The community has been waiting for deeper ocean gameplay—and that’s exactly what the naval update for Rust aims to deliver. We’re talking about a package of changes: expanded ocean locations and water-based activities, plus the ability to build your own ship to explore all of it. The one-line summary: the new Rust update turns the sea into a full progression path, not just scenery.
Key additions
The goal is to make the ocean matter as much as any land monument. With this new content, players can look forward to:
- the ability to build a personal raft/ship;
- new monuments and a new safe zone;
- more farm routes and water rotations;
- more reasons to fight over shoreline control and logistics.
Naval transport
Even if you’ve spent years riding boats, this pillar becomes the heart of the update. The focus is on naval transport: better handling, wave interaction, and shoreline behavior. The headline feature, though, is player-made ships. A dedicated assembly station—built specifically for watercraft—lets you design and build vessels of different sizes using a new building plan.
The builder allows for sails, an anchor, an engine, and even cannons for ship-to-ship fights. You can put together a lightweight runabout for fast loot runs, a hauler for resource trading, or a warship that can survive a water-based raid.
Piracy and shoreline control naturally become part of everyday play. Ships can be upgraded, repaired, and tuned for specific roles.
New safe zone
There’s also a floating city, a new safe zone. Traders here sell food, meds, dive upgrades, and the full lineup of watercraft. There’s a casino for those willing to gamble scrap, and a quest desk with missions to clear patrols and hunt rare marine resources. It’s a hub: easy to launch from, safe to return to with loot.
Smarter NPCs
The ocean is being filled with player and NPC activity, turning it into a real decision-making space. Expect “ghost ships”—derelict vessels with high-value loot and a new guard type. These NPCs run upgraded AI: aggressive strafing, smokes for cover, faster repositioning, and a more colorful voice set. Running into such a crew isn’t a freebie; it’s a loud, short fight that will attract attention fast.
New islands
You’ll find small islands scattered across open water — natural “stepping stones” for rotations and ambushes. Expect more localized PvP around them, and holding a chain of islets can give a real edge in logistics.
Naval patrols
Rounding things out are military patrols at sea. Armed boats with onboard NPCs run fixed routes; the craft mount a machine gun, so “sneaking through on luck” is no longer a plan. Patrols react to shots, give chase, and punish unprepared teams, raising the price of any ocean op.
Release window and dev plans
This kind of update usually lands in waves: some features on day one, with more arriving as they’re polished. The “Naval Update” patch may ship in stages — core systems first, then balance and meta tuning. Expect iteration: the naval update will likely see minor fixes and tests on live servers, but the main drop is slated for November this year.
Takeaway
The naval update turns the ocean into a full arena for progression and conflict. New ocean locations are more attractive than ever: better farm routes, richer logistics, new risks — and new openings. If you’re a land-locked veteran, this is your cue to rethink rotations and deepen your loadout. The game’s “sea economy” is stepping up a tier: transport, resources, and control of the water will start deciding outcomes.
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