Core Keeper News

Hi there Explorers, we've got something a little different for you today! Some of you may already know this, but Core Keeper is not Pugstorm's first game. Our debut title was the hare-raising action-arcade game, Radical Rabbit Stew!

While we're hard at work developing Core Keeper and working towards our 1.1 update, we wanted to show a little bit of appreciation for our community. With that in mind, we spoke with our publisher, Fireshine Games, and arranged a Radical Rabbit Stew Steam key giveaway. All you have to do to enter is to sign up using the form here, and Fireshine Games will be in touch with the winners via email.

We know that die-hard Core Keeper fans may be thinking "JUST GIVE US BAGS & BLASTS!", and we want to say a big thank you for your patience while we work on this major content update. We can't wait for you to see what we've been working on and encourage you to check out the latest entry in our Notes From the Underground series for a teaser of what's to come.

Happy New Year, Explorers. We've got an exciting excerpt from the Notes From the Underground to share with you. In this journal entry, our wayward Explorer encounters something truly terrifying while out collecting resources 👀

A localised transcript of this journal entry has been provided below the image.

[h2]Notes From the Underground #3 - The Chase[/h2]



"I’m not sure where to start. It all happened so fast and my ears are still ringing as I write this. Everything is a blur, but I’ll try to note down what I can recall.

It started with a trip back to the Wilderness to check on the progress of my latest automation. I’d set up a series of conveyor belts and robot arms to help with the collection of the ore I was mining from a huge Scarlet Boulder. Everything was running smoothly, so I decided to scout the area for resources while the drills were at work.

I was low on food, so I set off in search of plants to cultivate. I don’t know how long I was out looking, but my seed pouch was nearly completely full before I realised I was much further into the Wilderness than I’d ever gone before…and something felt wrong.

I heard it before I saw it. A low, persistent thrum that grew into an ear-splitting buzz. Whatever it was, it was huge. I ran without looking back, but I could feel it closing in. In a panic, I let loose a couple of the grenades from my backpack and the greenery around me erupted in a sea of flames. Still, the creature persisted.

I thought I was done for, but then I spied it in the distance. A Waypoint! I swear I could feel its mandibles on the back of my neck as I teleported out. That was too close a call."

We’re delighted to announce that the Core Keeper digital soundtrack is now available to download on Steam! Created by the talented Jonathan Geer, the Core Keeper OST features 42 enchanting compositions that give our mysterious underground world the ambience you know and love. Relax and unwind listening to ‘Golden Meadow’, enjoy ‘Glowing Waters’ as the backing track to your work/studies, or get amped-up to ‘Dark Sacrifices’ – warning: that last one comes with the risk of flashbacks to the Malugaz boss battle!

Upon download, you’ll receive all 42 Core Keeper tracks as .wav files, which you will be able to access from your game directory and enjoy across any audio playback device. We hope you enjoy this wonderful soundtrack, and make sure to let us know what your favourite Core Keeper song is in the comments!

As 2024 comes to a close, we want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for making this year truly unforgettable. Launching Core Keeper in 1.0 has been an amazing journey, and we were blown away by your support and feedback throughout Early Access and beyond.

Whether you've been sharing your bases over on the Discord, teaming up with friends in multiplayer, or telling us what you think here on Steam, you’ve helped make Core Keeper’s community something truly special, and we hope you know how much you mean to us. Looking ahead, we’re very excited to be bringing you more updates in 2025 – starting with the release of ‘Bags & Blasts’, a major content update that we can’t wait to share. Keep an eye out for more details as we enter the new year!

We’ll be taking a little rest over the festive period to ensure we come back full of energy in January. So, from all of us here at Core Keeper, we’re wishing you all happy holidays and a wonderful New Year!

We have another excerpt from the Notes From the Underground journal to share with you! This entry follows our wayward Explorer all the way to Azeos Wilderness where they make yet another discovery. You’ll find the journal below as well as a transcript of the entry beneath it. We hope you’re enjoying this new series and are keeping an eye out for nods towards future content within 😉

A localised transcript of this journal entry has been provided below the image.

[h2]Notes From the Underground #2 - Warning Shots[/h2]



"If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that the underground is teeming with life! I’ve encountered all sorts on my travels, from friendly dog-like creatures all the way to whatever that disgusting chunk of flesh in Larva Hive was. It’s the Cavelings I’m most interested in, though. At first, I thought they were primitive in nature, especially the Brutes, but they seem much more advanced than I’ve been giving them credit for.

I’d been exploring the Wilderness for a few days before I started running into these ancient stone houses. I can’t tell if the Cavelings built them or if they simply disposed of whoever did. Outside one of the ruins was another of those Cicada husks, but this was a bit different than the one I encountered in the Clay Caves – more mature, perhaps?

Just as I was about to investigate, I heard something ping off of my armour and I was nearly knocked off of my feet. Behind me, wearing a ghillie suit to disguise itself as a bush, was a Caveling Hunter! More and more Cavelings started to appear, outnumbering me ten to one. I got the feeling that they didn’t want me getting any closer to the husk and, well, who was I to argue?"

Comments in the margins read: “Sneaky!” above a drawing of a Caveling Hunter