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OFFICIAL GAME PROFILE — NEW RELEASE · OCT 22
Groundwork Simulator
Groundwork Simulator is an open-world heavy machinery sim about turning raw land into a working gold site. Operate excavators, loaders, and dozers, dig into hillsides, move material, and set up drills and washing equipment to search for and process gold. Water pumps, hoses, trailers, mud, and uneven terrain all affect how you plan a job. Play solo or share tasks in online co-op, such as digging while a friend handles transport. The Steam Early Access launch includes one map, a guided story tutorial, and a range of machinery; the developers plan to add more during development.
PC · SteammacOS · Steam
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Check current availability with the developer or an authorized platform store. NEXPLAY does not host game files.
VISIT OFFICIAL PAGE ↗EXTERNAL LINK · VERIFY REGION & PLATFORM THE GAME01 / OVERVIEW
ENTER THE WORLD.
Groundwork Simulator is an open-world heavy machinery sim about turning raw land into a working gold site. Operate excavators, loaders, and dozers, dig into hillsides, move material, and set up drills and washing equipment to search for and process gold. Water pumps, hoses, trailers, mud, and uneven terrain all affect how you plan a job. Play solo or share tasks in online co-op, such as digging while a friend handles transport. The Steam Early Access launch includes one map, a guided story tutorial, and a range of machinery; the developers plan to add more during development.
Platform availability, language options, and PC compatibility can change. Check the official page linked here for current details before purchasing or installing.
DEVELOPERXYZ STUDIO
PUBLISHERXYZ STUDIO
RELEASE22 October 2026 · Early Access
VERSIONSee the live official store listing
GAMEPLAYSCREENSHOTS
THE PLAYER'S GUIDE
KNOW THE GAME.
Turn a piece of land into a working gold site
Groundwork Simulator is an open-world heavy machinery and mining simulation game from XYZ STUDIO. Its central job is to find gold-rich ground, excavate material, move it around the site, and process it through a washing setup. The official page names excavators, wheel loaders, and bulldozers, alongside drilling and equipment such as sluice boxes and a shaking table. Instead of presenting a short race or a single machine challenge, the game asks you to build a worksite and make its different parts function together.
The landscape is part of that work. Steam says digging changes the terrain, creating trenches, piles, slopes, and new routes. A bucket of material is not an abstract resource: you have to think about where it came from and how to move it toward the next stage. That can be appealing if you like simulation games where progress comes from planning a job and operating equipment, rather than following a fast sequence of scripted objectives.
The game is in Early Access, and the current official description says the build includes one playable map, a range of machines, and a story mode that teaches core mechanics through a guided tutorial. Start with that tutorial before trying to organize a large operation. It introduces the basic work loop, while the rest of the guide can help you think through the order of tasks without assuming hidden controls or claiming there's one perfect layout.
Learn the path from prospecting to gold recovery
The store page describes a chain that begins with exploration and testing. Drill and test for deposits, choose a digging spot, excavate promising material, and move it to a wash plant. The listed equipment includes sluice boxes and a shaking table for processing. That sequence is the backbone of the simulation: finding a promising area is only the start, because the worksite needs a reliable way to move and wash the material you collect.
Take the operation one stage at a time. First learn how prospecting and drilling are represented in the current build, then establish a place to excavate. Before moving a large amount of dirt, think about the route between the dig area and the washing setup. A clear route can reduce unnecessary repositioning. The game emphasizes that terrain changes with each scoop, so the route that worked at the beginning may need attention after you have cut into a hillside or built up a pile.
The water system is another practical part of the setup. The official description says pumps and hoses supply the washing operation, and players need to position equipment and route connections across the site. Keep the water supply in mind when choosing where the wash plant will sit. If the system is not working as expected, consult the in-game tutorial and controls before repeatedly moving equipment; exact connection rules are best confirmed in the current version rather than guessed from a general guide.
Operate machinery with the ground in mind
Excavators, wheel loaders, and bulldozers each contribute to the broader site, but the useful machine depends on the task in front of you. The official page emphasizes simulated soil and hydraulic feedback: buckets meet resistance, material builds up, and terrain changes as you work. Take time to learn each vehicle's handling in the tutorial. A careful scoop and lift is often more effective than making fast, broad movements before you understand how the controls respond.
