ASTEROID DOMINION
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RELEASE NOTES

What's new in the galaxy

Version Releases in the last 30 days: 341

Asteroid Dominion is actively progressing with new releases shipping continuously. This page is a summary of what's changed — new features, gameplay tuning, UI polish, accessibility improvements, and content additions you'll see in-game.

For real-time discussion of updates, feedback on balance, and bug reports, join our Discord community or follow @Sand_Box_Studio on X for patch notes and behind-the-scenes progress.

July 9, 2026
v00.1427Your Tally, ShareableYour death card now carries the run's scoreboard in its bottom corners: the skull and your kill count on the left, the asteroid and your rocks-destroyed count on the right. They only show up if you actually earned them. Go die spectacularly and post it.
v00.1425Rocks BrokenThe skull in your top-right radar counts the ships you've destroyed. Now a white asteroid in your bottom-right radar counts the rocks you've cracked. It appears on your first kill, sticks around on the death screen so you can admire the damage, and resets when you respawn. Only the final blow counts -- grind a rock down and walk away and it belongs to whoever finishes it.
v00.1417-v00.1418Hear the FightOther ships are no longer silent. • Another pilot firing their cannon inside your cockpit view now makes a sound • So does their shot landing on someone else's hull • Both fade with distance and cut out entirely past the edge of the circle -- you hear what you can see • Your own gun and your own hit-marker still ring loudest • Two new Settings toggles if you want the silence back
v00.1416Music Sits BackThe soundtrack now sits further back in the mix, so the guns, the mining beam, and the alarms all cut through it. Your Music slider in Settings works exactly as before across its full range -- the whole range is just gentler now. Sound Effects are untouched.
v00.1415Hints, Tips, & TricksDeath is a teaching moment. A new panel in the corner of the death screen serves up 15 hard-won hints -- shield reboots, gravity storms, why Outlaws have no friends. You get a random one each death, and arrows to browse the rest while you wait to respawn.
v00.1413Feel the TeethBeing EATEN by a Bone Collector now flashes your heart red the moment the teeth go in, instead of waiting until your hull is nearly gone. Their bite drains straight through your shields, so you deserve to see it coming.
v00.1411Re-Design Your ShipBuilt your ship wrong? The Player Stats screen has a new Re-Design Ship section: one button walks every upgrade back to Lv 0 and hands you back every ability point you spent. It asks first. Respec into a miner, a brawler, whatever the galaxy needs.
v00.1409Cargo GaugeThe mining button's crate is now a live cargo gauge. It fills from the bottom as you haul, with the amount shown inside the box. Past 75% the bar turns Outlaw ghost-green; at max it burns Bone Collector red. No more guessing when to run for home.
v00.1408Fortified ClaimsClaimed asteroids now shrug off enemy fire. Rival mining lasers and projectiles do a third of their normal damage to a claimed rock, and enemy mining drops no fuel or materials at all. Cracking someone else's base is a commitment now, not a snack.
July 8, 2026
v00.1402Cleaner StructuresTurrets got a redesign to match your ship -- one clean silhouette, a faction color gradient, and a bright glowing edge instead of the old bolted-together tank. The barrel still sweeps to track targets and kicks back with a muzzle flash when it fires. Sleeker skies.
v00.1398Seamless StarfieldCleaned up a faint square-edge seam that could occasionally show in the deep-space background -- the nebula and star layers now tile perfectly seamlessly as you fly.
v00.1397Vital Signs in ColorYour Health, Shield, and Fuel icons now change color as they run low: the heart glows red, the shield Concordium blue, the fuel bolt Unbound yellow -- status at a glance. Drop into the danger zone and the icon flashes white and red.
v00.1395Galaxy SkiesThe space behind your cockpit now carries the same deep-space galaxy backdrop as the website -- a faint wash of blue, purple, and teal nebula instead of flat black. Same stars drifting by, just a richer sky to fly through.
v00.1392-v00.1394Fly With Screens OpenSteering from the center circle now keeps working while a side screen is open -- High Score, Settings, Player Ship, About -- on both desktop (mouse) and mobile (touch). No more freezing up the moment you pop a panel. Glance at your stats and keep flying.
v00.1391Mine for FuelMining pays off now. The laser ticks twice as fast and every hit drops far more fuel and materials, so working an asteroid actually refuels you -- even from bone dry. Run empty, find a rock, and mine your way back into the fight.
v00.1390BonefallThe galaxy-wide feeding frenzy every 15 minutes now has a name: Bonefall. When the Bone Collectors swarm and the sky runs crimson, the event bar lights up with "Bonefall! - Feeding Time!" Survive the whole thing for your XP bonus. Read the warning, pick your ground.
v00.1389Vital SignsYour Health, Shield, and Fuel buttons now show a glowing arc of how much you have left. It stays hidden when you are topped off, appears the moment you dip, turns danger-red under 50%, and the button flashes red when that stat drops below 25%. Know your status at a glance.
v00.1384-v00.1386Bots Take a BreatherKill an enemy bot and its slot now stays open for 15 seconds before a reserve fills in -- so thinning a rival faction actually sticks for a beat instead of an instant replacement. Bone Collectors follow the same rule too, except during a Bonefall -- then they keep right on swarming with instant respawns.
v00.1382-v00.1383Your Ship Lives OnLogging off no longer freezes your ship in a safe bubble -- it stays live in the world, burning fuel and fully in play: asteroids, enemy fire, turrets, and rival hunters can all destroy it while you are away. AI keeps flying, manual coasts. Come back to your ship, or a respawn.
v00.1381Cause of DeathYour death card now names exactly what got you -- Death by Projectile, Pilot Error, Turret, Bonefall and more -- stacked right above who (or what) finished you off. Sharper skull, cleaner layout. Share the story of how you went down!
v00.1380Bases Need a PilotClaim a rock and mount turrets, but do not vanish forever -- once an owner has been offline more than 24 hours, their structures take slow maintenance damage (1 HP a minute) until they log back on. Bases left abandoned eventually crumble and free the asteroid for someone new.
