Starsand Island
| Starsand Island | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Seed Sparkle Lab |
| Publisher | Seed Sparkle Lab |
| Platforms | |
| Release | 11 February 2026 (early access) |
| Genre | Life simulation |
Starsand Island (Chinese: 星砂岛) is an upcoming life simulation game developed and published by Seed Sparkle Lab. It is developed for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. It was released into early access on 11 February 2026, with a full release in the summer.
Gameplay
Starsand Island is a life simulation game where the customizable player character begins a life in Starsand, their childhood place. Solara, the player character's childhood friend, gives a guide of how to make progress in the beginning of the game. The player can choose different careers, including an angler, crafter, explorer, farmer, or rancher.[1]
The game has romance and friendship system with which the player can nurture relationships with NPC inhabitants.[2]
Development and release
Starsand Island was developed by Chinese studio Seed Sparkle Lab and produced by Golton Gao.[3][4] The game was first announced on 6 May 2024. The game was originally announced to be released for Microsoft Windows in Q4 2025.[5] Other considered platforms were PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.[4] A crowdfunding campaign was launched at Kickstarter to fund the game's development. The Kickstarter campaign ended on 31 May 2025, earning over $300,000.[3][6]
The game released into early access for Windows and Xbox Series X/S on 11 February 2026, with a full release for Windows, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S in the summer of 2026.[7] It will have a collaboration event with Pathea Games' My Time at Portia, featuring two characters from that game.[8] The developers have further promised to allow players to define their own “life story” through daily activities, relationships, and choices.[9] It has been considered a cosy game by Emma-Jane Betts of GamesRadar.[10]
References
- ^ Lada, Jenni (18 October 2025). "Preview: Starsand Island Feels Like More of a Life Sim Than Farming Game". Siliconera. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ Romano, Sal (23 June 2025). "Starsand Island details romance and friendship system". Gematsu. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ a b Wood, Austin (18 October 2025). "Some Chinese devs played Stardew Valley and loved it, but wanted something more "carefree" – now their anime life sim RPG is tearing up Steam Next Fest, and it's hard to put down". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ a b Romano, Sal (17 April 2025). "Starsand Island adds PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch versions, launches this winter". Gematsu. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ Romano, Sal (6 May 2024). "Tranquil island farming simulation game Starsand Island announced for PC". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 28 August 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ Rose, Danielle (22 May 2025). "Starsand Island "fills the gap" left behind by The Sims and Stardew Valley". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 24 May 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2 February 2026). "Starsand Island launches in Early Access for Xbox Series and PC on February 11; full release this summer". Gematsu. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
- ^ Romano, Sal (16 October 2025). "Starsand Island x My Time at Portia collaboration announced". Gematsu. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ ""We Hope Starsand Island Can Be That Gentle Escape", Says Seed Sparkle Lab". 2026-02-08. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
- ^ Betts, Emma-Jane (10 February 2026). "I've played Starsand Island for 25 hours, and this is the most invested I've been in a cozy game for years". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 15 February 2026.