Facepunch Studios Has Removed S&box Citizen Character
The developer is shifting to human characters as it reforms incentives to boost platform quality.
Updated on Oct. 4, 2026 in Gaming
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Facepunch Studios has announced the removal of the citizen character from its s&box platform. This change is part of a broader effort to move away from low-quality tech demos and clickers.
Why it matters
The developer aims to move past early launch struggles by making the platform more professional and approachable. These changes reflect an attempt to prioritize quality content over the volume of tech demos.
The platform currently hosts 500 tech demos and clickers, but the studio estimates there are only 20 high-quality games available. New changes include a shift to a Workshop subscribe and install model for games and maps.
The players
Facepunch Studios
This independent game developer is best known for creating the popular survival game Rust and the Garry s Mod sandbox platform.
Garry Newman
He is the founder of Facepunch Studios and the lead developer behind the s&box platform.
Eridium
This content creator was mentioned in relation to the developer team status.
The details
Facepunch Studios is replacing the citizen character with human models after determining the character was not becoming likable. The studio is also modifying its Playfund incentive structure to stop rewarding low-quality submissions.
Timeline
The transition to human characters will occur over the next month.
Platform management will evaluate current strategic decisions over the next 3 months.
The developer plans to review the impact of these changes from a 10-year perspective.
Culture Shift
This move signals a departure from open-ended sandbox experimentation toward a more structured ecosystem. It highlights a growing industry preference for curated environments over flooded, low-quality content libraries.
Users can expect a more streamlined experience as the platform moves to a new subscription-based installation model. The removal of the citizen character and new incentive structures will likely change how creators build and publish new content.
The takeaway
The studio is prioritizing long-term platform health over the rapid accumulation of low-quality tech demos. Creators should expect shifts in how their work is incentivized and installed moving forward.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest updates in the industry on the Gaming section.
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