July 7, 2026 - July 8, 2026
v00.1376-v00.1378Bolder Death CardYour shareable death card got a bold new look: a deep-space backdrop that matches the site, a red border, and a giant skull outlined in glowing cyan framing your final moment -- now with a cleaner layout that fills the whole card. Go share your best deaths!
v00.1373Skull Kill CounterA skull now keeps your kill tally on the top-right radar. It shows up the moment you destroy your first ship and ticks up with every one after -- and it sticks around on the death screen so you can admire your final count. Resets to zero when you respawn.
v00.1372Warp-In FlashEvery ship now warps in with a quick burst of its faction color -- a spherical flash of particles radiating out from the spawn point. Spot fresh arrivals, respawns, and your own jump-in at a glance.
v00.1368Dodge the TurretsAnti-air turrets can be dodged now! When one locks on it charges briefly and paints a glowing targeting line -- slip off the line before it fires to miss the shot. Hold still and it tags you. The beam hits the first enemy on its path, so you can bait it into others.
v00.1367Turrets Sit FlushStructures you build on an asteroid now sit flush against its rocky surface instead of hovering above it. They tuck into the real jagged edge -- always touching the rock -- so your turrets and bases look properly planted, no matter the asteroid shape.
v00.1366Tidy Base BuildingStructures you build on an asteroid now snap into evenly-spaced slots around it instead of piling up wherever you harpooned -- no more overlapping turrets. Each rock holds up to its size in structures, spread out neatly, and they keep their spots as you add more.
v00.1365Deadlier Death CardThe death-card skull got meaner: the bone is now a faint ghost with darker eye sockets and a red glow burning around it, reframed to sit cleanly between YOU DIED and your ship name. The View Death Card button skull picked up the same red glow.
v00.1363Skull Death CardYour death screen and shareable death card got a skeletal makeover: the View Death Card button now wears the exact same skull as the fallen-ship markers on the galaxy map, and a big glowing skull now looms behind the death card itself -- bright in the open, ghosting behind the action. Share your best deaths!
v00.1361Fuel Matters MoreFuel is now a real resource to manage. Your engine burns through it a lot faster, so plan your bursts, coast when you can, and scoop up the blue fuel pickups that mined asteroids drop. Fuel-capacity upgrades were retuned too. Run dry and your ship starts failing -- watch the gauge!
v00.1360Power to Weight StatA new Power to Weight readout on your Player Stats screen shows how nimble your ship is: engine power vs ship mass. Pile on cargo and it drops -- Nimble, Laden, Heavy, Overloaded -- so you can spot when you are getting too heavy. Upgrade your engine to haul more and stay fast.
July 6, 2026
v00.1358Safer RespawnsNo more respawning stuck inside an asteroid or right on top of an enemy. Respawns and first spawns now drop you into clear space near your faction home, keeping a buffer from enemy ships -- and a wide berth from Outlaws.
v00.1355-v00.1356Factions ReshuffledThe faction home territories have moved: the Bone Collectors now haunt the NORTH and the Concordium hold the SOUTH -- closer to the galaxy core. The Unbound keep the East and the Outlaws the West. Same factions, same colors -- new corners to call home.
v00.1354Cleaner Event BannersBig center-screen event banners -- like the Bonefall countdown -- no longer sit on top of your position and gravity readout. The X/Y and gravity display now fades out while a banner is up, then fades back in once it clears.
v00.1351-v00.1352Skull Death-Card ButtonThe View Death Card button is now a big round skull with a clear VIEW DEATH CARD label, tucked under the galaxy map on the death screen -- tap it to open your shareable death card.
v00.1350Death Skulls on the MapWhen a ship is destroyed, its marker on the galaxy map turns into a skull in that ship's color for 10 seconds before it fades away -- so you can see at a glance who just went down, and where.
v00.1346Mobile Tap-to-ShootFlying by touch in the center circle got a big upgrade: • Quick tap = fire a shot (tap fast to fire fast) • Press and hold to fly -- always turns toward your thumb, and burns toward it once you pull past the center dead-zone • Rest near the middle to aim without drifting
v00.1344Longer BonefallThe Bonefall now lasts a little longer (100 seconds) so it lines up with the Bone Collector battle music from start to finish. Survive the whole thing for your XP bonus.
v00.1343Closer Default ZoomThe standard camera zoom now sits closer to your ship -- a tighter resting view and less zoom-out when you thrust, so the action stays big and readable. Your own saved zoom still sticks; the standard only re-applies if you have not played in over a day.
v00.1342More Ship NamesThe name pool just grew -- 39 new faction-flavored ship names are now in rotation, so you'll run into fresh crews across the galaxy. Concordium, Unbound, Outlaws, and the Bone Collectors each picked up new call signs -- over 230 unique names now.
July 1, 2026
v00.1326Pick Your Ship NameYour ship name is now yours alone. • Every ship in your galaxy now has a unique name -- no more duplicate crews • Over 200 faction names in the pool • New: open your Player Ship screen and tap Change Ship Name at the bottom to pick a different unused name for your faction
v00.1341Under-Attack AlarmsWhen an enemy is eating, arresting, or looting you, each now has its own distinct repeating alarm so you instantly know which effect is draining you.
v00.1340Harpoon Reload TicksAfter you retract your harpoon, you will now hear a soft ticking while it reloads -- when the ticking stops, your harpoon is ready to fire again.
v00.1339Close-Button ClickClose, back, and exit buttons now have their own distinct click sound, so closing a screen feels different from opening one.
v00.1338Reverse Thruster SoundFull reverse thrust now has its own distinct rumble (it used to borrow the forward one). Slam the throttle down and you will hear it kick in.
