Rust Dominates Steam with Major Naval Update Featuring Player-Created Boats, Floating Cities, and Enhanced AI
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If the biggest games on Steam were celestial bodies, Rust would be a gritty, blood-soaked moon, reminiscent of the one from Iron Lung but with a heavier survival game vibe. Fast forward to 2026, and Rust remains the most-played survival game on Steam, continuously receiving massive updates. In a recent dev blog, Facepunch Studios rolled out a naval update brimming with content, from player boats to city vessels and even some nefarious ships. Plus, the game is currently 50% off!
“It’s a big one,” the lengthy post kicks off, highlighting player-created boats as the main attraction. Set up the aptly named “boat building station deployable” and start crafting with your crew, adding steering wheels, sails, cannons, engines, and planks for your ‘friends’ to walk on—whatever your adventurous heart desires. (For general building, there’s a new first-person view model for the planner, which is sure to be a game-changer for some.)
“Careful placement of your engines and sails is crucial for a seaworthy vessel, as they will influence handling and speed,” the developers advise. “You can reverse sails and engines using the radial menu for some clever reverse parking.”
Once your ship is ready, set sail to the new deep-sea offshore region, a “high risk, high reward” zone filled with tropical islands concealing “semi-procedural” resources, floating cities stocked with vendors and supplies (and casinos, oddly enough), ghost ships, and “boats controlled by scientists,” which sounds even stranger in the context of Rust.
By the way, ghost ships are also guarded by scientists, who have received an AI upgrade with this naval update.
“If you’ve battled scientists before, you know that trying to sneak or flank them can lead to a quick demise,” Facepunch notes. “They always seem to know your location and can turn on you in an instant if you attempt to outsmart them.
“This makes sniping from a distance or camping at a chokepoint a tempting strategy, as it turns taking a monument guarded by scientists a test of resources with a low skill ceiling. It boils down to: do you know the tricks, and do you have enough ammo and bandages to push through?”
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This update is set to change that, but only for scientists near oil rigs, ghost ships, and deep-sea islands “for now.”
“Unlike their counterparts, these scientists don’t see through walls and must rely on sounds and recent sightings to track you down,” the developers assure. “This means you can bait them by peeking or making noise, then flank them for a surprise attack. Their slower reaction times will work in your favor; if you catch them off guard, you can take them out before they even know what hit them.
“Additionally, they won’t rush into bottlenecks to be picked off by a camping player. Instead, they’ll attempt to flank, throw smoke grenades, rush together, or lie in wait for an ambush. They’ll also be much more cautious around snipers; if they take a hit or hear a shot, they’ll dive for cover and wait it out.”
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