One of the most anticipated cozy life sims of the year, Starsand Island, is going to be available to start playing very soon. This relaxing game offers romance, farming, fishing, befriending animals, and more, all combined with beautiful anime-style graphics. Starsand Island’s demo has only further excited prospective players through its smooth gameplay and stunning world.
Offering a blend of Studio Ghibli aesthetics with cozy gameplay rivaling that of Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing, Starsand Island has recently gone through a considerable amount of betas and provided a very successful free demo on Steam. Although some reports suggested it would release on February 1, the official release date announcement finally came earlier today, and it brings both good news and bad.
Starsand Island Will Release In Early Access On February 11
Console Editions And Full Game Release Coming Later
Starsand Island key artwork
Following the second closed test period of Starsand Island, the game will be released in early access on Steam on February 11, 2026, at 9:00 AM PST. Console versions of the game for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 are said to be coming later, likely after the game has its full launch.
The game will be priced at $27.93 for the Standard Edition of the game, or you can purchase the Deluxe Edition for $41.93. The Deluxe Edition comes with an additional “Classical Furniture Set”, “Elegant Formal Outfit”, and “Pumpkin Carriage” as well as the base game. Buying either version of the game in eary access will also give you a bonus “Chinese New Year Furniture Set” as well as a “Neo-Chinese Outfit.”
Originally a Kickstarter project, Starsand Island quickly raised over 300% of its initial goal and has caught the attention of many with its ambitious gameplay designs. The game has been put on over 500K wishlists on Steam alone, with many in the community being eager for news. Thankfully, throughout the development process, the team at Seed Lab has been very communicative with Kickstarter backers and on its discord server. Now, Starsand Island already appears to be of a quality that could bring competition to other life sim games.
Early Access Is Disappointing, But Could Still Be A Good Sign
Starsand Island Looks Promising
Starsand Island screenshot with Pastelle and some sheep
Unfortunately, because of how polished and high-quality the game already appeared, the announcement of an early access release rather than a full game launch has been disappointing to many. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the game is in rough shape. Developers have previously stated that they plan to add more romance options to Starsand Island, as well as work on the console versions.
Although we don’t know when the game will leave early access for full release, internet rumors have stated that it could be as soon as this summer. That has not been confirmed, however, so we will have to wait and see. For now, PC players can jump into Starsand Island as soon as February 11 and experience this world for themselves.
Systems
Released
August 18, 2026
ESRB
Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
Developer(s)
Seed Lab
Publisher(s)
Seed Lab
Multiplayer
Online Co-Op