- Games
- Hydroneer
Hydroneer
A mining sandbox where up to four people share a split screen and dig for gold with water-powered machines.
Split-screen co-op for up to 4 players.
- 4 split-screen
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-opNo
- Local co-op4 playersSplit screen
- Not confirmedFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- Not confirmedA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckPlayableValve's own rating
About the game
You start with a shovel, a bucket and a plot of land. You wash dirt in water to find ore and gold, then sell what you find. The money buys drills, pipes, conveyors and water-powered machines, until the mine mostly runs itself. It is a physics game. You carry one thing at a time, and loose items roll, tip over and get thrown around.
Up to four people can play together on a split screen. On consoles, the group shares one console. On PC, the host runs the game and friends in other homes join through Steam Remote Play Together, with a gamepad. There is no online co-op of its own, so everyone works the same mine and base.
You set your own pace. The first hours are slow and clumsy, and it gets easier once machines take over the heavy work. It suits a small group that likes building a bigger setup together and talking while the water runs.
How it feels
Kind of game
Few set goals. You build things, test them and mess around with what you made.
- At its heart
- Now and then
- Laughter and chaos
- Working in sync
- Exploring
- Puzzles and figuring out
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- About
- Mining, Factory automation
Rated on our own feel scale. 4 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked Hydroneer
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
TerraTech
Why it scores 73%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Creative sandbox
- About
- Mining
- Notable in both
- Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Building and creating
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
How TerraTech differs
- More fighting than Hydroneer
- 4 online
Both are sandboxes where you make your own fun. Both are about mining and digging. Both are calm and low on stress.
But more fighting than Hydroneer.
Space Engineers
Why it scores 71%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Creative sandbox
- About
- Mining
- Notable in both
- Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Physical comedy, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Building and creating
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
How Space Engineers differs
- More tense than Hydroneer
- Fits a bigger group than Hydroneer
- 16 online
- Crossplay
Both are sandboxes where you make your own fun. Both have long calm stretches. Both let you build things together.
But more tense than Hydroneer.
ASTRONEER
Why it scores 69%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Creative sandbox
- About
- Mining
- Notable in both
- Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Planning ahead, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Building and creating
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
How ASTRONEER differs
- More exploring than Hydroneer
- Fits a bigger group than Hydroneer
- 8 online
- Crossplay
Both are sandboxes where you make your own fun. Both are about mining and digging. Both are calm and low on stress.
But more exploring than Hydroneer.
All co-op facts
Last checked 28 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Most players online
- Does not apply
- Fewest players online
- Does not apply
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
The checked computer base game costs 14.99 USD. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- 17810
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Crossplay
- Not confirmed
- Crossplay between
- Not confirmed
- Friends can join mid-game
- Not confirmed
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Sources
14 pages
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Release date, Free base co-op, About, Kind of game, Sessions, Building and creating, Unlocks and progress, Planning ahead, Exploring, Puzzles and figuring out, Laughter and chaos, Calm and coziness.
- Release date: The page gives 8 May 2020 as the release date and shows no early access line.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer base game costs 14.99 USD. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- About: The text is about digging for gold and other resources.
- Kind of game: Tags include Sandbox, Base Building and Automation, and the text has you build machines and a base of your own design.
- Sessions: Tags include Open World and Sandbox, and the text describes growing one mining operation over time.
- Building and creating: Tags include Base Building, Building and Crafting. The text describes modular structures and water-powered machines.
- Unlocks and progress: The text calls it a tycoon-style progression system for growing your operation.
- Planning ahead: Tags include Strategy and Resource Management.
- Exploring: The text mentions relics deeper underground and several land parcels to choose from.
- Puzzles and figuring out: The text mentions pipe networks and controlling water pressure.
- Laughter and chaos: User tags include Funny.
- Calm and coziness: User tags include Casual and Family Friendly.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 28 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Local co-op, Split or shared screen, Platforms, Release status, Genres.
- Steam app ID: The returned game identity uses app 1106840.
- Local co-op: Categories include Shared/Split Screen Co-op and Remote Play Together, and do not include Online Co-op.
- Split or shared screen: Categories include Shared/Split Screen.
- Platforms: Steam lists Windows only, with no macOS or Linux build.
- Release status: Steam lists the game as available, not coming soon.
