Rust has brought back its hardcore mode but with a harsher spin. Players will now face a survival experience where crafting guns is entirely off the table forcing them to rely solely on whatever weapons they can scavenge from the world around them.
After months of tweaking its gameplay, from the medieval Primitive mode in February to softening the softcore mode in April, Facepunch Studios has decided to double down on difficulty. Hardcore mode is back and it’s less forgiving than ever.
The update, aptly named the “Hardcore update“, reintroduces the fog of war on the in-game map. Players will have to look at to reveal the terrain, which means wandering blindly into danger. You won’t even see your location until you craft a compass, and even then, it only shows where you are, not the direction you’re facing. Talk about upping the stakes.
Respawn timers have also been extended, 15 minutes for sleeping bags and 10 minutes for beds, while base upkeep costs have doubled. Facepunch wants players to build smarter, not bigger. And the real kicker? Crafting guns is now banned in hardcore mode. You can only get firearms by finding them out in the world, which means you’re completely at the mercy of the loot gods. Ammo crafting stays, but at a much steeper price.
Facepunch explains that these changes aim to make players think twice before rushing into fights, promoting a more cautious and tactical approach. It’s an interesting move, guns aren’t exactly easy to whip up in real life, so this adds a layer of authenticity to the hardcore experience. Yikes, right?
Before you start imagining Rust is going full hardcore on everyone, the studio stresses that these modes are experiments designed to offer different ways to play. They’re not meant to last forever or become the primary focus. Most of Facepunch’s team is still working on bigger features behind the scenes.
The update also brings some general improvements: a redesigned menu system that loads servers up to 65% faster, tweaks to metal detectors so they can now spot dropped weapons, and some visual polish with new volumetric clouds and better shadows on trees and bushes: small touches, but welcome ones.
In case you’re still on the fence about jumping into Rust, Facepunch has slashed the price by half, dropping it from $40 to $20. That’s a pretty good deal for anyone craving a tough survival challenge.