v00.1337Remastered Sound EffectsWe are remastering the game audio! The mining laser is now a deep welding-torch, impacts and asteroid smashes hit heavier, pickups and level-up got richer, and the harpoon and blaster were retuned. More sound polish on the way -- turn your sound on and have a listen!
v00.1336Shred Small RocksYour mining laser is now super-effective against the smallest (size 1) asteroids — it tears through them about 5x faster. Perfect for quickly clearing little rocks and topping up fuel and materials.
v00.1335Command Points Up TopOn the Player Stats screen, Command Points now sits at the very top, above Health — so your build-and-claim capacity is the first thing you see when you open your ship.
v00.1333-v00.1334Reliable New-Player HintsThe pointing tips that show you the controls are more dependable now — they play alongside the galaxy map, and on phones they replay right after you tap the fullscreen prompt, so taking your time there no longer means missing the quick tour.
v00.1331Weapon Buttons RestackedThe weapon buttons have a new vertical order: Shoot on top, then Harpoon and Mine in the middle, and Harvest/Build on the bottom. Same sizes and same spot on screen — just restacked so your most-used controls sit where your thumb expects them.
v00.1330Bigger Asteroid BoomsDestroying an asteroid now throws a bigger burst of debris. Blow up a claimed asteroid and the debris flies in that faction's colors.
v00.1329Mine On EmptyRun out of fuel? You can still fire your mining laser. Mining an asteroid drops fuel and materials, so an empty tank is no longer a dead end — mine your way back into the fight.
v00.1328Galaxy Map On SpawnThe galaxy map now opens automatically when you jump in and every time you respawn, and its zoom resets to the standard view so you always get your bearings fast. Your own camera zoom stays how you set it (it only resets to standard if you have been away a couple days).
v00.1327Sharper Death CardsAnother polish pass on your shareable death card. • The taunt now wraps neatly instead of running off the edge • The shot of your final moment is zoomed in even tighter on your ship
v00.1324Snappier TurningTurning got sharper. • Big turns now whip around about twice as fast when you steer with the joystick, your cursor, or touch • Mobile: the center circle now turns your ship even while you hold a thrust button, so you can steer and throttle at once
June 30, 2026
v00.1319-v00.1322Sharper Death CardsThree upgrades to your shareable death card. • Shows WHO roasted you, signed by your faction voice • The Share button now lives right on the card preview • Taller card with a bigger, zoomed-in shot of your final moment -- looks great shared from your phone
v00.1316-v00.1318Custom Death TauntsEvery death now serves up a custom taunt, and who is roasting you depends on your faction and what got you. • Concordium answers to the Grand Commander • Unbound gets ribbed by a Friend • Outlaws get judged by a cold ship A.I. • Rivals, Bone Collectors, asteroids, even an empty fuel tank each earn their own jab Screenshot your best deaths and share them!
v00.1297-v00.1311Fly With Your CursorA whole new way to fly — and the joystick and throttle are still right where they were. • Desktop: hover your mouse anywhere in the center circle and your ship turns and burns toward it — click to fire, hold to mine • Rest the cursor near your ship to aim and shoot or mine on the spot without drifting off • A glowing sonar beacon marks your cursor as you fly, turning red in the rest zone • Phones: drag in the center circle to steer your ship
v00.1308-v00.1310Clearer In-Game NudgesTwo friendlier on-screen prompts. • The Add Shortcut / Invite prompt is now a tidy square you can dismiss any time with a red X • Got unspent level-up points? A gold "Use Points!" badge now pulses on your ship button — tap it to open your ship and spend them
v00.1295-v00.1307Combat & Movement TuningA feel pass on weapons and speed. • Cannon shots fly at a more readable pace — no more blink-and-miss bullets • The harpoon throws a touch slower with a longer cooldown, so it is a deliberate grab instead of a spam button • Your starting engine got a boost, so a fresh ship moves faster off the line
June 29, 2026
v00.1280New About IconThe About button has a fresh look: a little open treasure chest with a sandcastle inside, a nod to Sandbox Studios. Same button, same About page, just a touch more personality.
June 28, 2026
v00.1277No Music Stutter on PlayTapping Play no longer starts a sliver of the soundtrack that immediately cuts off when Google sign-in opens. The launch sound still plays, the music starts cleanly once you are in, and the "Tap for sound" button still starts it instantly.
v00.1276Sound Effects Fixed on MobileFixed game sound effects — weapons, mining, pickups, the new rocket thrust — staying silent on phones even though the music played fine. Sound now reliably switches on with your first tap once you are in the game.
v00.1275Smoother Mobile Sign-InOn phones, tapping Play now keeps you on the cockpit launch screen straight through Google sign-in — a "Signing in..." ring instead of bouncing back to the home page — then the fullscreen Play button appears the moment you are in.
v00.1274Rockets OnThe Play button now launches you in with a deep rocket-engine roar instead of the chime — and your ship gives a one-shot "rockets on" rumble each time you punch forward thrust. Prefer quiet? Toggle it under Settings > Sound Effects > Rocket thrust.
v00.1273Better Sideways Start (Mobile)The "go fullscreen" screen now looks right when you are already holding your phone sideways — title, PLAY, and tagline lay out cleanly in a row instead of overlapping. Held upright, the title also sits clear of the launch ring.
v00.1272Consistent Site MenuEvery page now shares the same top menu, so you can jump straight to How to Play, Guide, Factions, Combat, Mining, Building, Highscores, Release Notes, or About from anywhere — and the menu highlights the page you are on. Tidier on phones too.
June 27, 2026
v00.1265-v00.1267New Launch & Respawn SoundsTwo new signature sounds to make jumping in feel like an event. A bright rising windchime when you tap Play and launch into the galaxy, and a magical shimmer when you respawn from the death screen or tap into fullscreen on mobile.
