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Windows Central
Windows Central
Technology
Cole Martin

'Starsand Island' hits early access on Xbox Game Pass: This Ghibli-esque life sim has evolved into a truly special cozy adventure that just keeps getting better

Xbox Seed Sparkle Lab
A screenshot of a cutscene from Starsand Island featuring the player character and an NPC pulling an arrow back with a bow.
Starsand Island Fact Sheet
(Image credit: Windows Central, Seed Sparkle Lab)

Title: Starsand Island
Genres: Simulation
Released: February 11, 2026
Developer: Seed Sparkle Lab
Available on: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, handhelds, Xbox Cloud, Steam
Price: $39.49
Xbox Play Anywhere: ✔️
Xbox Game Pass: ✔️

Last summer, I had the opportunity to preview Starsand Island, a cozy farming life sim with a Studio Ghibli-esque aesthetic and an impressive gameplay loop that ultimately left her desperate to play more. Unfortunately, at the time, only a short demo was available with the promise of a Winter 2025 release window. As the seasons ticked on, the game was nowhere to be seen.Until February of 2026, that is, when Starsand Island launched in Game Preview on Xbox and Xbox PC with Play Anywhere support and as part of the ever-growing Xbox Game Pass catalog.

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