Rust Staging Branch and upcoming features
The Rust Staging Branch is a free test version of Rust that runs the work Facepunch has merged for the next update. Right now 76 changes are on it, ahead of the force wipe on Thursday, 5 November 2026.
What is Rust Staging?
It's a separate copy of Rust that Facepunch updates with merged work, often several times a week. Anything on it is a strong sign of what's coming in the next update, but features can still change or be held back. Staging has its own servers: you can't join live servers with it.
What's being tested now
| Feature | On Staging since | Status | Expected release |
|---|---|---|---|
Roof overhang placement fixesRoof overhangs no longer block foundations and other blocks placed next to them. | 21 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Ramp placement fixesRamps are blocked less often by deployables and other ramps nearby. | 21 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Stone frame collider fixTriangle roofs are no longer blocked by stone frames depending on orientation. | 21 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Softcore tool cupboard limitSoftcore limits how many tool cupboards you can place, and shows them on the map. | 9 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Tea bonus nerfsAdvanced, Pure and Creamy or Milky teas give smaller bonuses. | 19 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Deep sea loads on demandThe deep sea only uses memory when you are actually in it. | 15 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Faster building privilege checksBuilding privilege checks are much cheaper, especially inside large bases. | 13 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Triangle block visibility checkVisibility checks on triangle blocks are more accurate and cheaper. | 8 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Apple and coconut treesApples and coconuts now grow on trees and can be harvested. | 21 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Repairable lighthouseThe lighthouse needs repairing to restore its light and open the deep sea. | 20 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Cheaper rain and snowRain and snow particles cost less performance and no longer fall under some roofs. | 9 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Staging clients blocked from releaseStaging clients can no longer join release servers. | 7 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Clans disabled in softcoreClan features are off in softcore, as they already are in hardcore. | 16 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Hemp colourblind variantsHemp gets alternate looks for colourblind players. | 22 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Livestock changes and fixesCows and sheep get simpler ownership, better animations and many fixes. | 16 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Console autocomplete for entities and itemsThe console now suggests entity and item names when you type spawn and give commands. | 8 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Critter tweaks and blue crabsCrabs get colour variations, including a very rare blue one. | 16 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Halloween 2026 decor and costumesHalloween wallpapers, skull wall lamp, string lights and an alien costume join the store. | 19 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
PT boat turret rewritePT boat turrets are rewritten with viewmodels and several reload and aiming fixes. | 19 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Halloween 2026 eventThe Halloween event is enabled, with dungeons, scarecrows and many fixes. | 20 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
NPC phone conversationsNPCs can hold conversations over the phone from anywhere on the map. | 10 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Nailgun visual updateThe nailgun gets new models, a visible magazine drop and skin support. | 19 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Milk skimming and refrigerationSkimming now works in cold environments without a powered fridge. | 12 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Livestock potential statAnimals get a potential stat that sets what vendors pay for them. | 8 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Gamepad support improvementsController play gets rebindable triggers, map icon navigation and many menu fixes. | 21 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Livestock vendor young animal dialogueThe livestock vendor now responds to young animals and explains potential. | 21 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Hemp colour swap settingAn accessibility option changes the colour of wild hemp, and hemp is visible from further away. | 15 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Livestock petting and jumping animationsCows and sheep react to petting and have improved jump and mount animations. | 19 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Grenade drop and attach animationsGrenades and flares get proper drop and attach animations in first and third person. | 9 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Mixing and cooking recipe UIThe mixing table recipe list gets search, source toggles and category buttons. | 21 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Loadout inventory preview follow-upSmall follow-up work on the loadout inventory preview, with no details given. | 5 Oct | On Staging | 5 November, if it isn't held back |
Fixes (19 changes)No jumping under low ceilings, Parented wire fixes, Magazine drop fixes and 16 more. | 6 Oct | On Staging | 5 November |
Under the hood (37 changes)Network traffic reductions, Base streaming performance fixes, Lower memory use for skins and 34 more. | 5 Oct | On Staging | 5 November |
Recent changes
- Colourblind hemp variants appeared on Staging.
Removed or delayed
Nothing has been reported as pulled from Staging this month. Being on Staging doesn't guarantee a feature ships; if one is held back, it's listed here.
What's likely in the next update?
Everything above, plus anything merged before wipe day, and most of that lands in the last week. The next Rust update also lists what Facepunch has confirmed and what's still in development.
How to play on Rust Staging
- Own Rust on Steam. Staging is free for every owner.
- In your Steam library, search for "Rust - Staging Branch" and install it. It installs separately from the normal game.
- Launch it and join a Staging server from the server browser. Expect bugs: it changes often.