Lantto Games and Hooded Horse have announced Sandustry, an upcoming indie automation game arriving in Steam Early Access on August 13. The title merges complex factory management with pixel-based sandbox exploration, taking clear inspiration from popular games like Factorio and Terraria.

Players land on an unexplored alien planet with basic tools and work to build massive industrial networks. Factory expansion relies on conveyor belts, logistics drones, pipes, pumps, and detailed production chains. Alongside industrial growth, players explore underground vaults, search for ancient artifacts, and utilize natural resources.The main feature that sets Sandustry apart is its pixel physics engine. Every single pixel in the procedurally generated world reacts to surrounding elements. Sand absorbs water, ice melts near heat sources, and water evaporates into steam before returning as rainfall. Players can destroy terrain using explosives or redirect lava flows to solve survival and logistics problems.

Sandustry offers multiple play styles with support for modding, custom maps, and structural customization. The game allows players to build highly optimized factories, construct simple chaotic systems, or focus primarily on world exploration.