Strayed News

[h3]Welcome to New Frontiers — the beginning of a new era for Strayed.[/h3][p]This is one of the largest updates Strayed has received so far. It expands the world with two entirely new biomes, a complete overhaul of Strayed’s terrain systems, and new survival systems that make the environment more dynamic and rewarding than ever before. From temperature survival mechanics and biome-specific resources to smoother controls, improved visuals, and major system rewrites, New Frontiers lays the groundwork for the future of Strayed.[/p][p][/p][p]New Frontiers introduces a full overhaul of Strayed’s terrain systems. Terrain shaders, vegetation, rock formations, and biome assets have been rebuilt from the ground up, creating a richer, more varied world to explore. These improvements were also designed with Quest hardware in mind, improving visual clarity and making the environment easier to read during gameplay while maintaining smooth performance.[/p][p]When Strayed first began development, the world consisted entirely of a single forest biome. That environment defined the game’s earliest versions and laid the foundation for the survival experience players know today. With New Frontiers, that original biome has been fully reworked with updated terrain materials, vegetation, and environment assets. Alongside the introduction of entirely new biomes, this refresh brings Strayed’s forests to the next level.[/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p]Expansive dunes and rugged rock formations define Strayed’s new Desert Biome, introducing a completely new environment for players to explore and survive in. While overall resource spawns remain consistent with other regions, the desert contains a higher concentration of sulfur nodes, making it a valuable destination for players preparing for combat or large-scale raids.[/p][p][/p][p]The Snow Biome introduces a harsh frozen landscape where survival becomes significantly more challenging. Dynamic snowy weather can sweep across the region, and without proper preparation, the extreme cold can quickly become a serious threat. While all three node types are equally common here, the density of nodes is unmatched with other biomes. If you can withstand the freezing temperatures the Snow Biome can be very rewarding.[/p][p][/p][p]Feeling Chilly?[/p][p]The Snow Biome introduces a survival challenge through the new Temperature system. Without proper clothing, the cold will gradually damage you over time and can eventually kill you. Protect yourself with cloth clothing and heat sources such as campfires and furnaces.[/p][p]You can now heal passively with the new Comfort status. Gain Comfort by staying near heat sources like campfires, furnaces, and refineries. While comfortable, your hunger is gradually converted into health, so make sure you stay well fed.[/p][p][/p][p]New Frontiers also includes a wide range of core improvements aimed at making Strayed run smoother and feel more responsive than ever. Several major systems have been rebuilt from the ground up, including terrain rendering, player movement, item grabbing, and deployable networking. We’ve also overhauled terrain assets, improved road generation, and optimized rendering systems to maintain strong performance across Quest devices while improving visual quality. This update represents one of the largest technical overhauls Strayed has received so far, laying a stronger foundation for future updates.
[/p][p]Highlights include:[/p]

• [p]Rebuilt terrain shader and grass rendering for Quest[/p]
• [p]Complete rewrite of the player controller[/p]
• [p]Complete rewrite of the item grabbing system[/p]
• [p]Improved deployable networking and syncing[/p]
• [p]Terrain asset overhaul across the entire map[/p]

[p]Alongside the New Frontiers update, we will be permanently reducing Strayed’s price from $19.99 to $14.99. As Strayed continues to grow, our goal is to make the game more accessible and welcome more players into its evolving world. A larger community means more active servers, more encounters, and a richer survival experience for everyone. We’re excited to open the doors to more players as Strayed enters this next chapter.[/p][p][/p][p]In case you missed them, we recently released two cosmetic packs: the Heartbreaker Skin Pack and the Scarab Skin Pack. These optional cosmetics are a great way to customize your weapons while supporting the continued development of Strayed.[/p][p][/p][p]Below is a complete list of additions, changes, fixes, and improvements included in the New Frontiers update.[/p][h3]Added[/h3]

• [p]Desert biome[/p]
• [p]Snow biome[/p]
• [p]Temperature system[/p]
• [p]Comfort healing system[/p]
• [p]Maps automatically download and save for faster load times[/p]
• [p]Team ownership / promotion system[/p]
• [p]Ability to kick team members[/p]
• [p]Team member display color[/p]
• [p]Bag renaming[/p]
• [p]Player status lists on wrist UI[/p]
• [p]Harvestable tree stumps[/p]
• [p]Forest & desert bushes[/p]
• [p]Build piece demolish timer in blueprint UI[/p]
• [p]“Demolish disabled” indicator in blueprint UI[/p]
• [p]“Legacy” control scheme setting. Existing players default to the legacy scheme, while new players default to the new control scheme[/p]
• [p]“Toggle crouch” setting[/p]
• [p]Cold protection % in armor UI[/p]

