RUST Updates: Release Schedule & Update Times
Facepunch Studios, the development company behind RUST, releases an official update on the 1st Thursday of each month. There is no official time posted for the releases, as it is a case-by-case scenario for each update.
The RUST server update and RUST client update times can and will vary. There are many factors to take into account, some of which are out of Facepunch’s control, which is a large reason for there being no “officially” posted update time.
On the 1st Thursday of each month, a RUST server update is announced and released for servers to update to the latest version of RUST. Then this is quickly followed by the release of a RUST client update and the official RUST update blog post.
RUST Official Update Release Time
The release time of both updates will vary. Historically the updates have been available between 7:00 – 9:00 PM UTC. It’s important to note though, this time isn’t official. It’s merely a typical pattern that has been averaged for a couple of years now.
To follow the RUST update status, keep an eye out on the Official RUST Blog for the latest updates. Once an official update has been released, there will be an accompanying blog post.
Required Updates & Downloads
The monthly RUST update is required for all servers, whether they’re Official Servers, Community Servers or Modded Servers. This also means that the RUST client update is required for players who play on those servers. If a server has updated, but the client attempting to connect to it do not match, users will see a “Client Mismatch Error” that prevents them from joining.
Once available, the client update will automatically appear in the Steam “Downloads” section. If the update does not immediately appear in Steam queue, exit and restart the program.
RUST Emergency Patches & Downtime
On rare occasion, the official RUST updates can trigger emergency downtime with a follow-up patch released shortly after. If critical bugs are discovered and reported by players, servers may even have to be forcefully wiped. Thankfully, this is super rare.
What happens after a RUST update is released
RUST updates require server admins to update their servers with the latest version of RUST. When Facepunch releases the server updates, all servers will need to be brought down (on their own schedules) for a short period of time to download and patch the latest release. This typically takes anywhere from 5-15 minutes depending on settings and configurations. Servers with mods can tend to break on new releases and require additional time for updates to the respective uMod (oxide) plugins.
Before players are able to play on a freshly patched server, the player will also need to download the latest “client update” or “client release.” As mentioned before, client updates are released shortly after the server update. This process will happen at least once a month.
When this happens, it often triggers what is known as a “server wipe” for many servers, even though it’s not always necessary. Many RUST admins take advantage of the updated downtime to reset and wipe their servers. They do this for a couple of reasons:
- Increase the performance of the server – Over time, the entity count on the server builds up to an unsustainable level and consuming more memory than is available.
- To give new and existing players a fresh start – A large portion of the RUST player base enjoy these wipes, but it can be aggravating for others to see their work wiped away.
Corrosion Hour, for instance, does not wipe on these weekly updates, but it is required to update to the latest stable version of RUST. If you’re looking for this information, try talking to your server’s admins or look for their website. Every server operates on their own particular schedule and these questions are very common.
Forced RUST wipes & when they happen?
On the first Thursday of every month, assuming all necessary changes have made it into the next release, RUST servers will be “forced” to wipe their databases in order to upgrade to the latest version. This necessary database dump is required in order for the server to update to the latest version of the game.
How do you know when an update was released?
The RUST team has been very consistent keeping their players updated on the status of the latest patch via their website and through their twitter. Each new update is typically preceded by a community blog post and then followed post-release, with a developer blog that provides more detailed information around the changes. Usually, the server update will be released first, then followed shortly after with the client side release, that will trigger the auto-update download in Steam. Often, there is a window of time between these two events happening.
When a server has updated to the latest version of RUST, if your client-side game has not patched up before attempting to connect, you will encounter a client mismatch error that will prevent you from connecting. This error means that you and the game server are out of sync with each other. It’s not uncommon for a server to not be fully patched up on release days, so if it disappears from your server listings, it’s likely because that server has gone offline. However, if you see the server and attempt to connect but it’s not allowing you, it’s likely due to the client mismatch error.
On the player (client side), you will receive an error message on your screen. On the administrative side, in the server console or logs, you will see the player’s name, steam id, error code, and kick reason. However, for most players, Steam should auto-download any new updates automatically, unless your configurations are set to not do so or you’ve encountered a bug in the update system. There are many reports of players that have to run a file verification over their RUST files in Steam in order to trigger the appropriate update.
Why are there so many updates in RUST?
The RUST Experimental survival PC game, while still in active development, is currently available for purchase through Steam. Having started as an Early Access Game, RUST continues to require community feedback with each update. Feedback can be provided in numerous ways, but the primary method can be easily accessed through the in-game bug reporting system. There’s also the Steam RUST Forums and the vibrant /r/playrust community.
Throughout the history of RUST development, it remains to be heavily influenced by its player base and surrounding communities.
