I’ve been quietly rooting for Smalland: Survive the Wilds since its early access days-a game that lives and dies by the strength of its multiplayer community. So when cross-play finally dropped across Steam, Epic, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, it wasn’t just a technical update-it felt like the real beginning of what Smalland wants to be: a tiny, chaotic survival sandbox where everyone can actually play together. This isn’t just another patch; it’s a move that actually matters for a game like this.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Maximum Entertainment |
| Release Date | Available Now |
| Genres | Survival, Adventure, Multiplayer |
| Platforms | Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 |
Let’s be real: the survival genre lives and dies by its player community. Games like Smalland, with their “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” premise, can only deliver on the fantasy if your friends can join you—regardless of where they bought the game. Until now, Smalland’s audience was split across storefronts and consoles, which always felt like an artificial wall. Cross-play is a baseline feature in 2025, and it’s about time Smalland caught up. This isn’t just a checkbox—now, finding an active server or joining up with old friends should actually be possible, which is huge for a game built around cooperative chaos and creative base-building.
The introduction of Guilds and persistent Tree Encampments feels like Smalland’s most meaningful community feature yet. Instead of temporary, throwaway worlds, you get a shared base that lasts as long as one guild member is online. That means real investment—something survival games often lack. Toss in the new revive consumable for in-the-field rescues, and you’ve got a much more team-oriented experience. After seeing so many survival games burn out when the novelty wears off, this is exactly the kind of long-term carrot Smalland needed.
Companions and new stables address a pet peeve I’ve had from day one: in most survival games, animal allies are an afterthought. Now, with different stables and summoning options, plus the handy Homecoming Totem, your bug pals feel like part of the core loop—not just window dressing. If Smalland can nail the balance between challenge and utility here, it might finally stand out in a genre flooded with forgettable pet systems.
Of course, there’s also a batch of new content: northern encampments, a new quest, and the Rufous-Bellied Tit—Smalland’s latest spin on “giant bug you probably shouldn’t poke.” Content like this is what keeps the map from feeling stale, but the real test will be whether these new additions bring meaningful gameplay or just another checklist item. Maximum Entertainment has been on a roll with post-launch support, but players (myself included) will be watching to see if these updates deepen the experience or just pad the patch notes.
For gamers who bounced off Smalland before, this is the patch worth checking out. The walls between platforms are down, the reasons to play together are up, and companion systems finally look like they’re evolving beyond the “set it and forget it” model. If you’re tired of survival games where your progress means nothing the moment your friends log off, this could be the one that gets it right—assuming the devs keep prioritizing what actually matters to players.
TL;DR: Smalland’s new cross-play, guilds, and persistent world features are the community-driven lifelines the miniature survival sim desperately needed. If you care about co-op gameplay that lasts, this is a major turning point—not just another minor patch.
Source: Maximum Entertainment via GamesPress