‘Garry’s Mod’ Creator Delivers Grim Update on Spiritual Successor: ‘It Hasn’t Been Going Well’

Garry Newman, the mastermind behind the runaway success *Garry’s Mod*, has candidly admitted that his studio’s spiritual successor, *S&box*, is faltering, prompting a sweeping overhaul to rescue the ambitious project.

In a candid blog post entitled “Rethinking,” Newman confessed that the platform has failed to resonate with the gaming community since its debut in April. “The platform is not well liked, it doesn’t have good retention,” he wrote. “I’m embarrassed by our reviews, I am ashamed.”

Crafted by Facepunch Studios using Valve’s sophisticated Source 2 engine, *S&box* was originally conceived to carry the torch for *Garry’s Mod*—the legendary physics sandbox that shifted over 25 million copies. Yet, this new venture has struggled immensely to build momentum, with its Steam approval rating languishing at roughly 47% positive.

Newman conceded that the team became overly preoccupied with perfecting backend development tools rather than refining the actual player experience.

“We’re not selling an engine, we’re selling a game,” he remarked.

Major upgrades on the horizon for S&box

Facepunch is pivoting to prioritize the core sandbox loop, introducing richer non-player character integration, varied vehicles, polished multiplayer functionality, and deeper customization options. Newman stressed that the ultimate objective is to match the legacy of *Garry’s Mod* before eventually superseding it entirely.

The studio is also completely rethinking how users discover titles within *S&box*. Newman confessed that his original ambition of building a “Netflix for games”—where players could casually browse a vast ocean of user-generated content—fell short in practice. The marketplace quickly became flooded with low-grade material, including hasty AI-generated submissions, burying genuinely creative work.

Moving forward, Facepunch intends to lean heavily into curation, actively spotlighting standout titles rather than pursuing sheer volume. Additionally, the developer will transition its infrastructure over to Steam Workshop instead of maintaining isolated internal networks.

Perhaps the most monumental shift is that *S&box* is slated to transition to a free-to-play model by late 2026. Newman pointed out that enforcing an upfront purchase price alongside optional cosmetic microtransactions was likely turning away curious newcomers.

“We don’t need the entrance fee, we need players,” he stated.

Early adopters who already own the game will be rewarded with exclusive Steam inventory drops upon the transition to free-to-play, with special bonuses reserved for those who supported the title at the higher $20 price point rather than the subsequent $10 tier. Newman concluded his message by addressing the widespread disappointment, reiterating his passion for the underlying technology and its creative potential while offering an olive branch to frustrated fans.

“Estamos implementing massive, sweeping changes to turn things around,” he wrote. “Please bear with us while we execute these updates.”

The already-hated Epic Games Store is likely to pick up a few more detractors

Source: Polygon