Update 1.19 Operation: Shell Shock - Hotfix 1 — Insurgency: Sandstorm Steam update #50187

Hey everyone!We hope you’re enjoying the new update! The team has been working hard since the release of Operation: Shell Shock to identify key issues that are impacting player experience that require our attention. In addition to the fixes included in this hotfix, we’ve applied several backend improvements to matchmaking that should alleviate some of the issues that began in September, such as servers not properly repopulating (also known as “lobby decay”) and players getting stuck on “Preparing Server” indefinitely. We are also keeping a close eye on the IED, something’s up with that thing; that must be why they call it “improvised”, huh.Thank you for your continued support!PLAYLIST CHANGESStarting November 17, 2025, we are moving Ambush and Skirmish away from the permanent playlists to the time-limited playlist. As of now, these game modes are consistently the two least popular. Our g...