Xbox Game Pass Adds Brand-New 3D Cozy Game With Serious Stardew Valley Vibes

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Xbox Game Pass subscribers can now play Starsand Island. Announced in May 2024, this new 3D life simulation game offers similar gameplay to Stardew Valley, which is also available on Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox Game Pass has gotten off to a great start this year. January brought a mix of popular titles and smaller indie games, including Star Wars Outlaws, Resident Evil Village, MIO: Memories in Orbit, Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. February continued the momentum with additions like Indika, Final Fantasy 2, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and Madden NFL 26.

Starsand Island Launches on Xbox Game Pass Today

Image via Seed Sparkle Lab

The popular Xbox Game Pass is adding another title today: Starsand Island. Xbox announced the game would be available on February 12th, but players in the US can actually start playing it a day early. Subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can enjoy Starsand Island on both Xbox Series X/S and PC. Although versions for PlayStation 5 and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 are in development, the game will be exclusive to Xbox consoles for the time being.

Seed Sparkle Lab is creating Starsand Island, a relaxing game where you leave city life behind to build a peaceful existence on a tropical island. Like Stardew Valley, the game centers around running a farm – growing crops and raising animals. You’ll also get to design and decorate your dream countryside home and the land around it. Just like in Stardew Valley, building relationships with the islanders is a big part of the game, as you’ll complete quests and get to know everyone.

Okay, so one of the coolest things about Starsand Island is how you get around. You can totally skateboard everywhere, which is awesome, and there’s sailing too, letting you explore the coastline and even check out little islands nearby. Plus, they’ve got scooters for zipping through certain areas. It’s not just about getting around though, there’s also some light combat. I can explore the island, fight monsters, find these ancient ruins, and snag some pretty valuable treasure. It sounds like a lot of fun!

It’s important to know that the launch of Starsand Island on Xbox Game Pass isn’t the complete, final version of the game. Instead, Starsand Island is entering early access on February 11th for both Xbox and PC. The developers state the current version already provides a good single-player experience, but they plan to keep it in early access for at least four months. This will allow them to gather player feedback and potentially add features like multiplayer.

With the game recently launched, official reviews for Starsand Island are still limited. Currently, OpenCritic shows three reviews, all giving it an 8/10 score. Lyssa Greywood from Screen Hype describes Starsand Island as perfect for players who enjoy relaxing, familiar games, and Kieran Singh at Loot Level Chill notes that the game already feels complete despite being in early access. Early impressions suggest Starsand Island is another excellent game in the style of Stardew Valley, offering a compelling gameplay loop and immersive atmosphere. The game is available now on Xbox Series X/S and PC for $39.99, or $59.99 for the Deluxe Edition, and is also included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

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2026-02-11 20:06