June 26, 2026
v00.1260-v00.1264Faster Respawns + Support the GameA reworked death screen, plus a new way to support the game. • Free respawn wait cut way down — back in the action much sooner • Subscribers respawn in just 10 seconds, fully ad-free • One small banner returns on the play screen for free players • First month of Subscribe is still $1
June 25, 2026
v00.1247-v00.1250Add to Home Screen + Invite FriendsAsteroid Dominion is now one tap away. • Add a shortcut to your phone home screen or desktop taskbar — it always opens the live game, no download • Invite friends straight from in-game with the new share button • A proper game icon in your browser tab and on your home screen
v00.1243-v00.1246Smoother Mobile & Tablet StartA cleaner launch on touch devices. • Redesigned full-height cockpit-viewport fullscreen gate with a big gold PLAY • Fixed music that could go silent or cut out through the fullscreen step • Tablets and small touch screens now get the same fullscreen + touch controls as phones
June 23, 2026
v00.1240New-Player HintsNew here? Bouncing labels now point out the key controls — Galaxy Map, Zoom, Turn Ship, Shoot, Go!, and High Scores! — when you first jump in and each time you respawn. They fade out on their own (and vanish the moment you open a screen). Turn them off any time in Settings > Display > New-player hints.
v00.1239Cleaner Game StartThe game no longer opens with the galaxy map and High Scores covering your view — both now start closed, so you drop straight into the action. And when you open the galaxy map, it now starts at the middle zoom notch (centered partway on you) instead of fully zoomed out.
v00.1238Asteroids Spin When HitAsteroids now visibly tumble when a collision knocks them spinning — the rotation was always in the physics, it just was not being drawn. Any structures built on a rock now turn with it. Rocks still start still and only spin from impacts, then gradually slow back down.
v00.1236-v00.1237Music Starts Right AwayFixed background music that could stay silent when you entered the game until your first respawn — it now starts as soon as you are in. Browsers block sound until you interact, so the landing page now has a Tap for sound button — tap it (or anywhere, or just scroll on a phone) to start the music.
June 22, 2026
v00.1228-v00.1230Names, Glowing Shots & Ship TrailsMore of the new look, all procedural. • Other ships now flash their name as they enter your view, then it fades — switch it off in Settings > Display • Your cannon fire is now a glowing energy pulse in your faction color, with a trailing wake • Every ship leaves a colored comet trail as it flies — the faster you move, the longer the wake
v00.1220-v00.1226A Whole New LookThe biggest visual update yet — and it is 100% procedural, so it loads instantly with no image downloads. • A new space-style font across the whole game and site • A deep starfield world you can customize in Settings > Display > Customize • A sharper cockpit frame around your view • Redesigned ships with engine plumes, a dashed YOU marker, and a white/red flash when you take damage • Varied, textured asteroids that grow more detailed the bigger they get
June 15, 2026
v00.1213-v00.1215Smoother Mobile StartA cleaner launch on phones: the fullscreen prompt now appears first with no flash of the game underneath, your cockpit and the world are there the instant you sign in, and the loading screen clears in about a second once the world is ready.
June 14, 2026
v00.1199-v00.1200Sign-In Works EverywhereFixed Google sign-in for players on Edge, Brave, and Safari, where the button could hang and do nothing. Sign-in now uses a standard secure redirect that every browser handles — tap Play, pick your Google account, and you are in. Returning players sail straight through.
June 13, 2026
v00.1151-v00.1163Rebuilt Info PanelsThe side panels — Settings, High Scores, Log, Help, About — were rebuilt with a fixed title bar over a clean scroll, plus a one-tap red X that closes any open panel (it works on the death screen too). The top control buttons are now a tidy horizontal row, and panel text scales to your screen.
v00.1147-v00.1150Death by Fuel + Clearer KillsRun your tank dry and you will now truly be lost in the black — a proper Out of Fuel death instead of drifting forever. The death screen also names the real cause for mining-laser, turret, and Bonefall kills, instead of a generic fallback.
June 12, 2026
v00.1133-v00.1146Two New Zoom ControlsAdded two ways to zoom. • A slider on the galaxy map zooms in and keeps your ship centered — from the whole galaxy out to 8x in • A camera slider sets how close or far your view sits when resting versus moving Both remember your settings between sessions. Also fixed some unresponsive taps on the on-screen controls.
June 10, 2026
v00.1094-v00.1097Build From the Asteroid ScreenBuilding structures is back: harpoon a rock, open the Asteroid screen, and build — manual building had quietly stopped working. The Asteroid and Player Stats panels were also matched up so they look and behave the same.
June 8, 2026
v00.1025-v00.1043Reworked Flight ControlsA big controls rework for smoother flying. • Steer with the left joystick — point it the way you want your ship to face • The right throttle is full forward at the top, neutral in the middle, reverse at the bottom • Each weapon — cannon, mining laser, harpoon — is now its own on/off toggle • Everything works with touch, and on desktop with the mouse
June 6, 2026
v00.1024Loading Waits for the GameThe loading screen now stays up until the game world is actually ready (and at least 1.2s), and you can no longer accidentally sign in through the splash before everything has loaded. A smoother, more reliable start.
v00.1023Bots Aim Like PlayersEnemy bots now shoot like a real opponent. They open loose and a little wild, then dial in the longer they fire at you — fastest if you hold still or fly straight — and you can throw their aim off by juking. Never pixel-perfect, but sitting still is now dangerous.
v00.1020-v00.1021Bone Collectors Get ScarierThe Bone Collectors are nastier. • The two that harpoon you now EAT — draining your health (and healing themselves) while they haul you toward their turf • Fixed a Bonefall bug where the rest of the pack just latched and unlatched harpoons instead of attacking; they now open fire
v00.1019Steadier Camera ZoomThe camera no longer bounces in and out. It zooms out smoothly whenever you are moving, holds steady for 1.5 seconds after you stop, and only then eases back in — so quick taps on the controls keep a stable view instead of pumping the zoom.
