Insurgency: Sandstorm Motion Sickness: Why It Happens & What Helps
Insurgency: Sandstorm is a first-person tactical shooter, and New World Interactive added its main comfort switches in updates from 2018 and 2019. There are options for disabling View Bob and Camera Animations, a separate Motion Blur setting and a Field of View setting. Sensitivity can also be set for each zoom level.
PC, PlayStation, Xbox · first-person · Has comfort settings · Player-reported motion-sickness risk: commonly reported by motion-sensitive players.
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Risk levels summarise what passengers and riders commonly report, not measured testing.
Key facts
- Insurgency: Sandstorm runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox.
- The camera is first-person.
- Player reports place it in the moderate band for motion sickness.
- The game ships a full set of comfort settings.
- 5 specific settings are listed on this page, starting with View Bob.
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Why Insurgency: Sandstorm can trigger motion sickness
The camera moves with your steps, sprints and weapon handling, and the developers' notes name the parts: view bob, camera animations, camera shake in sprint animations and motion blur. Each has a switch or was removed. In October 2019 a player on the Steam forum said a new sprint head bob made them motion sick and that they had to switch off Camera Animations to play. The developers then wrote that the intense sprint camera animations could be removed in settings, and that a hotfix would remove them. The sources opened name the Settings Menu but not the tab for each option.
- View bob while you walk and sprint, which has its own off switch
- Camera animations, which have their own off switch
- Motion blur, a dedicated setting that the quality preset does not change
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Comfort settings in Insurgency: Sandstorm
Insurgency: Sandstorm ships a full set of comfort settings.
| Setting | Where | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| View Bob | Settings Menu | Turn it off |
| Camera Animations | Settings Menu | Turn them off |
| Motion Blur | Settings Menu | Turn it off. It is its own setting and no longer follows the quality preset |
| Field of View | Settings Menu | Raise it a few degrees at a time and test each change |
| Sensitivity scale for each zoom level | Settings Menu | Lower the scale for the zoom levels you use, so the view moves less when aiming through optics |
One guide explains these settings for every game: how field of view, motion blur, head bob and camera shake trigger motion sickness.
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In-game settings
Field of view, camera shake and motion blur fix the cause on screen, where the game offers them.
Dizzout
Sound therapy through any headphones, for when the nausea has already started. Eyes open or closed, on any phone, with relief in about 90 seconds.
What helps beyond the settings
- Turn off View Bob, Camera Animations and Motion Blur before your first match
- Raise the field of view a few degrees at a time and test each change
- Look at something still and far away until it passes, and try slow breathing
The fixes people reach for once they step away from the screen are covered separately, with the trials attached: the remedy verdicts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I turn off head bob in Insurgency: Sandstorm?
Yes. The December 2018 beta update notes say options were added for disabling View Bob and Camera Animations. In 2019 the developers said the intense sprint camera animations could be removed via settings, and players said switching off Camera Animations helped. The notes do not name the tab.
Does Insurgency: Sandstorm have motion blur settings?
Yes. Patch 1.1.4 made motion blur its own dedicated setting, no longer influenced by the quality preset. Update 1.21 fixed a bug where it stayed active when disabled, and console patch notes mention the same setting.
Can I change the field of view in Insurgency: Sandstorm?
Yes. The developers fixed a bug in Update 1.10 where the Field of View setting did not apply correctly in the Settings Menu. The sources opened do not give the range or the default.
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Other game motion-sickness guides
Sources & further reading
- https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/581320/view/2416641943174241322
- https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/581320/view/2508976515644104017
- https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/581320/view/1833968530888679
- https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/581320/view/4069544181429221418
- https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/581320/view/2454914931399736493
- https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/581320/view/2451574645855383435
- https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/581320/view/5746109972567656491
- https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/581320/view/2504491307422603325
- https://store.steampowered.com/api/appdetails?appids=581320&l=english&cc=us
- https://steamcommunity.com/app/581320/discussions/5/1694969361098041081/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurgency:_Sandstorm
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Based on publicly reported player experiences and each game's documented settings, as of October 2026. Settings menus change with updates, so check your version. Game names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Motion-sickness sensitivity varies by person, so this is informational, not a game review or a substitute for a doctor's advice.