The Sandbox (@TheSandboxGame): The Sandbox Studio: August Update

The Sandbox Studio: August Update Beta is live: Engine v14, broader Creator Program access, a new $7,500 Beta Creators Game Jam, and more. On August 12, The Sandbox Studio entered its next phase with the launch of Beta. Since the Alpha began, we’ve been working closely with creators to improve the engine, make Studio easier to build with, and learn what needs to change before opening access further. Beta is the next step: a major engine update, a broader Creator Program, and a new Game Jam designed to put the latest version of Studio into the hands of more builders, with Larry Hryb aka Major Nelson - one of gaming’s most recognized names - as lead judge Product update: Engine v14 is live Alongside Beta, we released Engine v14, one of the biggest updates to The Sandbox Studio so far. At the core of the update is a major overhaul to how scenes are structured. Objects now live within a unified SceneNode system, creating a more flexible foundation for building, organizing, and interacting with everything from meshes and characters to cameras and gameplay objects. For creators, the update also brings improvements across prefabs, templates, AI-assisted creation, editor workflows, and project setup. Prefabs are now first-class building blocks. Creators can create, save, edit, and override individual prefab instances while keeping them connected to the original, making reusable content much easier to build and maintain. The editor is more powerful and precise. Multi-select editing, improved copy/paste and drag-and-drop workflows, better Outliner interactions, and a new action for merging multiple objects into a single optimized asset make working with complex scenes faster. New and improved starter templates. 3rd Person Action and Side-scrolling Action join the template lineup, while the FPS and Vehicle templates have received significant improvements. Two new playable examples: Grindwave and Visual Novel give creators complete projects they can explore, learn from, and build on. The AI Assistant is now available to everyone using Studio, with faster performance, simplified sign-in, redesigned AI settings, and easier setup across supported AI tools. Getting started is easier. A new first-launch wizard guides creators through environment setup, AI connection, and onboarding, alongside one-click Node.js and pnpm setup. Engine v14 also introduces major changes, including updates to multiplayer replication, physics, project loading, build tooling, and the SDK. Because this release includes breaking changes for some existing projects, creators upgrading from previous versions should review the migration notes included with their project. 🔗 Read the full Engine v14 changelog The Creator Program is expanding for Beta With Beta, we’re also moving the Creator Program into its next phase. During Alpha, we deliberately kept the group small so we could work closely with creators, provide direct support, and act quickly on feedback. Beta is designed to broaden that access. Sign-ups opened on August 6, with The Sandbox Studio Beta becoming available on August 12, 2026. If you weren’t able to join the Alpha, this round is for you. Creators joining the Beta Program get access to The Sandbox Studio Beta, weekly updates, the Beta Creator Discord, and the opportunity to participate in the Beta Creators Game Jam, while continuing to help shape Studio on the road to public launch. 🔗 Sign up to access The Sandbox Studio Beta Beta Creators can also join weekly Discord hangouts every Wednesday at 3:30 PM UTC to ask questions, show their progress, get feedback while their game is still in development, and connect with other participating creators. 🔗 Join The Sandbox Discord The Beta Creators Game Jam has begun Beta also means a new Game Jam. Our second Game Jam with The Sandbox Studio started on August 12, this time with broader participation, a $7,500 total prize pool, and a new Lead Judge: Larry Hryb @majornelson. After 15 years as the voice of Xbox, Larry is one of gaming’s most recognized names. Now, creators building with The Sandbox Studio have the opportunity to put their games directly in front of him. Build a game. Get it in front of Larry. The theme: Overgrown. That could mean growth, decay, wildlife, nature taking over, or something completely different. The theme is about transformation, and how creators interpret Overgrown is entirely up to them. What matters most is the strength of the idea, the quality of its execution, and whether the result is fun to play. $7,500 in prizes The top three submissions will receive: 🥇 1st Place: $2,500 USD 🥈 2nd Place: $1,600 USD 🥉 3rd Place: $1,000 USD We’re also introducing six $400 special prizes designed to recognize different kinds of great games: Best Movement, Most Atmospheric, Hardest to Put Down, Best Idea We Want to Steal, Most Ambitious, and Most Unexpected Take on Overgrown. 🔗 Join the Beta and participate in the Game Jam On the road to Public Launch Alpha was about building closely with a small group of creators, finding the friction, and improving Studio quickly. Beta is about taking what we learned and putting it in front of more people, but it’s one milestone on the road to Public Launch. In September, the roadmap moves to sync multiplayer, including four-player competitive multiplayer, lobbies, matchmaking and per-match servers, alongside new kits, asset packs and skills. Then in October, The Sandbox Studio is targeting Public Launch, with monetization, full platform and backend support, refined onboarding, and a massive voxel library collection. Next stop: Public Launch.