June 5, 2026
v00.1016No More NEW TARGET PopupRemoved the big "NEW TARGET" text that flashed over the center of the screen for 5s whenever the hit list picked a new target — it blocked your view. The new target still shows in the event feed, and you still get the "YOU ARE THE TARGET" warning when it is you.
v00.1012-v00.1013Cleaner Top-Center HUDCleaned up the top-center HUD. • HUD text now scales consistently: small on phones, growing to a set max on laptops, then holding — no more oversized center readouts beside the radar labels • Nudged the gravity arrow and its event badge (1.5x / 2x) left so they no longer overlap the "G:" value
June 3, 2026
v00.1001Death Screen RedesignReorganized the death screen. • Ship name + level now sits above YOU DIED, in green • A big green SCORE line shows your survival score and seconds survived • Killer and damage are on their own lines • Tips and taunts now read as a quote signed by the dev • Respawn buttons moved to the bottom
v00.1000Radar Labels Fit CleanlyTuned the HUD text so it reads well without overflowing. • The four corner radar labels now wrap to two lines and stay within their radar, so long ship and faction names no longer run into the center • HUD text size now clamps between 15 and 22px, legible on phones and not oversized on big screens
v00.0999Cleaner Death ScreenThe HUD readouts (ship name, score, galaxy rank, team, X / Y, Gravity) now hide while you are on the death screen and reappear when you respawn, keeping the death screen uncluttered.
v00.0998Readable HUD Text on PhonesHUD readouts no longer shrink to a few pixels on small screens. The four corner radar labels and the top-center X / Y + Gravity now use a 20px minimum size, so they stay legible on phones and still scale up on bigger displays.
June 2, 2026
v00.0997Tidier Top-Center HUDSlimmed the readout at the top of the viewport: the Speed line is now hidden, and the Gravity strength plus its direction arrow moved up to sit right under your X / Y coordinates.
v00.0996Radar Labels Cleaned UpEach of the four corner radars now shows one clear label instead of a stack of numbers. • Top-left: your ship name • Top-right: your current survival score • Bottom-left: galaxy rank • Bottom-right: your faction (Outlaw if unaligned)
v00.0994Mobile Radar FixThe four corner minimap radars show correctly on phones again — they were getting hidden behind the cockpit panel in fullscreen after the panel texture started tiling. Mobile now matches desktop.
v00.0992Camera Zoom TuningTuned the camera zoom again: it now rests at 1.5x and eases out to 0.75x (a wider view) when you thrust.
v00.0988Auto-Update on New VersionsNo more frozen game after an update ships. The game now checks for a new version every 60 seconds; when one lands you briefly see "New Version Shipping to You Now!" and it reloads so you are instantly back in sync on the latest build. Your progress is saved, so nothing is lost.
v00.0987Sign-In Screen Tidy-UpTidied up the sign-in screen. • Removed the highscore button and the bottom-right info text • Added a "Join Our Discord" link to the top-right menu, and reordered that menu (About and Getting Started up top)
v00.0986Movement & Camera TuningAnother movement and camera tuning pass. • Gravity pull softened again (0.7 -> 0.5) • Camera sits a touch more zoomed in (rests at 2.2x, eases out to 1.1x on thrust) • Engine top thrust lowered (40K -> 30K), but each Engine upgrade now adds more (+2000 -> +3000)
June 1, 2026
v00.0981-v00.0984Mobile Frame FixesFrame-around-the-viewport fixes so phones match desktop. • Cockpit texture now tiles in fullscreen (was a single tile) • Pulsing edge no longer offset low/right • Pulsing edge is a clean inset glow (removed a stray hard border) • Viewport circle now the same size as desktop
May 31, 2026
v00.0980Movement & Camera FeelA movement and camera tuning pass. • Gravity pull softened (force constant 2 -> 0.7) — drifting is gentler • Camera now sits zoomed in (rests at 2x) and eases out to 1.2x when you thrust • Engine top thrust lowered (90K -> 40K) and each Engine upgrade adds less (+4500 -> +2000)
v00.0979New Studio TaglineSandbox Studios has a new tagline: "Where your game is never over." You will spot it on the loading screen and around the site.
v00.0978Mobile UI CleanupTidying up the on-screen buttons for phone players. • Removed the redundant red exit-fullscreen arrow — it overlapped the Settings gear. To leave fullscreen, just swipe up from the bottom of your screen (your phone already does this).
May 29, 2026
v00.0966-v00.0970Smoother Mobile StartPhone players: getting in is way cleaner now. • Sign in right away in portrait — no more tap fullscreen, then sign in, then tap fullscreen again • One PLAY tap drops you in (it handles fullscreen + landscape) • Loading and sign-in screens trimmed for a minimal first impression
May 28, 2026
v00.0961Mining Laser OverhaulBig rework of the mining laser. harvestingRate is now 1+harvestEff (was 1+harvestEff/100, so each harvest pt is 100x more potent). Four split formulas: • Mass damage = weaponDmg / harvestingRate (mining gets SLOWER per tick as you upgrade harvest) • Item value = weaponDmg × harvestingRate / 10 (bigger drops per tick) • Player damage = harvestingRate (decoupled from weapon — harvest-heavy build is now a strong PvP laser user) • Fuel cost = harvestingRate (also decoupled from weapon) Net: mining is now reliably profitable on fuel; heavy harvest = slow mining + massive yield per rock.
v00.0960Bullet Fuel Cost Tuned UpBullets cost real fuel now. v0944 had per-shot drain = weaponDamage / 25 = ~1 fuel per shot at base stats, which felt like firing was free. v0960 drops the / 25 — each shot now costs weaponDamage in fuel. • Base stats (wd=25): 25 fuel/shot, ~62.5 fuel/sec sustained • Heavy weapon (wd=165): 165 fuel/shot, ~412 fuel/sec sustained Fuel Efficiency upgrades still discount this asymptotically.
v00.0958External Links Open in Background (Take 2)The v0950 attempt at "open new tab in background" was being ignored by modern browsers (anti-focus-stealing protections). v0958 switches to a synthesized Ctrl+click (Cmd+click on Mac) on a temporary anchor — same gesture a power user does manually, so the browser actually honors it. External links now reliably stay on the game tab.
