Rust’s Promising Future: A Deep Dive into Upcoming Features
The anticipation surrounding the Rust Naval update is palpable, heralding what could be a transformative year for this beloved survival game. As developer Facepunch Studios celebrates over a decade since its launch, the game continues to ascend the charts, achieving remarkable milestones. In 2025, Rust reached a peak player count exceeding 250,000 active users on Steam, with an astonishing 700 million hours logged by 5.8 million players in the past year alone. Yet, the studio’s ambitions stretch even further.
Looking ahead to 2026, Facepunch has begun teasing an array of exciting features. Among these are plans for an expanded ecosystem, enhanced load times, and the intriguing possibility of introducing a battle pass system. While the Naval update may have slipped from the 2025 timeline, Rust still delivered a robust lineup of changes last year. Highlights include the medieval-themed Primitive mode, the unveiling of the Jungle biome, significant crafting enhancements, the launch of premium servers, and over 400 quality-of-life improvements.
Facepunch COO Alistair McFarlane emphasizes that “consistency” will be the guiding principle for 2026, with a commitment to monthly updates scheduled for the first Thursday of each month. The Naval update, set to debut on February 5, promises to be a substantial addition, introducing player-crafted boats that will allow players to navigate Rust’s waters and discover new islands. McFarlane hints at a wealth of content already in development for the coming year, including new monuments like an apartment complex and a comprehensive update to player models and animations, enhancing both aesthetics and customization options.
In addition to these features, players can look forward to an enriched ecosystem, with the introduction of new animals such as cows and sheep, alongside a breeding system for these creatures. McFarlane encourages players to start envisioning their large-scale dung farms, as the game evolves to incorporate these new elements.
Facepunch is also taking the opportunity to revisit older content, aiming to refine popular features while reassessing less favored systems for potential improvements. McFarlane acknowledges that plans may evolve and priorities may shift, allowing for flexibility in response to community feedback.
Three critical areas of focus for the team include combating cheating, enhancing performance, and exploring DLC options. McFarlane candidly identifies cheating as a persistent challenge for Rust. The introduction of premium servers in March 2025, which require a Rust Steam inventory valued at or more, has proven effective in filtering out cheaters. He reassures players that the current pricing strategy is working well, with no immediate plans for adjustments. Additionally, a new third-party anti-cheat layer is on the horizon, although specifics are still being finalized.
Performance improvements have been a significant achievement for Rust, with load and server connection times reduced by approximately 65%, alongside decreased RAM and VRAM usage. McFarlane reflects on the past, acknowledging that loading into Rust was once a frustrating experience compared to other titles. He expresses gratitude for the game’s current performance, noting ongoing efforts to optimize underlying systems such as render pipelines and navmesh. “Performance is never ‘done,'” he states, underscoring the team’s commitment to maintaining a playable experience as the game continues to expand.
On the topic of paid DLC, McFarlane clarifies that the team responsible for this aspect operates largely independently from the core monthly update team. In 2025, Rust consistently released new in-house DLC items, packs, or skins nearly every month, a pace the studio intends to sustain into 2026. Furthermore, Facepunch is actively considering the implementation of a battle pass-style system, though McFarlane emphasizes that any such initiative must align with the game’s ethos—fair, respectful, and offering good value to players. More details are expected to emerge around mid-2026, particularly for frequent users who invest in DLC.
The Rust Naval update launches Thursday, February 5. For those eager to experience the upcoming features sooner, test servers are available on the Rust staging branch. While these servers may present bugs and performance issues, they offer an opportunity for players to preview the new content and provide valuable feedback. McFarlane has even promised to expand server availability if demand warrants it.
