SAND: Raiders of Sophie Update #3 Adds New Island, Tightens Movement and Combat

Update #3 for SAND: Raiders of Sophie arrived on July 10, 2026, with developer tinyBuild-Jay noting it was shaped by community feedback gathered over recent weeks.

What changed

Combat and movement

• Hit registration for melee and close-range shooting has been fixed and improved
• Movement speed is now reduced when holding weapons, grenades, artifacts, or tools
• Strafing and backward movement are slower
• Consecutive jumping now carries a movement penalty, closing a bunnyhop exploit
• Orbital strike no longer functions at great distances, preventing accidental waste of the ability; it now displays target distance

Graphics and performance

• New Terrain Detail setting (Low / Med / High) controls grass and bush range and density
• Grass and small pebbles now fade in gradually rather than popping in abruptly
• Wind effects added to fabric-material props
• Flashlight no longer produces artifacts when cast on surfaces at night while moving
• Revolver muzzle flash repositioned correctly
• Repair Kit VFX, Crystal with Handles VFX, and Wok Bomb lighting each received targeted fixes
• Incorrectly baked shadows in certain compartments corrected
• Smoke visual artifacts on metal patches, turret slots, and door circuit boxes resolved
• Performance of the small scatter improved

Content

• New island added: Halbmond
• New compartment added: Crow's Nest
• Failure and trampler module points now emit particles once upon full repair

Stability

• Disconnecting from a lobby no longer strips character customizations

Taken together, the movement and hit-registration changes stand to shift the feel of close-quarters play meaningfully, while the new island gives regular players fresh ground to explore.