Terrain also affects transport. Groundwork Simulator calls out mud, slopes, rough ground, traction, and heavy loads as things to consider. Plan a route before hauling material or moving a machine, and do not assume that the shortest line is the easiest one. If the ground becomes awkward, see whether grading or reshaping the route can help. Because the environment is deformable, the work you do with a machine can make later trips easier or harder.
Transporting machines is part of the loop too. The store listing says you can load equipment onto a trailer, haul it with a truck, and unload it at another worksite. Approach that process patiently and follow the tutorial's instructions, particularly when lining up the trailer or negotiating rough terrain. The game is designed to make the setup and movement of heavy equipment part of the experience, so a slower, deliberate approach fits better than treating every drive as a simple transition.
Work solo or split jobs in online co-op
Groundwork Simulator supports single-player and online co-op. The developer's page gives a clear example of how a group might divide the work: one person runs an excavator while another handles transport, then the team moves material between the digging area and the wash plant. Co-op can make a larger operation feel more active, but it works best when everyone agrees on the next objective and leaves room for other players to maneuver their machines.
Solo play remains an option if you prefer to learn the equipment without coordinating. Use it to understand the basic sequence and how terrain, water, and transport fit together. With friends, communicate before changing the shared site: moving a machine, reshaping a road, or relocating equipment can affect what another person is doing. Keep the task simple at first, such as prospecting and digging before adding more complex transport or washing jobs.
Steam lists online co-op but does not imply that every platform can play together, so check the live store page for current platform and multiplayer compatibility. The game also lists controller support, but players can decide what input method feels comfortable. For a stable group session, make sure everyone has the same current build and use the in-game tutorial to agree on basic controls before splitting up across the map.
Understand the Early Access build and PC demands
Groundwork Simulator launched in Early Access on October 22, 2026. XYZ STUDIO says the current version has one map, a range of machinery, and a story tutorial. The developers expect Early Access to last around three to six months, while noting that the estimate can change. Their plans include another map, more vehicles, weather features, and improvements to existing systems, usability, mod support, and performance. These are plans that may evolve, not features to assume are already in the game.
The Steam listing has unusually demanding system requirements for a simulation with detailed soil and water physics. It lists a GTX 1070 and 16 GB of RAM as the Windows minimum, with a note that the CPU workload can be high. Recommended Windows specifications include a newer processor and 24 GB of RAM. Check the current requirements for your operating system before buying, and remember that a machine meeting the minimum does not guarantee that every setting will run smoothly.
Use the tutorial and official patch notes as the build changes. Groundwork Simulator is most rewarding when you enjoy the work itself: operating equipment, shaping a site, planning routes, and building a process from dirt to gold. If you want a finished set of maps and a settled feature list, it may be better to follow development first. If you are comfortable with Early Access, the current core loop is already available to explore, alone or with friends.
SYSTEM CHECK02 / REQUIREMENTS
CHECK YOUR RIG.
Requirements are transcribed from the linked Steam listing. Store specifications can change; confirm the live page before purchase or installation.
MINIMUM 01
- Windows 10 · Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600 · 16 GB RAM · NVIDIA GTX 1070 (8 GB VRAM) · DirectX 12 · 10 GB storage
RECOMMENDED 02
- Windows 11 · Intel Core i5-12400 / AMD Ryzen 5 5600 · 24 GB RAM · NVIDIA RTX 3060 (8 GB) / AMD RX 6600 (8 GB) · DirectX 12 · 10 GB storage
START PLAYING03 / INSTALL GUIDE
THREE STEPS TO GO.
01
Open the official Groundwork Simulator page linked here and verify the platform and edition.
02
Purchase or download through the developer or authorized platform store.
03
Install and update using that platform's official launcher or library.
DOWNLOAD SAFETY
Only use the linked official publisher or authorized storefront. Check the publisher’s page for updates and avoid unofficial mirrors. No checksum is listed because NEXPLAY does not distribute the installer.
GOOD TO KNOW04 / FAQ
BEFORE YOU DROP IN.
01Where can I download Groundwork Simulator?＋
Use the official publisher or authorized store page linked in this profile. NEXPLAY does not host game files.
02Where can I confirm the PC requirements?＋
Check the live official store page before purchase or installation; hardware and storage details may be updated.