- Back to School Update! FOUR New Exhibits Open in SHADOWBOX (Windows Beta 2.4.0) - 8 September 2026
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 2.4.0 Patch NotesNew Content:New Exhibit: The Nurmekund Formation! The oldest among the four-pack of new exhibits, the Nurmekund Formation is a Silurian-aged marine deposit found in the eastern European nation of Estonia. Here you'll find fossils beautifully-preserved fossils of Leveilleites hartnageli, an ancient species of algae.New Exhibit: The Redonda Formation! Traveling forward in time to the Triassic Period, the Redonda Formation showcases the scapula, coracoid, and partial skull of Redondavenator quayensis, a croc-like predatory reptile from New Mexico, USA. These scans represent the only three bones known thus far from this species!New Exhibit: The Sannine Formation! Joining the suite of Cretaceous exhibits, this hall displays three complete 95 million-year-old fossils of the extinct prawn Carpopenaeus (with some bonus remains, if you look carefully!). Th…
- Patch Notes 8/9/2026 (Beta 2.3.4) - 10 August 2026
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 2.3.4 Patch NotesEnhanced Features:Scale bars have been added added to the false egg, real dinosaur bones, and phony mosasaur jaws in the Real, False, & Phony exhibit.Bug Fixes:Corrected an issue where specimen photos in the Ediacaran section of the Geological Eras Tour would despawn.Label for Tryplasma in the Geological Eras Tour fixed
- Geological Eras Tour Update, Phase 1! Patch Notes 7/31/26 (Beta 2.3.3) - 1 August 2026
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 2.3.3 Patch NotesNew Content:The Geological Eras Tour Update, Phase 1! In this update, 75+ new fossil specimen photos have been added to the Geological Eras Tour, in the Ediacaran through Cretaceous periods. This has added a significant amount of new content to SHADOWBOX's largest exhibit, and makes major headway in filling out the now 666-million-year-long hallway. Newly displayed fossil photos include Hallucigenia, Opabinia, and Anomalocaris in the Cambrian, multiple species of sea scorpions in the Silurian, the skull of Gorgosaurus and eggs of Troodon in the Cretaceous, Diictodon and friends in the Permian, skulls of the long-necked dinosaurs Camarasaurus and Diplodocus in the Jurassic, and a whole lot more!Enhanced Features:Zoom function! Set by default to the middle mouse button, you can now zoom in while playing to get a closer look at your surroundings whil…
- Patch Notes 6/5/26 (Beta 2.3.2) - 5 June 2026
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 2.3.2 Patch NotesBug Fixes:Corrected an issue where exiting inspection mode while in free camera would trap the player at the top of the world.If you are experiencing any new issues as a result of this update, please head over to the Steam Community Forum and let us know!
- Patch Notes 5/31/26 (Beta 2.3.1) - 31 May 2026
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 2.3.1 Patch NotesEnhanced Features:Inspection mode has been overhauled! There is now a solid background behind fossils and text, and text size has also been increased. Texture streaming has also been turned off for QR codes and scale images, which should eliminate any issues with texture pop-in on this screen.If you are experiencing any new issues as a result of this update, please head over to the Steam Community Forum and let us know!
- BIG Performance Boost + 4 NEW Exhibits! SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 2.3.0 (4/12/26) - 13 April 2026
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 2.3.0 Patch NotesNew Content:New Exhibit: The Maquoketa Formation! This is the first Ordovician-aged exhibit to open in SHADOWBOX, clocking in at around 445 million years old. On display here are fossils of Ampyxina bellatula, a blind trilobite!New Exhibit: The Winnica Formation! Hailing from the Silurian of Poland, this exhibit displays fossils of the oldest known vascular land plant species, Cooksonia pertoni! Paleobotany fans will enjoy examining these 432 million-year-old ancestors to all trees, shrubs, flowers, grass, and more.New Exhibit: The Onondaga Limestone! A new addition to the Devonian crypt, this exhibit features fossils from New York that are around 380 million years old. This includes Dalmanites, a trilobite with prominent compound eyes; the coral genera Synaptophyllum and Heterophrentis; and finally, two beautiful Paraspirifer shells. New Exhibit:…
- Patch Notes 3/12/26 (Beta 2.2.0) - 13 March 2026
Enhanced features: -Players can now select individual levels to play directly from the main menu! The lobby remains the default option, but a dropdown menu is now in place for players to make alternate selections. Players experiencing issues loading the lobby can use this option as a workaround to access the remainder of the game while we continue work on this issue. -Pool of trivia facts featured on loading screens increased to 232 -Player-selected menu settings will now save and persist between game sessions Bug fixes: -Loading screens will now scale properly according to screen dimensions If you are experiencing any new issues as a result of this update, please head over to the Steam Community Forum and let us know!
