naval update Archives

AppWizard

January 2, 2026

Steam’s most popular survival game is now bigger than ever, and its developer has major plans for the year ahead

In 2025, Rust reached a peak player count of over 250,000 active users on Steam and logged 700 million hours by 5.8 million players in the past year. Facepunch Studios plans to introduce new features in 2026, including an expanded ecosystem, enhanced load times, and a potential battle pass system. The Naval update, set to launch on February 5, will introduce player-crafted boats for navigation and exploration. Other planned content includes new monuments, updates to player models and animations, and the introduction of new animals like cows and sheep with a breeding system. Facepunch aims to combat cheating, enhance performance, and explore DLC options, with a new anti-cheat layer in development. Performance improvements have reduced load and server connection times by approximately 65%. The team plans to continue releasing new DLC items monthly and is considering a battle pass system that aligns with the game's ethos. Test servers for upcoming features are available on the Rust staging branch.

AppWizard

December 6, 2025

Rust’s hotly anticipated naval update is delayed into 2026: ‘We took on too much’

Facepunch Studios has introduced a medieval-themed primitive mode and an expansive jungle biome in Rust in early 2025. The highly anticipated naval expansion update has been delayed, which would allow players to build ships and engage in naval battles. COO Alistair McFarlane acknowledged the disappointment in a blog post but emphasized the studio's commitment to quality updates. A Christmas update is scheduled for December 18, incorporating features initially planned for the delayed naval update, followed by a smaller update in January that will preview plans for Rust in 2026.

AppWizard

October 5, 2025

Rust developer is fed up with survivors cowering in their homes, so it’s reworking progression to ‘get players back out of their bases’

Facepunch Studios is introducing an update to Rust that encourages players to leave their virtual homes and engage with abandoned monuments, which are key locations for intense combat. The update includes a new progression system for workbenches, requiring players to find blueprint fragments within these monuments, which are tied to puzzles and high-end loot. Monuments have been revamped for increased interactivity, with expanded keycard puzzles and upgraded challenges. The update aims to promote player engagement in territorial battles and slow down clan dominance. Additional changes include shuffled loot crates, drones with storage capabilities, rebalanced primitive mode weapons, and new resource crates for beginners. This update is the last significant patch before the upcoming Naval update in November, which will introduce nautical gameplay elements.

AppWizard

September 7, 2025

Bigger guns are louder and therefore riskier as of Rust’s latest update, with other players able to hear you from ‘much further away’

Rust is preparing for a naval update expected in the coming months, while Facepunch Studios continues to release incremental updates. In July, an improved mission system and realistic erosion effects were introduced. August saw the return of a revamped hardcore mode. The September update features a significant change in sound propagation mechanics for firearms, allowing gunshots to be heard from greater distances. The networking range in Rust is divided into grids adjustable by server owners, which can reduce audio range. The update allows gunshot sounds to operate at distances different from the network range, enabling players to hear gunfights from much further away. The audible radius for firearms has been reworked: - Small Weapons (pistols, SMGs, shotguns) can be heard from 400 meters. - Assault Rifles (e.g., LKs, LRs) can be heard from 500 meters. - Heavy Weapons (LMGs, miniguns, long-distance rifles) can be heard from 600 meters. This change encourages strategic weapon selection due to the increased audibility of larger firearms. Additional quality-of-life improvements in the September update include refined team bag labels, enhanced damage indicators for minicopters, and default volumetric clouds. Another patch is expected in October, leading up to the naval update in November, which will allow players to construct rafts, ships, and cannons.