Rust’s Naval Update Delayed to 2026
Delay Announcement
Rust, the popular survival game developed by Facepunch, has announced a delay for its highly anticipated naval update. Originally planned for release in 2025, the update will now arrive on February 5, 2026. The developers cited concerns over the quality and stability of the update as the primary reason for the delay.
Why the Delay?
The naval update aims to expand Rust’s gameplay to the oceans, allowing players to build their own ships and engage in seaborne conflicts. However, as the release date approached, the development team realized they had taken on too much. “The closer we got to release, the less confident and happy we were with the state of it,” explained Alistair McFarlane, COO of Facepunch.
Facepunch considered releasing the update as planned but ultimately decided against it to avoid risking server stability during the holiday season. “We do not want to drop server populations by 100 to 200 players or spend the holiday period firefighting performance and bugs,” McFarlane said. “Rust is in a good state without the naval patch, we cannot justify risking stability for the sake of hitting a date.”
What’s Coming Instead?
Despite the delay, players won’t be left without new content. Facepunch plans to release a Christmas update on December 18, which will include some of the changes and additions originally planned for the naval update.
Additionally, a smaller update is scheduled for January, featuring light changes and an overview of Facepunch’s plans for Rust in 2026.
Looking Ahead
While the delay may be disappointing for fans, Facepunch believes it’s the right decision to ensure a high‑quality update. Players can look forward to new content in the Christmas update and more details about future plans in January, setting the stage for a robust naval experience in 2026.
