Rust’s Latest Update Brings Back Hardcore Mode Tougher Than Ever, Removing The Ability To Craft Guns Entirely

Look, I’ll be honest with you—Rust has been acting like that friend who can’t decide what they want for dinner. One minute they’re going medieval with their “Primitive” mode (because apparently we weren’t suffering enough already), and the next they’re making softcore mode so soft it might as well hand you a participation trophy just for logging in. But before you start thinking Facepunch has gone completely soft in their old age, they’ve just dropped something that’ll make even the most hardened survival veterans question their life choices.

‘You’ll Now Be At The Mercy Of What Loot You Can Find’: Rust’s Latest Update Brings Back Hardcore Mode Tougher Than Ever, Removing The Ability To Craft Guns Entirely

What Makes Rust’s Hardcore Mode Actually Hardcore Now?

Remember when hardcore mode was just regular Rust with a few extra steps? Well, those days are dead and buried—much like you’ll be after about five minutes in this new nightmare. The aptly named “Hardcore update” doesn’t mess around, and frankly, I’m not sure if I should applaud Facepunch or question their mental health.

First up, they’ve brought back the fog of war on your map. You know, that feature that made exploring feel like you were stumbling around blindfolded in a minefield? Yeah, that’s back. No more of this hand-holding nonsense where you can see everything from the comfort of your wooden shack. Want to know what’s out there? Go find out yourself—and probably die in the process.

But wait, there’s more! Your map won’t even show you where you are until you craft a compass. And even then, it’ll only show your position, not which direction you’re facing. It’s like GPS, but designed by someone who clearly enjoys watching people suffer.

The Changes That’ll Make You Want to Rage Quit

The respawn cooldowns have been cranked up because apparently, dying wasn’t punishing enough. Sleeping bags now have a 15-minute cooldown, and beds take 10 minutes. So when (not if) you get your head blown off by some kid with better aim and worse morals, you get to sit there and think about your poor life decisions for a solid chunk of time.

They’ve also doubled the base upkeep costs, which sounds like Facepunch’s way of saying “build smarter, not bigger, you absolute walnut.” The official reasoning is to encourage “tighter, more efficient base designs,” but let’s be real—it’s just another way to make your Rust experience more miserable.

The Nuclear Option: No More Gun Crafting

Here’s the kicker that’s going to separate the wheat from the chaff—you can’t craft guns anymore. At all. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

“You’ll now be at the mercy of what loot you can find in the world,” Facepunch explains, probably while cackling maniacally. Want a weapon? Better hope Lady Luck is feeling generous when you’re rummaging through that crate, because your crafting bench sure isn’t going to help you.

Sure, you can still repair weapons once you find them, and ammo can still be crafted (at a much higher cost, naturally), but gone are the days of grinding out materials to build your arsenal. Now you’re basically playing Rust’s version of battle royale, except instead of a shrinking circle, you’ve got the crushing weight of existential dread and the constant fear of losing everything you’ve worked for.

Why This Change Actually Makes Sense (Unfortunately)

As much as it pains me to admit it, this change isn’t completely insane. Facepunch claims they want to “make you think twice before engaging and promote a more thoughtful style of play.” Translation: no more spray-and-pray tactics with your homemade AK while screaming racial slurs into your microphone.

The authenticity angle is pretty solid too. Let’s face it—if society collapsed tomorrow, how many of us could actually forge a working assault rifle in our garage? I can barely assemble IKEA furniture without having a mental breakdown, so the idea of crafting military-grade weapons from scrap metal was always a bit ridiculous.

What Else Is New (Because Of Course There’s More)

The hardcore update isn’t just about making your life miserable (though that’s clearly a priority). They’ve completely rebuilt the menu system from the ground up, which hopefully means fewer crashes and more time spent dying to actual players instead of technical difficulties.

Loading times have supposedly been cut by up to 65%, which is fantastic news for those of us who were starting to question whether Rust was actually loading or just showing us a really convincing screensaver. They’ve also tweaked metal detectors so they can find weapons dropped by other players—because nothing says “fun gameplay” like turning everyone into treasure hunters looking for murder tools.

The Bottom Line: Is This Madness Worth It?

Look, hardcore mode has always been for a specific type of person—the kind who enjoys pain and has probably said “Dark Souls isn’t that hard” unironically. But this new version takes that masochism to entirely new levels.

Facepunch has made it clear that these experimental modes aren’t meant to stick around forever. They’re basically throwing ideas at the wall to see what makes players cry the least. Most of these modes only stay popular for a couple of months before everyone realizes they have better things to do with their lives than get repeatedly murdered by 12-year-olds with god-tier aim.

To sweeten the deal (or perhaps to lure in fresh victims), they’ve cut Rust’s price in half, dropping it from $40 to $20. So if you’ve somehow avoided this digital torture simulator until now, there’s never been a cheaper time to hate yourself.

Final Thoughts: Welcome to Hell, Population You

This new hardcore mode is Facepunch’s way of reminding us that Rust was never meant to be fun in the traditional sense. It’s meant to be an experience—the kind that builds character, teaches patience, and makes you question why you spent money on something that makes you this angry.

Will I be playing it? Absolutely. Will I enjoy it? That’s debatable. Will I recommend it to friends? Only the ones I secretly don’t like very much.

The hardcore update is available now, so if you’re feeling particularly masochistic or just need a reminder of how cruel the world can be, boot up Rust and prepare to have your soul crushed in entirely new and creative ways. Just remember—in this version of Rust, you’re not just fighting other players, you’re fighting the game itself, and spoiler alert: the game usually wins.

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