May 27, 2026
v00.0949-v00.0956Polish Round: Gravity, Sounds, Minimaps, LinksA wave of small play-test fixes. • Gravity storm phase reduced from 3x to 1.5x (was too punishing) • External links now open in a BACKGROUND tab so you stay on the game • No UI sounds while the death screen is up • Stat +/- buttons play the standard click sound • Minimap player markers changed from circles to upward triangles (asteroids still circles) • Asteroid-collision sound reworked: single deeper louder kick with smooth 1.5s fade-out instead of multi-echo, only fires for collisions visible on-screen
v00.0945-v00.0948Combat Death + Kill RewardsSeveral combat-feedback updates. • Fixed: ANTI-AIR turret and mining-laser kills now properly trigger death (you could previously be stuck at 0 HP until another damage source landed) • Kill bonus = the victim's seconds-survived added to your XP — long-lived targets are worth a LOT more • Survive a Bonefall: +1000 XP shown as a "+ 1000 XP ! ! !" line under the retreat banner • Bone Collectors that retreat at Bonefall end now explode + drop fuel/materials
v00.0943-v00.0944Fuel Economy RebuiltFuel actually matters now — flight used to be effectively free. • Forward thrust drains fuel (~40/sec at base stats → ~3:45 of continuous thrust) • Reverse thrust drains half (~20/sec) • Even idle drift drains slowly (~10/sec) • Bullets cost a bit, scaling with weapon damage • Harpoon is FREE — mechanical action, not a weapon • Mining laser now costs fuel per second of use • Upgrade Fuel Efficiency for an asymptotic discount on every fuel cost (no upper cap)
v00.0936-v00.0938Death-Screen TimingTighter pacing on the death screen. • "Respawn in N..." countdown reduced from 10s to 3s before the action buttons appear • Free-respawn wait raised from 60s to 90s so Subscribe / Watch-Ad have stronger pull • Total worst-case time-to-respawn-free: 93s
v00.0929-v00.0934Sign-In Screen PolishSeveral visual fixes to the sign-in screen. • Flashing "Click Anywhere" hint on left + right edges until you make any click (browsers require a gesture before audio can start) • ASTEROID DOMINION title stays visible after the loading splash (was disappearing) • Solid black background behind the sign-in form (no more cockpit-panel pattern leak)
v00.0928Three Combat SoundsSplit the old ambiguous "asteroid hit" sound into three distinct cues. • Bullet hits asteroid → quick thud (every hit) • Asteroid hits asteroid → deep kick drum with 2-3s echoes (rare, big rocks only) • Bullet hits player → CoD-style hit-marker confirmation
v00.0927Sound Tuning Round 3More sound-design tweaks. • Deep kick-drum boom on big asteroid hits • Pickup sounds for fuel and materials • Manufacturing crackle for mining • Mission-accomplished fanfare for kills • Bigger subscription celebration • Real firework sound for emojis • Louder, longer gravity storm
v00.0926Sound Tuning Round 2Another sound-design pass. • Alarms while you are out of fuel or in serious danger • Positive chime when any danger clears • Triple-beep on new hit-list target • Level up redesigned as a trumpet fanfare • Gravity storm 3x louder
v00.0925Sound TuningRound of sound-design tweaks based on play-testing. • Bullet sound swapped to a wire-twang feel • Anti-air turrets now have their own pew sound • Three harpoon sounds redesigned (launch, attach, retract) • Mining laser pings as it sweeps for a target • Mining hit pulse now sounds like a welding torch
v00.0924Harvest + Build SoundsTwo new sounds for the BUILD button outcomes. • A heavy crunch with a metallic clink when you harvest a tier-0 asteroid • A rising arpeggio with a placement thunk when you build a structure Click feedback for the two BUILD actions that were silent.
v00.0923Mining Laser SoundsTwo new sounds for the mining laser. • A rising power-up when you activate the beam • A quiet welding tic every second while you are locked on something Gives mining a tactile rhythm.
v00.0922Harpoon SoundsThree new sounds for the harpoon weapon. • A mechanical thunk when you fire • A metallic ring when the barb attaches • A wire-twang as the cable reels back in Getting harpooned by someone else? You hear the attach too.
v00.0921Music PolishTwo soundtrack fixes from player feedback. • Death-screen song no longer loops forever — if you linger, the regular music returns • Fixed a bug where some respawns played no music at all
May 26, 2026
v00.0904-v00.0909Soundtrack!A whole soundtrack arrived. • New main theme • Normal Loop cycles through two tracks • Moody death-screen track • Bone Collectors track when you're hunted • Starts on first click, default 30% Go listen!
May 25, 2026
v00.0896-v00.0903New Name, New HomeThe game is now Asteroid Dominion at asteroiddominion.com. Same game, same gameplay, fresh identity. The old web address still works and forwards to the new one. Tell your friends!
May 20, 2026
v00.0890-v00.0892Discord UpdatesTwo Discord updates. • Every "Join our Discord" link across the site now works for new players — the old links pointed at a members-only channel. • Top Kill on Discord now celebrates the player with MOST kills in a day, not the single biggest takedown.
May 18, 2026
v00.0867-v00.0873More Security HardeningMore invisible-but-important security work landed. • Database connection strings now stored as cloud-managed secrets • Browser security policy switched from monitoring to enforced • Tighter per-IP rate limits on public endpoints • Defensive escaping on kill notifications Game plays exactly the same.
