Moon Sweepers supports solo play and online co-op for up to 16 players on Windows through Steam. It has full controller support, but Steam Deck compatibility is officially listed as Unknown; local split-screen and crossplay are unavailable. As of 30 October 2026, the live build is 1.0.5, which changed how building moves and refunds work and fixed several controller and loading issues. This FAQ explains how co-op progression works, what to upgrade, what to expect on Deck, and how far the game’s completion goal really goes.
Does Moon Sweepers have multiplayer?
Yes. Moon Sweepers has online co-op for up to 16 players on Steam for Windows, and it also fully supports solo play. The co-op mode is built around a shared lunar world and economy, so a crew can divide the work rather than each player running a separate job.
There is no local split-screen or couch co-op, and no crossplay. The Steam release is Windows-only, with no other platform version identified to join. For co-op, everyone needs to be on the same game version; 1.0.3 explicitly required all crewmates to update, and that version-matching rule remains relevant for later patches.
What is shared and what stays personal in co-op?
Since patch 1.0.3, the crew uses the host’s Upgrade Matrix. A purchase by any player upgrades that system for everyone, so buying the same matrix upgrade on several characters is unnecessary. Older saves retain the highest level anyone in the crew had bought.
| System | Co-op behavior | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Money | Shared crew economy | Plan spending together; income and upgrades affect the whole operation. |
| Upgrade Matrix | Host’s matrix; purchases apply crew-wide | Changed in 1.0.3. |
| Vehicles | Personal ownership | Each player buys their own. Any garage can recall, store, or upgrade vehicles; demolishing a garage no longer deletes stored vehicles. |
| Held tools | Personal | Players keep their own hand tools. |
| Cleaned ground | Shared and synchronized | Since 1.0.4, everyone sees the same manual and robot cleaning trails. |
| Belts | Shared building interaction | Since 1.0.4, crewmates can place splitters and mergers on another player’s belts. |
The host matters beyond choosing the world: the host’s Upgrade Matrix supplies the crew’s starting baseline. A newer host save can therefore give a joining crew access to upgrades already purchased there. Larger crews work best when they spread across multiple areas and divide into ground cleaners, drivers, builders, and scouts; crowding 16 people onto one hex is less useful than covering several hexes at once.
Can the host kick or ban someone?
Yes. The host can manage players through ESC → Your Crew, including kick, ban, and unban actions. Since 1.0.5, starting a public game or switching a crew to public prompts a warning explaining what other players can do to the Moon and how to remove or ban them.
What should I check if a co-op session will not connect?
Check the likely causes in this order:
- Confirm every player has the same game version. Version mismatch is the first thing to rule out.
- Confirm the host has loaded a multiplayer session rather than a solo save.
- If a player was previously banned on that save, have the host unban them under ESC → Your Crew.
- If the Steam lobby is not appearing, fan troubleshooting guidance suggests restarting Steam.
- If dust appears to return after being cleaned, update from a build older than 1.0.4; that patch reworked ground synchronization.
Version changes can affect saves as well as joining: DragDrop Games stated in the 1.0.4 notes that saves made in 1.0.4 cannot be opened in older versions. Keep everyone updated rather than trying to mix an older client with a newer host save.
Can I play Moon Sweepers alone?
Yes. Solo is a supported mode, not a multiplayer-only workaround. The core loop is the same: collect lunar dust, deliver it to a depot, launch shipments for money, then spend earnings on tools, carrying capacity, buildings, and eventually vehicles or automation.
Solo play changes the workload more than the objective. You are responsible for cleaning, hauling, building, and keeping the logistics chain moving yourself, so an early capacity or automation upgrade can reduce repetitive trips. In a crew, by contrast, players can split those jobs while sharing money and matrix upgrades.
Does Moon Sweepers support controllers?
Yes. Steam lists full controller support, including Xbox controllers, PlayStation controllers, DualShock, DualSense, and Steam Input. That means gamepads are supported throughout the game, although the developer has not published a complete official button map.
Patch 1.0.5 added a controller-specific Move Mode action: from remove mode, press Y to enter Move Mode. Do not assume other button glyphs from that single mapping; the available official notes do not provide a full layout.
Why is my character moving forward by itself or is the keyboard being ignored?
DragDrop Games identified an input bug in 1.0.5 that could make the player run forward as if the W key were stuck and could cause keyboard and mouse input to be ignored when a controller, joystick, racing wheel, or pedals rested off-centre. Update to 1.0.5 and disconnect extra HID devices, such as an unused wheel or pad, to see whether the unintended input stops. This is a game input issue covered by the patch notes, not evidence that the controller needs replacing.