[h3]Changed[/h3]

• [p]Increased amount of road junkpiles[/p]
• [p]Rewrote grass rendering to work on Quest[/p]
• [p]Rewrote terrain shader for more detail at same cost as old one[/p]
• [p]Completely revamped all terrain asset models[/p]
• [p]Completely rewrote player controller[/p]
• [p]Completely rewrote item grabbing system[/p]
• [p]Default jump is now up on turning joystick[/p]
• [p]Default crouch is now down on turning joystick[/p]
• [p]Radial menu is now primary controller button (formerly jump)[/p]
• [p]Grabbing items now animates them to your hand[/p]
• [p]Quest 2 and 3(S) no longer use dual-core mode (CPU-Level 6) to improve stability and performance[/p]
• [p]Revamped road material and visuals[/p]
• [p]Remodeled wood high walls and gates[/p]
• [p]Rewrote deployable networking logic to reduce errors[/p]
• [p]Improved road routing logic[/p]
• [p]Optimized the inventory player renderer[/p]
• [p]Adjusted door lock heights for ease of access[/p]

[h3]Fixed[/h3]

• [p]Ability for players to glitch through monument walls[/p]
• [p]Ocean monuments can no longer spawn out of bounds[/p]
• [p]Players being flung off vehicles when dismounting[/p]
• [p]Player getting stuck in walls when respawning[/p]
• [p]Item interactions randomly no longer working[/p]
• [p]Body floating into face when seated in vehicles[/p]
• [p]Traps shooting through doors[/p]
• [p]Terrain no longer incorrectly reflects warehouse interior lighting[/p]
• [p]Long-standing map desync issues between client and server (no more invisible rocks)[/p]
• [p]Various UI elements being inverted on your left hand[/p]
• [p]Various dropped items glowing at night[/p]
• [p]Grabbed arrows glowing at night[/p]
• [p]Monument terrain appearing incorrectly shaded[/p]
• [p]Highlight effect getting stuck on grabbable objects[/p]

[h3]Removed[/h3]

• [p]Streamer mode option on Quest as it was not functional[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Join the Strayed Community![/h2][p]If you have concerns/questions/suggestions/feedback etc., don't hesitate to chat on our Discord: [/p][h2]Official Strayed Discord Server [/h2][p]Other Strayers are waiting for you to survive with them. Follow us and stay tuned to more updates and announcements on our official channels:[/p][p]Official Strayed Subreddit[/p][p]Official Strayed X Page[/p][p]Official Strayed Instagram[/p][p]Official Strayed TikTok[/p][p]https://steamcommunity.com/app/2359470[/p]

[p]TLDR; We’re moving to bi-monthly updates so we can focus on stability, performance, and higher-quality releases. Public staging testing will return. Terrain update lands March 6, Bunker Monument May 1. Smaller bug-fix patches will continue as needed.

[/p][p]We’re changing Strayed’s update schedule from monthly to bi-monthly (every other month).
[/p][p]This may seem sudden, but it isn’t a decision we made lightly.
[/p][p]Right now, Strayed is struggling with bugs and performance issues, and that’s something both the community and the team are aware of. Shipping updates every month has forced us into a cycle where we’re rushing features out the door instead of giving them the time they need to be tested, fixed, performant, and actually improve the game long-term. That pattern isn’t sustainable, and it’s led to update days that are rougher than they should be. We want updates to be exciting and worth playing, not a day of bugs and hotfixes.
[/p][p]Moving to bi-monthly updates gives the dev team the breathing room required to:[/p]

• [p]Fix deep, systemic bugs[/p]
• [p]Improve performance and stability[/p]
• [p]Properly test updates[/p]
• [p]Deliver changes we’re actually proud to put our name on
  [/p]

[p]We know this means fewer updates on paper, and many of you will be understandably frustrated by that. But continuing on the current path would only lead to more broken releases, more hotfixes, and more overall disappointment.
[/p][p]Our goal isn’t to push updates frequently. Our goal is to make Strayed better. We said it before, but we want 2026 to be a year of stability for Strayed and for our team. Unfortunately, we've learned the hard way why most game development teams don't push monthly updates. All we want in the world is for Strayed to be a solid and fun experience that doesn't get ruined by overlooked bugs or performance sinks.
[/p][p]We’ll continue communicating progress during development, and when updates land, they’ll be more substantial, more stable, and most importantly, more worth your time. We'll be releasing smaller patches more frequently to fix bugs as we go, and larger content items will be reserved for the bi-monthly updates.
[/p][h2]What Changes Now?[/h2][p][/p]

