'Garry’s Mod' Creator Issues Dire Update on Spiritual Sequel: ‘It Hasn’t Been Going Well’
Garry Newman admits Facepunch Studios’ S&box has underperformed since April’s launch and outlines major changes, including a planned shift to free-to-play in late 2026.
Garry Newman, creator of Garry’s Mod, publicly acknowledged in a blog post that S&box, the spiritual successor developed by Facepunch Studios, has failed to meet expectations since its April launch. He described the platform as poorly received, citing low player retention and a Steam review score of roughly 47% positive. Newman expressed personal disappointment, stating he was embarrassed by the reviews and ashamed of the project’s reception.
Facepunch Studios, using Valve’s Source 2 engine, initially positioned S&box as a successor to Garry’s Mod, which has sold over 25 million copies. Newman admitted the studio had overemphasized development tools at the expense of the core gameplay experience. He emphasized that the project’s focus will now shift toward improving the sandbox experience, including adding more NPCs, vehicles, and enhancing multiplayer, add-on support, and customization.
Newman criticized the game’s current discovery system, which aimed to function like a “Netflix for games” but instead overwhelmed players with low-quality, including AI-generated, user-created content. Facepunch plans to prioritize curation, promoting the best and most popular experiences rather than simply offering the largest selection. The studio also intends to rely more on Steam Workshop for infrastructure rather than its own alternatives.
The most significant change involves S&box transitioning to a free-to-play model by the end of 2026, with Newman arguing that an entry fee alongside paid cosmetics may be discouraging potential players. Existing owners will receive exclusive Steam inventory items, with additional rewards for those who paid the higher $20 price instead of $10.