Does Moon Sweepers work on Steam Deck?
Steam Deck compatibility is officially listed as Unknown, not Verified or Playable. Moon Sweepers is a Windows Steam release with no native Linux build; patch 1.0.4 fixed startup problems with older Proton versions, but that fix does not amount to an official Deck rating.
There are player reports of getting it running through Proton, including one report involving Proton Hotfix and another describing minor glitches improved by medium settings. Those are anecdotes, not a Valve compatibility guarantee. If the Deck is your only intended platform, check current player compatibility reports for Steam app 5335510 and use Steam’s refund policy if the experience is unacceptable.
For Windows PC, the Steam minimum specifications are Windows 10 64-bit, Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600, 8 GB RAM, GTX 1650 or RX 570, DirectX 11, broadband internet, and 2 GB storage. Recommended specifications are Windows 11, Intel i5-10400 or Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM, GTX 1660 Super or RX 5600 XT, DirectX 12, and 4 GB storage. These are the listed PC requirements, not a Deck performance promise.
Two patches also matter for crashes or freezes on PC. In 1.0.4, DragDrop Games made DirectX 11 the default to prevent AMD GPU crashes; the Steam launch option -force-d3d12 forces DirectX 12 if needed. In 1.0.5, the developer fixed a freeze that could make the game show “Not Responding” about half a minute after loading some worlds, on both DX11 and DX12.
What should I upgrade first?
For a new save, prioritize a useful brush and enough carrying capacity to reduce the gap between cleaning and delivery. The game begins with a toothbrush; stronger tools make clearing ground faster, while capacity helps you carry more dust before returning to a depot. Prices below are fan-guide figures checked against the 1.0.4 era, not a complete official price list from DragDrop Games.
| Upgrade or item | Reported price | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Toothbrush | Free | Starting tool available from the supply wall. |
| Nail Brush | $5 | A small step up; a fan beginner guide advises skipping it if the $25 Household Broom is close. |
| Handbrush | $10 | Transitional tool. |
| Household Broom | $25 | First tool reported to clear a hex comfortably; about 3 kg base capacity. |
| Wide Broom | $75 | Wider hand-cleaning option. |
| Extra Wide Broom | $150 | Fan shop comparison lists a width of about 98.8 cm. |
| Container upgrade | About $30 | After the Household Broom, this reportedly doubles capacity from about 3 kg to about 6 kg. |
| Wide Head matrix upgrade | $40 | Increases cleaning width by 8%. |
| Building Tool | $50 | Opens up construction and logistics options. |
| Packager | $100 | Logistics structure that capsules dust onto a conveyor. |
The Upgrade Matrix has six upgrades, but the fan guide does not list every price. The effects and useful timing help determine whether to prioritize them:
| Matrix upgrade | Listed price | Effect and timing |
|---|---|---|
| Wide Head | $40 | +8% cleaning width; useful early if still using hand tools. |
| Dust Compactor | $150 | +15% container capacity; a later hand-tool investment. |
| Auto Packer | Not stated by the fan guide | Automatically packs a capsule when full; useful early for a solo hand-sweeper. |
| Market Contracts | $120 | +6% launch payout; only helps once dust is reaching the depot. |
| Supplier Network | Not stated by the fan guide | 5% off purchases; consider before a spending spree. |
| Region Bounty | Not stated by the fan guide | +$15 per completed region; useful if the crew regularly finishes regions. |
These are fan-guide prices and listed effects; DragDrop Games has not published a full official in-game price list for every tool. A practical sequence is to improve the brush and capacity first, then buy the Building Tool and start logistics, and save matrix discounts or payouts for the moment they can affect actual spending or shipments. Wide Head and Dust Compactor are less valuable once the crew has moved from hand tools into vehicles.
How do vehicles and automation change the plan?
Vehicles become an option as the operation grows: fan sites describe a Garage and a personal fleet ranging from a Push Sweeper to a Mega Vacuum Rover. Because vehicles are individually owned but can be stored or upgraded at any garage, a co-op crew should coordinate purchases instead of expecting one player’s vehicle to serve as everyone’s personal inventory.
Later, J.O.O.N.A.S. is an autonomous six-armed sweeper. A fan FAQ lists its price as $20,000; the official 1.0.4 patch notes describe its behavior but do not state that price. The patch made it keep cleaning when no player is nearby, removed its need for dock trips, and described its hex cleaning as “2x faster” than before. It works one hex at a time from the outside inward, has a bin gauge that flashes red when full, and sends capsules to the nearest catcher in the field.
