**Sand: Raiders of Sophie Delays Early Access Launch Following Community Feedback**
The desert-set extraction shooter, *Sand: Raiders of Sophie*, developed by Hologryph and TowerHaus, has seen a shift in its release plan originally set for June 10th. In a recent announcement via a [Steam blog post](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1431300/view/697640745127905270?l=english), the developers have decided to delay the launch in order to take more time for refinement and community involvement.
The decision comes on the heels of a server slam event held over the weekend, which exceeded the developers’ expectations in terms of the number of players participating. Despite this success, feedback from the community has prompted the team to reevaluate their approach. They noted, “It’s been a crazy few days, with Sand featuring at Summer Games Fest and the Server Slam exceeding our expectations on the number of players… It’s clear we need to more closely involve the community in our development.”
Initially planned for a full release, *Sand: Raiders of Sophie* will now enter Early Access, with the new launch date set for June 22nd. This change allows the developers to focus on enhancing the game’s server capacity, an essential aspect that needs improvement before the official debut. To address these concerns, another server slam is scheduled for June 15th, aimed at ensuring stability and performance ahead of launch.
Additionally, a roadmap outlining future plans for the game is expected to be shared post-launch, which should provide players insight into upcoming features, content, and improvements. The adjusted timeline may be seen as a setback, especially after the game’s prominent showcase at Geoff Fest, one of the year’s major gaming events. However, priorities are visibly being adjusted to ensure a smoother and more responsive gaming experience for the community.
With the delay offering a short respite until late June, fans and potential players are encouraged to stay tuned for updates as Hologryph and TowerHaus work to create the best version of *Sand: Raiders of Sophie* for their audience.