- Patch Notes 2/8/26 (Beta 2.1.1) - 9 February 2026
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta Update 2.1.1 Patch NotesNew Content:-The Thaynes Group exhibit has been updated! Say hello to the Triassic ammonite Xenoceltites, now on display with an accompanying Fossil Friday page.Enhanced features:-Default orientation of fossils in the inspection page has been tweaked in the following exhibits: Lobby, Real, False, & Phony Fossils, Burgess Shale, Silica Shale, Kaibab Limestone, Dunedoo Formation, Moenkopi Formation, Fort Crittenden Formation, Fruitland Formation, Nacimiento Formation.Bug fixes:-Information pages will now display correctly (when pressing "Q" while the fossil inspection view is up) for Glossopteris and Linoproductus prattenianus.-Corrected inspection display for 2/3 Ziapelta osteoderms.Final Thoughts:We have also added a basic EULA to SHADOWBOX as part of this update. In summary, this agreement is written to ensure free access to the Mausoleum…
- Patch notes 1/25/26 (Beta 2.1.0) - 26 January 2026
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta Update 2.1.0 Patch NotesBug fixes:-Information pages will now display correctly (when pressing "Q" while the fossil inspection view is up) for Deinosuchus, Neurankylus, Naashoibitosaurus, Ziapelta, Bistahieversor, Linoproductus, and Kimbetopsalis.-QR code added for Ziapelta. -Teleporter to the Menefee Formation from the Nacimiento Formation is now fixed.Final Thoughts:Happy new year everyone! This is a quick update to correct a few mistakes from the last major update. Please continue to send your fixes and suggestions to the official pages on the Steam forum. Starting this year, I'm moving the version numbering system from the arbitrary +0.05 step-up in 2025 to something more logical: a year number, a major version number, and a minor version number. So, say hello to Beta 2.1.0!
- SEVEN new exhibits open in SHADOWBOX! Patch Notes 12/21/25 (Beta 1.65) - 21 December 2025
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta Update 1.65 Patch NotesNew Content:New Exhibit: The Louisville Limestone! Hailing from the state of Kentucky, fossils in this exhibit include a variety of coral species: Arachnopyllum, Cystihalysites, Favosites, Heliolites, Omphyma, Plasmopora, Schlotheimophyllum, Strombodes, and Tryplasma. This is also the oldest exhibit of the batch (425-430 million years old) and represents our first exhibit opened in the Silurian Period!New Exhibit: The Westerville Formation! Another marine unit, this exhibit showcases three fossils of Linoproductus, a shelled animal that can also be found in the Naco Formation. These fossils are 305 million years old.New Exhibit: The Dunedoo Formation! A new Permian-aged exhibit, and the first to showcase fossils from Australia, this gallery showcases leaves of the famous plant Glossopteris browniana, a species that was widespread just before…
- Patch Notes 11/23/25 (Beta 1.6) - 24 November 2025
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 1.6 Patch Notes New Content:-Scale images added to the following fossils in the Lobby: the cave bear skull (Ursus spelaeus), lungfish tooth (Neoceratodus africanus), mastodon tooth (Mammut americanum), mammoth tooth (Mammuthus columbi), capybara tooth (Neochoerus), croc jaw fragment (Elosuchus), wolly rhino tooth (Coelodonta), Carcharodontosaurus tooth, and walrus jaw (Odobenus rosmarus). Enhanced Features:-Text now appears upon collecting an audio disk to inform the player how to access the audio menu-Improvements to certain menusFinal Thoughts:If you're reading these patch notes to yourself and thinking, "there's no way all of that required 1.4 gigs of disk space", you are correct! I am preparing a nice big update for December as we close out 2025 and the first year of SHADOWBOX Beta. I think you're going to like it! -BenjaminIf you are experiencing any new issu…
- Patch Notes 10/24/25 (Beta 1.55) - 24 October 2025
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 1.55 Patch NotesNew Content:-Additional fossils have been added to existing exhibits! This should hopefully tide you over while I'm hard at work building new exhibits set to release at the end of the year. You can now find:A new Dictyoclostus bassi in the Kaibab LimestoneTwo new Linoproductus in the Naco FormationA sauropod eggshell fragment in Real, False, & PhonyA new Syringopora in the Martin FormationThe left quadrate of Jeyawati and Naashoibitosaurus in the Moreno Hill Formation-Pronunciations added for Actinopterygii, Metoposauridae, Phytosauria, coprolite, Naashoibitosaurus, Linoproductus, and Sauropoda-Two insects in amber (Dipteria and Formicidae) have been added to the Geological Eras TourIf you are experiencing any new issues as a result of this update, please head over to the Steam Community Forum and let us know!
- Patch Notes 9-29-25 (Beta 1.5) - 30 September 2025
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 1.5 Patch Notes: Enhanced Features: -Scientific name pronunciations have been added for 41 species! Audio clips can be played in (most) fossil inspection screens by pressing V as the default keybind. Bug fixes: -Audio playback slider now works correctly when in free camera mode If you are experiencing any new issues as a result of this update, please head over to the Steam Community Forum and let us know!
- Patch Notes 8-8-25 (Beta 1.45) - 8 August 2025
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 1.45 Patch Notes:Enhanced Features:-Tweaks made to lighting system for performance boostIf you are experiencing any new issues as a result of this update, please head over to the Steam Community Forum and let us know!
