Rust December 4th Update: Naval Expansion & Space Station Skins Incoming!

Old Rusty
4 days ago
2 min read

The long-awaited Naval Update is finally docking on Thursday, December 4th, 2025, bringing one of the most ambitious overhauls to Rust’s oceans yet. Alongside sweeping gameplay changes, players can also expect new DLC content, festive assets, and technical refinements that set the stage for the winter wipe.

Naval Update: Expanding Rust’s Oceans

The centrepiece of December’s patch is the Naval Update, a transformative addition to Rust’s maritime gameplay:

Modular Boats & Floating Cities: Players will gain access to new modular boat systems, enabling customisation and expansion into floating bases.
Ghost Ships & Naval Encounters: Expect new PvE challenges at sea, including hostile ghost ships that promise high-risk, high-reward combat.
Boat AI Improvements: NPC scientist boats now behave more realistically, fixing issues like clustering near oil rigs or idling when their driver dies.
Visual & Technical Enhancements: Updated steering animations, improved LOD handling on scientist outfits, RHIB texture upgrades, and GPU crash fixes tied to cloud rendering.
UI & Gameplay Tweaks: Building UI refinements and small engine rig adjustments streamline the player experience.

This update cements Rust’s oceans as a fully-fledged frontier, offering new opportunities for exploration, combat, and base-building.

Space Station Skin DLC

Launching alongside the Naval Update is the Space Station Skin Pack, a futuristic DLC set:

Building Skin Set: A complete space station aesthetic for bases, offering a sleek, sci-fi look.
Matching LR300 Skin: A weapon skin to complement the building set, ensuring thematic consistency across player gear.

While not mandatory, this DLC adds a striking new visual identity for those looking to stand out in the December wipe.

Seasonal & Event Content

December’s update also prepares Rust for festive celebrations:

Rust Birthday Event: Scheduled for early December, bringing community-driven fun and rewards.
Christmas Assets: Progress continues on seasonal wallpaper textures and materials, ensuring servers feel suitably festive.

Under-the-Hood Fixes

Beyond headline features, the update includes numerous technical refinements:

Map Marker Bug Fixes: Issues in deep-sea zones have been resolved.
Mounted Animation Glitches: Corrected for smoother player experience.
Performance & Stability: Broad improvements across rendering, AI, and UI systems.

What to Expect on December 4th

Naval Update rollout: Floating bases, modular boats, ghost ships, and AI fixes.
Space Station DLC release: New building and weapon skins.
Seasonal content: Birthday event and Christmas textures.
Technical polish: Stability, performance, and visual fidelity upgrades.

In summary: The December 4th update is shaping up to be one of Rust’s most ambitious patches in years, redefining ocean gameplay while adding festive flair and futuristic skins.

UK Rust servers will wipe in sync with the update, so prepare your crews, stock up on your blueprints, and get ready to set sail into uncharted waters.