Patch 1.0.5 improved catcher routing: J.O.O.N.A.S. sends each capsule to the emptiest catcher in the nearest group, where catchers within 100 metres count as a group. When every catcher in a group is more than 80% full, capsules go to the next group. The same patch fixed distant hexes that could remain stuck at 99.9% completion.
Other 1.0.4 additions make long sessions more manageable: Night Vision Goggles cost $350 according to the patch notes, and pressing N cycles between lamp, goggles, and off. A teleport panel also links discovered stations. These are convenience features rather than substitutes for upgrading the cleaning and delivery operation.
Can buildings be moved, and do removals refund the cost?
Yes. Older launch-week and 1.0.4 guides saying buildings cannot be moved or demolition returns only about 75% are out of date for 1.0.5. The current patch added Move Mode and full-price refunds for removing a piece.
With the Building Tool, press R to pick up a piece together with anything standing on it, then place it again for free. Right-click puts it back; X switches to remove mode; R or Esc ends Move Mode. On controller, press Y from remove mode to enter Move Mode. Removing a piece now returns 100% of its price, up from 75% in the prior behavior. Buildings can be placed on dusty ground, machines snap to foundations, and pressing F enables free placement.
How long does it take to clean 100% of the Moon?
There is no official completion-time estimate. The map readout is roughly 163,830 sectors, according to moonsweepers.org, and fan reports describe a small automated base remaining below 0.1% after many hours. Treat 100% as a long-term project, not a short campaign with a known number of hours.
Steam achievements mark milestones at 1%, 10%, 50%, and 100% Moon completion. The game’s central loop makes progress incremental: expand cleaning coverage, move dust into the depot pipeline, and automate more of the work as the map opens up. No average session length or concurrent-player count has been officially published.
What changed in the latest Moon Sweepers patches?
As of 30 October 2026, the current build is 1.0.5, posted on 28 October. Patch history is important because older FAQs can give wrong advice about shared upgrades, ground synchronization, controller behavior, and building costs.
| Build and date | Changes relevant to this FAQ |
|---|---|
| Launch — 23 October 2026 | Windows Steam release with solo play, online co-op, and up to 16 players. |
| 1.0.3 — 24 October 2026 | Shared crew upgrades, host kick and ban tools, same-version co-op requirement, garage vehicle safety, crewmate belt interactions, and save repair. DragDrop Games reported up to about 20% higher frame rates on large bases in its own developer tests. |
| 1.0.4 — 25 October 2026, 20:47 GMT | J.O.O.N.A.S. rework, Night Vision Goggles, station teleport, five automatic backups per save slot, synchronized cleaning, older-Proton startup fixes, AMD-focused DX11 default, and forward-only saves made in this version. |
| 1.0.5 — 28 October 2026 | Move Mode, 100% removal refunds, public-lobby warning, J.O.O.N.A.S. catcher load balancing, world capsule cap raised from 10,000 to 90,000, controller drift and stuck-input fixes, and a world-loading freeze fix. |
The automatic backups introduced in 1.0.4 are stored outside Steam Cloud at C:Users[user-name]AppDataLocalLowDragDropGamesMoonSweepersBackups. There can be up to five backups per slot; the first is made about one minute into a session, followed by another every 30 minutes. If a save is damaged, that folder is the local recovery location described in the patch information.
What does Moon Sweepers cost, and where can I play it?
Steam is the only storefront identified for the game, which launched on 23 October 2026 for Windows PC. Steam listed an $8.99 USD price and a $7.64 introductory price with a 15% discount in the 2026 store snapshot. The discounted price is time-sensitive; fan FAQs said the promotion ran through 30 October, so check the Steam store for the price currently shown in your region.
Moon Sweepers is developed and published by DragDrop Games. Steam lists 19 interface languages, English full audio, achievements, Steam Cloud, and Family Sharing. The store also discloses that generative AI was used to assist with translating in-game text. The Steam store listed 80% positive among 1,490 English reviews and 2,582 reviews across all languages at the time of the 2026 snapshot; review totals and ratings can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Moon Sweepers have a demo?
The Steam store snapshot had no demo button. That can change, so check the store listing if you are deciding whether to buy.
How many achievements are in Moon Sweepers?
The game has 33 Steam achievements, according to moonsweepers.org. Four are tied directly to Moon completion milestones.
Can I use Steam Cloud or restore an earlier save?
Steam lists Steam Cloud support, and patch 1.0.4 also added local automatic backups. Those local copies are separate from Steam Cloud, so syncing alone is not the same as keeping a recoverable backup.
Does Moon Sweepers have an official community server?
The Steam store lists an official Discord at discord.gg/5ATRkXkAAe. It is a community channel, not a substitute for checking the current build or platform compatibility details.