Rust, a multiplayer survival game, recently hit a remarkable milestone, reaching 262,284 active users on Steam, even as it nears its 11th anniversary. The game’s executive producer used social media as a platform to celebrate this success and share a glimpse into what’s planned for Rust in 2025.
Originally launched in early access back in 2013 and released fully in 2018, Rust challenges players with a survival experience that places them in a rugged wilderness. Here, they must gather resources to sustain themselves and fend off various threats. The game’s continuous popularity can be attributed to the developers’ commitment to consistent updates, keeping Rust relevant despite competition from newer titles. Eleven years since its debut, Rust continues to achieve new records.
Alistair McFarlane, Rust’s executive producer, took to Twitter to express gratitude for the game’s new peak in concurrent users. Rust surpassed its previous record, with 259,646 players connecting simultaneously within a 24-hour period. McFarlane thanked the community, reflecting on how the studio hadn’t anticipated breaking its previous record. The game boasts a “very positive” rating on Steam, with 87% of 962,104 users recommending it. He also shared future plans for Rust with the players.
According to the game’s official website, Rust has exciting plans for 2025 while showcasing impressive stats from 2024—it saw over 325 million game sessions, 40 million hours played, and more than 5.5 million unique players. The developers have promised regular monthly updates, introducing new content, enhancing game quality, and fixing bugs every first Thursday of the month.
February 6 is marked on the calendar for the next major update, the Primitive update, which the developers describe as “one of the most impactful updates to date.” This will alter key gameplay elements like combat and introduce new weapons, vehicles, and game modes. Among the exciting additions will be siege towers, catapults, ballistae, and battering rams. The update will also enhance horses and introduce new skins.
However, the Primitive update is just the beginning. Players can anticipate a host of new content in the pipeline, including changes to food management, new biomes, and hardcore game modes. The developers remain dedicated to improving game performance and tackling cheating issues. As Rust celebrates this new milestone, its community eagerly anticipates the upcoming features and experiences the game will offer.
