Garry’s Mod Creator Shares Concerns About Progress on Spiritual Sequel: “Things Aren’t Looking Good”

Garry Newman, the mind behind the immensely popular Garry’s Mod, has opened up about the challenges facing his studio’s spiritual successor, S&box, and has outlined a series of significant changes aimed at revitalizing the project.

In a recent blog post titled “Rethinking,” Newman admitted that the game has not resonated with players since its launch in April. “The platform is not well liked, it doesn’t have good retention,” he expressed. “I’m embarrassed by our reviews, I am ashamed.”

Developed by Facepunch Studios on Valve’s Source 2 engine, S&box was intended to be the next evolution of Garry’s Mod, the physics sandbox that has sold over 25 million copies. However, the new title has struggled to build a player base, with its Steam reviews hovering around 47% positive.

Newman noted that the studio had placed too much emphasis on development tools instead of focusing on the player experience. “We’re not selling an engine, we’re selling a game,” he stated.

To address this, Facepunch plans to enhance the core sandbox experience by introducing more NPCs and vehicles, while also improving multiplayer functionality, add-on support, and customization options. Newman aims to elevate the experience to match and eventually exceed that of Garry’s Mod.

The studio is also re-evaluating how players discover games within S&box. Newman recognized that his idea of a “Netflix for games,” which would allow players to browse a wide array of user-generated content, has not panned out as expected. The influx of low-quality games, including those generated by AI, has made it difficult for players to find engaging experiences.

Instead, Facepunch intends to focus on curation, highlighting the best and most popular games rather than simply offering a vast selection. The studio also plans to redirect more of its infrastructure towards Steam Workshop instead of continuing to develop its own systems.

Perhaps the most notable change is that S&box is set to transition to a free-to-play model by the end of 2026. Newman explained that charging an entry fee along with paid cosmetics could deter potential players. “We don’t need the entrance fee, we need players,” he emphasized.

Current owners will receive exclusive Steam inventory items when the game goes free-to-play, with additional rewards for those who purchased the game at the higher $20 price point instead of $10. Newman concluded the post by acknowledging the disappointment surrounding the project, expressing his love for the engine and its creative potential while understanding player frustrations.

“We’re making some big sweeping changes to try to improve things,” he wrote. “Please bear with us while we make these changes.”