May 13, 2026
v00.0845Ad Policy ComplianceMajor ad-behavior rework for ad-network compliance. • Forced 10-minute fullscreen ad removed (now opt-in via Watch Ad button) • Free 60-second respawn countdown alongside Subscribe and Watch Ad • Banner skipped on loading splash and queue screen • Refresh on real screen transitions only
v00.0844Eleven New GuidesEleven new deep-dive guide pages: Factions, Controls, Combat, Mining, Building, AI, Galaxy Events, Leveling, Survival Tips, Getting Started, and Highscores. Each one is the comprehensive reference we wish we'd had — math, timing, and tradeoffs spelled out.
May 7, 2026
v00.0827-v00.0831SEO + Ad-Network ReadyAdded the standard signals search engines and ad-network crawlers expect across every public page. • Page titles, canonical URLs, social-share images, Twitter Card tags • Structured-data markup describes the game in machine-readable form None of this affects gameplay.
v00.0822Auto-Cleanup of Abandoned StructuresTo keep the galaxy from filling up with abandoned structures, structures owned by long-absent players are now auto-cleaned. • Requires the owner offline 24+ hours AND ship destroyed at disconnect • Asteroid unclaims if no structures remain • Returning within 24h or logging off alive keeps your structures safe
v00.0824Bug Fix: Stale Harpoon GraphicsFixed a long-standing render bug: the visual harpoon would stay on screen indefinitely after a missed harpoon retracted, until an unrelated harpoon fired nearby. No gameplay change — harpoon flight, attachment, retraction, and rope physics are unaffected.
May 5, 2026
v00.0820-v00.0821Galaxy Doubled in SizeThe galaxy doubled in size. Every spatial constant scaled together so gravity rhythm and asteroid drift feel the same. • Engine power unchanged — traversal takes longer • Crossing the central dead zone may consume fuel • Galaxy + search maps auto-fit the new scale
May 4, 2026
v00.0814-v00.0819Performance OverhaulSignificant performance work for smoother combat under load. • Five per-tick state updates merged into one (less network overhead) • Spatial indexing replaced linear scans for who-sees-what • Object pooling cut garbage-collection pauses • Stationary items + structures skip broadcast when nothing changed Tail latency dramatically improved.
v00.0809Version History on the Sign-In ScreenA new VIEW VERSION HISTORY button on the sign-in screen reveals the complete release history without leaving the page. Tap the X or press Escape to close. Only appears on sign-in, never during gameplay.
v00.0805Frame-Time Stats (Admin)Added always-on per-tick timing in the game loop for admin performance monitoring. • Phase durations for physics, collisions, item pickup, network broadcasts • Total frame time over a rolling 5-second window • Garbage-collection pauses captured separately No player-side effect.
May 3, 2026
v00.0797-v00.0803Security Hardening PassA comprehensive security review shipped seven behind-the-scenes updates. • Operator alerts via private Discord on server errors • Stronger input validation rejects malformed messages silently • Stricter browser security headers vs clickjacking • Payment flow derives identity from verified sign-in Game plays exactly the same.
v00.0796Death Screen PolishThe death screen now uses a solid black background instead of the tiled cockpit-panel pattern. Cleaner mood that matches the pre-sign-in splash. Pattern returns the moment you respawn. The central circle (death stats + frozen scene) is unaffected; only the outer frame changes.
v00.0794Mobile Fullscreen GatePhones and tablets now require landscape fullscreen to play. • Glowing FULLSCREEN button before sign-in; tapping enters fullscreen + locks landscape in one gesture • Exit fullscreen mid-game and the gate reappears • Same gate if you rotate to portrait Desktop unaffected.
v00.0791-v00.0795Cross-Device PolishUpdates that make the game feel native on every device. • Touch sliders on iPad Pro landscape; keyboard on narrow desktop (device-detection, not viewport-width) • Removed gray tap-flash on iOS Safari • Stopped long-press menus on stats + canvas • Suppressed pull-to-refresh mid-fight
May 2, 2026
v00.0786-v00.0790Privacy Policy + Terms of ServiceAdded comprehensive Privacy Policy and Terms of Service pages. • /privacy: data collected, third parties, cookies, EEA/UK/CA rights, children-under-13 • /terms: eligibility, account responsibilities, acceptable use, subscription terms • Linked from site footer AND in-game About screen alongside Guide + Version History
v00.0770-v00.0785Architecture Cleanup PassA behind-the-scenes architecture cleanup pass — same gameplay, cleaner code. • iPad on iPadOS 13+ now correctly detected as touch (was falling through to desktop UI) • Particle bursts now use the canonical team-color palette • Several utility helpers deduplicated across files
April 30, 2026
v00.0768-v00.0769Daily Highscores in DiscordThree new daily leaderboard categories with Discord announcements. • Top Kill, Biggest Single-Life Score, Longest Survival • Daily winners posted to dedicated Discord channels every morning at 08:00 UTC with custom-colored embeds • Records reset daily — every day starts a new race
v00.0760-v00.0767Death Photo CardShare your death moment as a polished image card. • YOU DIED in dramatic red with triple-layer white halo • Zoomed screenshot of your final moment + level, score, survival time • Mobile: native share sheet to text, email, Discord, anything • Desktop: copies to clipboard AND downloads as backup
v00.0755-v00.0758Subscribe Geo-GatingThe Subscribe button now appears only for visitors in the United States, where Sandbox Studios is registered to collect subscription payments. International players continue to enjoy full free-tier access. Geo-detection happens server-side at page-load.
v00.0742-v00.0751SFX Engine + 20-Sound LibraryProcedural sound-effect engine — every sound built at runtime via Web Audio (no audio files, no licensing). • 20-sound library: combat, mining, UI clicks, hit-list alerts, Bonefall, faction actions • Per-sound test panel in Settings • Voice caps prevent walls of sound under heavy fire
April 29, 2026
v00.0729-v00.0741GAME IS FULL Queue + Subscribe-to-SkipPer-galaxy player cap (50) with a proper queue when full. • GAME IS FULL screen shows your queue position • Settings + Leaderboard still work while waiting • Subscribers bypass the cap automatically • Subscribe-to-skip jumps you in immediately • Watch-Ad-to-skip also available
v00.0703-v00.0723Daily Admin DigestNew admin-only dashboard at /admin consolidates yesterday's player metrics, cohort lists, and the three daily highscore winners into one view. Historical days freeze once they pass — numbers can't change. Helps us spot which features land and which players dominate.