- Genres: Steam lists Simulation among the maker's genres, and the store text calls the game a mining sandbox.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 28 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Playable on Steam Deck.
steamcommunity.comOfficial support page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Local co-op, Most players on one screen, Split or shared screen, Working in sync.
- Online co-op: The developer's pinned FAQ says the game does not send network calls between players. Another player joins through Steam Remote Play Together, which streams the host's screen. That is not a native online session.
- Local co-op: The pinned FAQ is titled Multiplayer FAQ (Splitscreen) and says the host's split screen is streamed to the other players.
- Most players on one screen: The FAQ says the split screen supports 2 to 4 players, and PC guests need a gamepad. The PS5 store page also lists 4 players, offline. The cap of 4 is the highest on any platform.
- Split or shared screen: The FAQ describes a split screen.
- Working in sync: The FAQ says seeing the other player's screen helps communication. No source describes fixed roles.
steamcommunity.comOfficial support page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Online co-op.
- Online co-op: The developer account answers that conventional multiplayer is not possible because of the physics, and that the game offers split screen through Steam Remote Play.
pcgamer.comPress, read 28 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Local co-op.
- Online co-op: PC Gamer, 2022-05-08, quotes the maker choosing Steam Remote Play split screen for multiplayer because of physics limits.
- Local co-op: The same article says the 2.0 update added split-screen co-op and Steam Remote Play.
store.playstation.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Local co-op, Most players on one screen, Free base co-op.
- Platforms: Lists PS5 only, released 2026-05-08.
- Local co-op: The notices say offline play only for 4 players, so the group shares the console.
- Most players on one screen: The notices list 4 players.
- Free base co-op: The checked PS5 edition costs 14.99 USD. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
xbox.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Local co-op, Split or shared screen, Free base co-op.
- Platforms: Lists Xbox Series X and S, released 2026-05-08. The maker's own post says Series X and S only.
- Local co-op: The feature list includes Shared/split screen and no online co-op.
- Split or shared screen: The feature list says Shared/split screen.
- Free base co-op: The checked Xbox edition costs 14.99 USD. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
hydroneer.comOfficial site, read 28 October 2026
Backs Platforms.
- Platforms: The maker's page links Steam, Xbox Series X and S and PlayStation 5.
store.steampowered.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Free base co-op.
- Platforms: The developer announces console versions for Xbox Series X and S and PlayStation 5 on 8 May 2026, almost the same as the PC game.
- Free base co-op: The developer says console prices match Steam at 15 USD.
store.steampowered.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Release status.
- Release status: The developer's post of 2026-05-08 calls Hydroneer a finished title.
wikidata.orgWikidata, read 28 October 2026
Backs Wikidata item, Genres, Release date, Platforms.
- Genres: P136 is sandbox game.
- Release date: P577 is 2020-05-08 for Windows and 2026-05-08 for the two consoles.
- Platforms: P400 lists Windows, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.
thexboxhub.comPress, read 28 October 2026
Backs About, Physical comedy, Getting better, Unlocks and progress, Planning ahead, Exploring.
- About: Review calls it a physics-based mining automation game. The goal is to automate as much as possible, with conveyors, automatic sorting and smelters.
- Physical comedy: Review from 2026-05-11 calls the physics-based handling a central part of the game that divides players.
- Getting better: Review says the slow, awkward start tests your patience and takes getting used to.
- Unlocks and progress: Review describes buying a drill, a harvester and vehicles, and later a manor, with the money from sales.
- Planning ahead: Review describes laying out pipes, conveyors and machines on a grid to automate the mine.
- Exploring: Review mentions hidden aquifers, underground ruins and several settlements around the island.
thumbculture.co.ukPress, read 28 October 2026
Backs Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Sessions, Physical comedy, Unlocks and progress.
- Calm and coziness: Review from 2026-05-22 describes a cosy, stress-free feel.
- Time to hang out: Review says you can go at your own pace and calls it a chilled experience.
- Sessions: Review says there is no final mission, and the reviewer still saw more to do after about 30 hours.
- Physical comedy: Review says every item is physics-based and can be thrown around, and loading trucks is a tug of war with the physics.
- Unlocks and progress: Review says the shops give a reason to keep going, though you eventually run out of things to buy.