Garry's Mod creator expected to only "make about $30,000" on the sandbox game – but some 25 million copies later, it's one of Steam's most iconic smash hits

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Garry's Mod creator expected to only "make about $30,000" on the sandbox game – but some 25 million copies later, it's one of Steam's most iconic smash hits News By Anna Koselke published 11 March 2026

With a spiritual successor on the way

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(Image credit: Facepunch Studios)

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Garry's Mod, the ever-iconic sandbox gem from Facepunch Studios and Valve, is undeniably a genre giant – but its creator, Garry Newman, didn't initially think it would be.

Speaking to PC Gamer in a recent interview, Newman recalls that his expectations for GMod at launch were actually quite low – lower than the some 25 million copies it's sold, anyway. "When Garry's Mod released," he says, "my expectation was, best case scenario, to make about $30,000. And then [I'd] have to start working on something else the next year." Boy, did things not turn out that way in the end.

In fact, Garry's Mod has s&box, a "spiritual successor" as its official Steam page dubs it, for fans to now look forward to. Six years into development, the sequel (it was almost called Garry's Mod 2, after all) is nearing its launch, which is set to arrive sometime next month. Newman isn't certain if it'll match its predecessor in popularity or success just yet, though. "As long as it can pay its own way, that's what I want," he admits.

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S&box | Steam Store Trailer - YouTube Watch On

"It's something that we found over the years, that when you enjoy what you're doing, and you enjoy the product that you're making, it naturally gets that kind of snowball effect where it brings people in," Newman continues, going on to cite another Facepunch banger – Rust. "That's what we found with Rust. That's what we found with Garry's Mod." And, perhaps, it'll ring true for s&box, too. Only time will tell.

"We're never going to release a product where we're like, 'OK, we've spent $100 million on it. We want to make $2 billion in the next year,'" the developer concludes. "You're setting yourself up for failure. We'd never do that. So our expectations are always rock bottom." That matches what he says were his expectations for Garry's Mod – a measly $30,000 when it's made millions. Personally, I've got high hopes for the April release.

It isn't here just yet, of course, but if history tells me anything about Facepunch, it's that it's one very capable studio, and s&box is unlikely to be an exception.

After playing Garry's Mod, check out some of the other best PC games available right now.

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. TOPICS Valve CATEGORIES PC Gaming Platforms Anna KoselkeSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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