Starsand Island release countdown: Exact start time and date

A cozy new world is calling, and it’s nearly time to set out on a relaxing journey in Starsand Island. If you’re eager to tuck into this life-sim game, you’ll want to know exactly when it releases so you can get playing.

Starsand Island offers a cozy new world to get lost in, so if you’re looking for a fun and fresh experience with lots to do, this is a great game to dive into. To ensure you’re ready to start playing when it’s available, here’s the exact time and date when Starsand Island will be released.

When does Starsand Island release?

Starsand Island launches at 11am CT on Feb. 11 into early access. The full game won’t go live until later this year and is currently slated to release in summer 2026. If you want to jump in and start playing sooner, though, you can enjoy everything the early access period has to offer by starting to play on Feb. 11.

We’ve set our countdown to the announced launch time so you can check when your cozy new adventure begins. You can also check back here leading up to the release to learn how much longer is left before Starsand Island arrives.

[hurrytimer id=”1177172″]

• PT: 9am on Feb. 11
• CT: 11am on Feb. 11
• ET: 12pm on Feb. 11
• BST: 5pm on Feb. 11
• CEST: 6pm on Feb. 11
• JST: 2am on Feb. 12
• AEST: 3am on Feb. 12

We’ve also included a global launch time breakdown below if your timezone isn’t listed above and you want to check what time it’ll go live in your area. It’s releasing at the same time everywhere, though, so our general countdown applies regardless of where you are.

What platforms is Starsand Island on?

For the Feb. 11 launch, Starsand Island will be available for PC through Steam in an early access state and on Xbox as a preview. These are the only platforms available right away, but when the early access period eventually ends, it will launch across a much wider variety of platforms, including PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch 2. It is slated to leave early access and debut on other platforms in summer 2026.

Starsand Island features

In Starsand Island, your character flees from the hustle and bustle of city life to return to a small village they used to frequent as a child. Once there, you get to work on and hone key skills, like farming and fishing, to build your new island life.

The island is home to many characters you can get to know, including villagers you can befriend and build relationships with, and animals you can take care of. NPCs have daily interactions and bonds that build over time, and if a connection grows strong enough, you can even find someone to share the cozy island life with.

There are many different methods of transportation you can unlock and use to get around the island, including roller blades, hoverboards, cars, motorbikes with sidecars, and more. The island also hides many mysteries and secrets, with ancient ruins you can explore to uncover them. Inside, you’ll also be able to build combat skills to take on formidable foes.

When you need to take a break, you can work on your island home, which can be deeply customized thanks to a robust DIY and construction system. You can fully decorate both the interior and exterior of your very own dream home.

There’s sure to be much more to uncover once Starsand Island has been released, but overall, it features lots of expected cozy game mechanics, so if you’re interested in this genre, you’ll certainly find lots to enjoy in this one.

The post Starsand Island release countdown: Exact start time and date appeared first on Destructoid.

ARC Raiders could be answering the calls for one of the most-requested additions to the game since launch, and even before it, in a new limited time mode this week.

Embark Studios announced the new event today, called Shared Watch, although details are scant so far. The video the company used to tease it, though, sure sounds like players will be teaming up together, and not against each other, in the fight against ARC.

“You watch my back, I’ll watch yours – that’s how Speranza keeps ticking,” the company said. “Join your fellow Raiders in celebrating the Shared Watch; team up with strangers, turn your barrels on the machines, and earn rewards in the process.”

And that’s all there is to go on, for now, other than some potential new baseball helmet-themed gear teased in the key art. If it truly is a PvE-only experience, then many players will be thrilled to try it out. ARC Raiders players have been asking for something like this for a while, and if it’s here, it should be a big hit.

The game’s usage of an “aggression-based matchmaking” system means a PvE experience is entirely possible to foster, but this being a true co-op experience where players can team up with others to fight against the AI ARC enemies may be a fun addition to the game’s existing style.

Shared Watch is scheduled to run from Feb. 10 to 24, so it’s for a limited time for now. But, anything can change, and if the mode proves as popular as it has the potential to, then Embark may have no choice but to consider a more permanent solution.

For now, though, players can queue up when the event goes live and see what it has to offer in the early morning hours tomorrow.

The post Is ARC Raiders finally adding a PvE-only mode? It sure sounds like it, and it arrives very soon appeared first on Destructoid.