'Garry’s Mod' Creator Issues Dire Update on Spiritual Sequel: ‘It Hasn’t Been Going Well’

Garry Newman, the developer behind Garry's Mod, has revealed that his company's spiritual successor, S&box, is facing significant challenges. In a blog post, Newman admitted that the game has struggled to gain traction since its April release. He expressed shame over the negative reviews, stating, "I'm embarrassed by our reviews, I am ashamed."

Despite being developed using Valve's Source 2 engine and envisioned as a successor to Garry's Mod, which has sold over 25 million copies, S&box has failed to attract an audience, with Steam reviews at around 47% positive.

Newman attributed the project's shortcomings to an overemphasis on development tools rather than player experience. He emphasized that they are selling a game, not an engine. To address these issues, Facepunch Studios plans to prioritize the core sandbox experience, adding more NPCs and vehicles, enhancing multiplayer, improving add-on support, and customization. The goal is to match and eventually exceed the experience offered by Garry's Mod.

The studio also plans to rethink the way players discover games within S&box. Newman expressed disappointment that his vision of a "Netflix for games," featuring a wide selection of user-created experiences, hasn't been successful. The abundance of low-quality games, including AI-generated projects, has made it difficult for players to find worthwhile experiences. Instead, Facepunch aims to prioritize curation, showcasing the best and most popular games.

Additionally, the studio intends to shift its infrastructure towards Steam Workshop, reducing reliance on its own alternatives. Most notably, S&box is expected to become free-to-play by the end of 2026. Newman argued that charging an entry fee, coupled with paid cosmetics, could deter potential players. He stated, "We don't need the entrance fee, we need players."

Existing owners will receive exclusive Steam inventory items upon the game's transition to free-to-play, with additional rewards for those who paid the higher $20 price instead of $10.

Despite acknowledging the disappointments surrounding the project, Newman expressed pride in the engine and the creative possibilities it offers. He emphasized that the studio is implementing significant changes to improve the situation and requested patience during the transition.