Facepunch Studios will release Rust's Naval update on 2026-02-05, introducing player-made boats and new islands to the game. This update is part of the studio's commitment to consistent monthly updates, announced by COO Alistair McFarlane. Rust, which reached over 250,000 concurrent players in 2025, is set to expand further in 2026.
2026 Plans and Enhancements
Facepunch Studios aims to enhance Rust's ecosystem with new monuments, player models, and an animal breeding system. Planned updates include an apartment complex monument and improved player model customization. The game will also introduce new animals, such as cows and sheep, along with a breeding system.
The studio will continue revising older content and addressing key priorities, like reducing cheating, enhancing performance, and releasing paid DLC. Improved anti-cheat measures and performance optimizations, including a new anti-cheat layer, are in focus for 2026.
Cheating and Performance Improvements
Cheating prevention is a key focus, with recent measures including a premium server feature and potential third-party anti-cheat solutions. Performance optimizations achieved in 2025 reduced load times by 65%, and further improvements target render pipelines and navmesh.
Facepunch also explores a battle-pass system that aligns with Rust's theme, with more details expected in mid-2026. Paid DLC, while separate from core updates, will continue to roll out monthly, maintaining the pace set in 2025.
- Facepunch Studios releases Rust's Naval update on 2026-02-05.
- New features include player-made boats and new island exploration.
- Plans include new monuments, player models, and animal breeding.
- Anti-cheat measures and performance improvements are ongoing.
- Potential battle-pass system under exploration for mid-2026.
Players can test the Naval update early via Rust's staging branch test servers, providing opportunities for community feedback and bug testing.
