Rust – Soft Refresh Update: All new features, balancing changes & system adjustments at a glance

With the Soft Refresh Update, Facepunch is bringing one of the biggest gameplay changes to the survival PvP game Rust in a long time.
In addition to the new wipe system, you can expect numerous balancing adjustments, changes to PvP, a revised respawn system and many quality of life improvements. We provide you with all the details.

Soft Refresh: The new approach to wipes

The Soft Refresh update revolutionizes the monthly wipe system in Rust. Instead of rigorously resetting all progress as before, some of the hard-earned blueprints will now be retained. The aim: less frustration, more motivation and easier re-entry – even for players who weren’t there at the start of the wipe.

• Partial reset of blueprints: You will no longer lose all your blueprints after a wipe. Some of your recipes are retained, so you don’t have to start from scratch every time.
• Equal opportunities: Newcomers or players who join later in an ongoing wipe can catch up faster and are no longer at as much of a disadvantage as the early birds.
• Experimental phase: The developers are testing different variants of how many and which blueprints are retained in order to find a fair balance between restarting and progressing.

Upkeep Tax Changes – Cheaper base maintenance

The maintenance system for bases has been significantly eased with this update:

PvP Damage – Revision of the damage system

The PvP system is also receiving a comprehensive rebalancing:

• Adjusted damage values: various weapon types and hit zones have been rebalanced. Headshots and certain types of ammunition cause fewer “one-shot” situations, making fights fairer and less frustrating.
• Better hit feedback: You can now see more clearly from which direction you are taking damage and how strong the effects are. This makes battles more comprehensible and rewards skill and tactics.
• More control: The changes ensure that PvP battles are less dependent on chance and more on your skill.

Sleeping Bag Changes – Adjustments to the respawn system

The respawn system via sleeping bags has been made more flexible:

• Increased cooldown: The time until you can spawn again at a sleeping bag after dying has been extended.
• Less “bag zerging”: The constant re-spawning directly in the combat area has been made more difficult. You have to plan more strategically where and how many sleeping bags you place.
• More tactics: The change prevents individual players or teams from gaining an unfair advantage by constantly respawning.

Further balancing and gameplay adjustments

In addition to the major system changes, you can expect numerous other adjustments:

• Blueprint distribution: essential everyday recipes are easier to access, rare and powerful loot remains a challenge.
• Progression curve: You can get basic equipment faster, but the endgame remains challenging.
• Loot and resource distribution: Important resources and items are more evenly distributed across the map, allowing for more movement and encounters.
• Monuments and Events: Rewards for certain monuments and events have been adjusted to balance the risk/reward ratio.

Quality of Life Changes – Compact overview

The Soft Refresh Update brings numerous small improvements that make everyday life in the game easier:

• Improved server performance and fewer lags
• Revised interface elements, e.g. for crafting and blueprints
• Optimized loot and resource distribution on the map
• Bug fixes for interactions and displays
• Clearer visual effects for hits and status changes
• New comfort functions when building and managing the base

More motivation, less frustration, fairer gameplay

The soft refresh update for Rust not only brings a smoother wipe, but also ensures a more motivating and fairer gaming experience with targeted balancing adjustments and quality of life improvements. Those who previously lost motivation after every wipe now have a real reason to get back into the game – and Rust remains exciting and challenging even for experienced players.

What do you think of the new soft refresh? Discuss with us in the comments and share your experiences!