- Midsummer Update! FOUR New Exhibits, Free Camera Mode, & More (Windows Beta 1.4) - 1 August 2025
Hello everyone,I've gotten in a lot of hard work over the last few months, and I'm excited to finally deliver the first portion of that undertaking to you. This update sets the record for the most new exhibits opened in a single release: four! As with the last opening, one of these exhibits was pre-announced, and the rest are surprises. Read more below...In addition, you now have more freedom than ever to explore the Mausoleum thanks to a new free camera mode. This allows you to view each gallery from any desired angle. Free camera mode is perfect both for curious types and for content creators that are interested in streaming, recording videos, and taking photographs inside SHADOWBOX. Be sure to share your stuff in the Steam Community Hub!Enjoy the update,BenjaminSHADOWBOX Windows Beta Update 1.4 Patch NotesNew Content:-New Exhibit: The Kaibab Limestone! This gallery of Permian-aged fo…
- Patch Notes 6-26-25 (Beta 1.35) - 27 June 2025
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 1.35 Patch Notes: New Content: -A handful of new species have been added to the Geological Eras Tour, such as Isochirotherium, Revueltosaurus, Coelophysis, and Eocyclotosaurus (Triassic); Todiltia and Hulettia (Jurassic); as well as Gordodon and Limnopus (Permian). -Some mystery fossils have been added to the Lobby to tease what's in store for the remainder of 2025! Take a peek and try to guess what's coming next... Enhanced Features: -All audio collectibles now have a play/pause button and a playback slider. -Research notes overhaul! All QR codes have been updated. In addition, you can now open up research notes and other webpages directly from the game, either in the Steam overlay or your default browser, when inspecting a fossil. A toggle option for this has been added to the Controls Menu. Parting Thoughts: After a great and productive time in the field with m…
- Patch Notes 5-5-2025 (Beta 1.3) - 6 May 2025
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 1.3 Patch Notes: New Content: -Menefee Formation exhibit has expanded to include a gallery of 12 pieces of petrified wood! This is the first of several upgrades to the Menefee exhibit coming in 2025, showcasing the swampy world of coastal New Mexico around 80 million years ago. Enhanced Features: -The Geological Eras Tour now runs much better on low-end systems, including Steamdeck. Parting Thoughts These pieces of Menefee wood were only one portion of the collection I was able to scan during my time away in April. Even more new and exciting fossils are on their way... in the meantime, it's come to be the time of year that I spend out in the field! This month, I will be spending 2 weeks exploring in the Menefee Formation with an amazing team in New Mexico. Stay tuned... If you are experiencing any new issues as a result of this update, please head over to the Stea…
- Early Birthday Update! 3 new exhibits open & more (Windows Beta 1.25) - 6 April 2025
Hello everyone! I'm turning 26 on Monday, and afterwards (for just a little while!) getting some much needed time away from my work computer. Lucky for you, I've put together three new exhibits to keep your inquisitive minds preoccupied while I rest up for what's next. I hope you'll enjoy them. One is a pre-announced exhibit, the Green River Formation, and the other two are a surprise: the Silica Formation and the Burgess Shale! SHADOWBOX Windows Beta Update 1.25 Patch Notes: New Content: -New Exhibit: The Burgess Shale! Examine three unique fossils, each just over half a billion years old (about 508 million, to be more exact). These invertebrate fossils, which were collected from Cambrian-aged marine rocks in British Columbia, Canada, include the bizarre horned arthropod Marrella. -New Exhibit: The Silica Formation! Dive into the waters of Devonian-aged Ohio and Michigan to explore a c…
- Patch Notes 3-16-25 (Beta 1.2) - 17 March 2025
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 1.2 Patch Notes: New Content: -New fossils have been added to the Lobby! Look closely at the mural opposite the Crypts to find hints of what's to come. -3 new Epitaph recordings have been scattered throughout the Mausoleum! Search for spinning discs in exhibits, collect them, and enjoy some extra insight into natural history, fossils, and paleontology. Enhanced Features: -Motion Blur is now disabled by default, and can be toggled in the menu. -Collection Menu for audio logs and music (opened with Tab by default) has been reworked. -Options have been added to invert x-axis and y-axis camera movement in the controls menu, as well as a camera sensitivity slider. If you are experiencing any new issues as a result of this update, please head over to the Steam Community Forum and let us know!
- New Exhibit Opens! Real, False, & Phony Fossils (plus more in Beta 1.15) - 27 February 2025
SHADOWBOX Windows Beta 1.15 patch notes: New Content: -Brand new exhibit! Real, False, & Phony Fossils has opened as a specialty gallery. Take a right upon entering the Mausoleum, just past the mastodon tooth display, and you'll find the teleporter! This exhibit showcases the differences between real fossils, natural objects that resemble fossils, and manmade objects that incorporate fossils but are not considered authentic. Can you tell the difference? -200+ fun facts have been added to the loading screen! Players can now learn new information about Earth's history even when waiting for a gallery to load. -The Paleocene shark Palaeocarcharodon has been added to the Geological Eras Tour. Enhanced Features: -The user interface has been updated to be more legible and stylistically match lettering in the rest of the game. Snazzy! -Texture streaming settings have been tweaked, which should…
