Windows, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

In the game, the player character begins life in Starsand, their childhood place, guided by childhood friend Solara. Players can choose careers such as angler, crafter, explorer, farmer, or rancher, and nurture relationships with NPC inhabitants through a romance and friendship system. The developers promised to allow players to define their own life story through daily activities, relationships, and choices. A collaboration event with Pathea Games' My Time at Portia will feature two characters from that game.

The game was temporarily delisted from Steam due to unauthorized use of visual elements from an unspecified title, theorized as a reaction to a minigame copying Tetris. The developer promised a free DLC costume as compensation to players.