April 28, 2026
v00.0721-v00.0728Admin Login Fix + Facebook Sign-In RemovedTwo cleanup items. • Admin login crisis resolved (required configuration now fails fast at boot) • Facebook Sign-In fully removed — Google Sign-In is the only auth path
April 20, 2026
v00.067626 New Ship Names26 new ship names across all four factions bring more flavor to the roster. Each faction has its own naming style — Concordium ships sound official, Bone Collector ships sound feral, Unbound ships sound rugged, Outlaw ships sound rough.
April 19, 2026
v00.0670-v00.0675About Page LiveNew /about page covers what the game is, the key features, the studio, and how to support development. Linked from the in-game About screen via a redesigned clickable header that matches the other info-box buttons.
April 17, 2026
v00.0661-v00.0666Subscriptions LiveOptional ad-free monthly subscription launched. • Subscribers see no ads • First-month coupon drops it to $1 (one-time, anti-abuse on re-subscribe) • Auto-renews monthly via Stripe; cancel anytime
v00.0651Faction Ship Actions + Command PointsPer-faction ship-to-ship actions when you harpoon another player. • Bone Collector: EAT (drain HP from target; bots only) • Concordium: ARREST (lock target's engine + weapons 7s) • Unbound / Outlaw: LOOT (take target's materials) Command Points cap how many structures + ships you control.
April 16, 2026
v00.0635-v00.0641BUILD & CLAIM + Loading SplashTwo big additions. • BUILD & CLAIM: harpoon an asteroid, click BUILD, place an ANTI-AIR turret. The asteroid becomes claimed by your team. Same-team friendly-fire protected. • Loading splash screen with animated dots replaces the previous cold start.
April 13, 2026
v00.0577-v00.0578Faction Rename + 80 New Ship NamesFactions renamed for clarity and IP safety. • Alliance → Concordium • Independents → Unbound • Reavers → Bone Collectors • Outlaw (formerly NONE) is the no-team state Plus 80 new ship names — 20 per faction — each with the faction's own naming style.
April 8, 2026
v00.0537Minimap RankingsMinimap now shows your standings at a glance: Lifetime Score, Universal Rank, Survival Rank, Galaxy Rank, and your Team Place + Score.
v00.0524Small Asteroid Safe RadiusTiny asteroids (radius 19-31) no longer damage your ship on contact. You can fly through them safely; only larger asteroids deal collision damage.
April 5, 2026
v00.0483-v00.0491Weapons Arsenal ExpandedThe weapon system grew up. • Harpoon with rope tether + attachment + retraction • Weapon toggle: Bullet / Harpoon / Mining (3-state cycle) • Mining laser visual rework • Kill notifications; weapon damage +5/level • Asteroid bandwidth cut ~80% (delta compression) • Leaderboard 3-column with player level
April 4, 2026
v00.0480-v00.0482Death-Screen Team ChoiceOn death, choose which team to respawn on. • Pick Alliance, Independents, or Outlaw (Reavers became bot-only) • Sector-biased respawn near your team's home • Bonefall pre-warning countdown 10s before the Bonefall • Fixes: dead-player invulnerability, respawn-button overlay block
April 3, 2026
v00.0472-v00.0479AI Bots + Hit List + BonefallThree big additions that bring the galaxy alive. • 12 AI bots (same physics + XP as humans; persist between sessions) • Hit List: every 90s a target is picked; kill them for 10x XP • Bonefall: every 15 min all Reavers hunt for 90s • Admin reset buttons + performance overlay
April 1, 2026
v00.0467-v00.0471Death Screen + Team Arrows + Dual LeaderboardMore April 1 polish. • Death screen: 10s overlay with killer info, score, and camera hold • Danger pulse: red flash on zero fuel / death / low health • Dynamic player mass (fuel + storage) • Team direction arrows on the circle border pointing to nearest ally • Dual leaderboard: Lifetime Leaders + Current Galaxy Leaders
v00.0459-v00.0466Shield + Fuel Economy + ScoringThree combat-economy systems shipped same day. • Shield absorbs damage; 5s reboot with red flicker on break • Fuel economy: 90K max, shooting costs fuel • Scoring split: survival (this life) + lifetime high • Asteroid armor scales with mass • Engine + bullet speed scale with player stats
March 31, 2026
v00.0454-v00.0458XP, Levels, FragmentationMajor progression and combat additions. • XP/level system (7 XP sources, doubling thresholds, ability points to spend on stats) • Stat upgrade buttons in the player panel • Large asteroids fragment on collision • Item drops from destroyed asteroids (materials, 10s expiry)
March 26, 2026
v00.0414-v00.0434Smoother Rendering + Camera ZoomFoundational rendering improvements. • Smooth 60 FPS rendering using time-based interpolation • Spatial filtering: only nearby entities sent to each player • Camera zoom-out when thrusting forward (1.5x view, 3s interpolation) • Sign-in screen info block with version + studio + Discord links
February 25, 2025 - March 25, 2026
v00.0001-v00.0413Hello WorldBefore the recent releases listed above, an extensive foundation phase brought the game from its first commit to a playable state. Highlights of that work include the original server architecture, the rendering engine, the physics system, the multiplayer networking layer, and the core gameplay loop. • Game foundation • Server architecture • Rendering engine • Physics system • Networking protocol • Core gameplay loop • AI patrol and engagement • Faction balancing • Asteroid generation • Wormhole gravity • Multiplayer sync