• [p]The terrain improvements update (desert + arctic biomes, new terrain texturing, new tree/rock/node/hemp models, and more) is being pushed back one more month to March 6[/p]
• [p]The Bunker monument update is being pushed back to May 1[/p]
• [p]Public staging testing will be brought back so that the community can test updates early and report issues[/p]
• [p]We're working on revamping our roadmap to be more user-friendly and interactive. We'll have more information on this soon[/p]

[p][/p][p]We know that many of you will be extremely frustrated about this change. In this time, we ask for your patience and trust while we rework some our internal structure.[/p][p][/p][p]We're optimistic about the future of Strayed and we hope you are too, strayers. Thank you for reading and enjoy your wipe![/p]

[p]Welcome back to Strayed, survivors. Last January was all about bug fixes, and we’re doing the same thing again to kick off the year the right way.[/p][p]This update has no new content on purpose. It’s a cleanup pass focused on stability, performance, and smoothing out the rough edges so Strayed feels better to play.[/p][p]We've gone and added some Calling Cards for previously released skin packs.[/p][h2]Halloween Calling Card[/h2][p][/p][h2]Damascene Gold Calling Card[/h2][p][/p][h2]Ice Cold Calling Card[/h2][p][/p][p]If you already owned any of these packs, the Calling Cards will automatically be added to your account. The price of the packs will not increase[/p][p][/p][h3]Added[/h3]

• [p]Halloween Calling Card[/p]
• [p]Damascene Gold Calling Card[/p]
• [p]Ice Cold Calling Card[/p]

[h3]Changed[/h3]

• [p]Removed underwater building limitation[/p]

[h3]Fixed[/h3]

• [p]Ability to glitch through window bars[/p]
• [p]Ability to see through walls by being pushed[/p]
• [p]Ability to use world scale override to see through walls[/p]
• [p]Spawning on beds getting you stuck in ceilings[/p]
• [p]Dismounting vehicles getting you stuck in ceilings[/p]
• [p]Respawning under half-height ceilings getting you stuck[/p]
• [p]Dead players appearing frozen when entering their range[/p]
• [p]Potential fix for hands sticking together when using bow[/p]
• [p]Sleeping player death bags falling through foundations when killed[/p]
• [p]Monument tunnel lighting zones overlapping ladder hatch entrances making it difficult to exit[/p]
• [p]Gun components being on remote player weapons[/p]
• [p]Rockets spazzing out when loading at extreme angles[/p]
• [p]Semi rifle being rotationally offset in remote players hands[/p]
• [p]Crossbow animating on remote player’s backs[/p]
• [p]Staple gun shoot effect playing on start[/p]
• [p]Instance data visuals not updating properly on slot updates[/p]
• [p]DB not showing on player’s backs[/p]
• [p]BAS not showing on player’s hips[/p]
• [p]Turrets shooting through large furnaces and metal refineries[/p]
• [p]Giant snowman collisions still existing in Depot[/p]

[p][/p][p]We understand the frustration that comes with missing out on a content drop for the month, but updates like these are necessary for game health. And don't worry! there's going to be some really cool stuff coming later this year. Here's to 2026! 🥂🍾[/p][p][/p][h2]Join the Strayed Community![/h2][p]If you have concerns/questions/suggestions/feedback etc., don't hesitate to chat on our Discord: [/p][h2]Official Strayed Discord Server [/h2][p]Other Strayers are waiting for you to survive with them. Follow us and stay tuned to more updates and announcements on our official channels:[/p][p]Official Strayed Subreddit[/p][p]Official Strayed X Page[/p][p]Official Strayed Instagram[/p][p]Official Strayed TikTok[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]Strayed's Whiteout Christmas update is live! Snowstorms have rolled in, visibility is dropping, and snowmen have begun inhabiting the island.[/p][p][/p][p]This update brings the following content:[/p]

• [p]Snow-covered terrain[/p]
• [p]Snowy weather[/p]
• [p]Throwable snowballs (can be picked up from the ground)[/p]
• [p]Snowman Hunt Event[/p]
• [p]New Christmas skins[/p]
• [p]Present deployable with 1 slot storage (for giving thoughtful gifts to your neighbors)[/p]
• [p]Medium Tier Crates are now Presents[/p]
• [p]Giant Snowman at Depot[/p]
• [p]New Rocket Launcher and Rocket models implemented
  [/p][p][/p]

• [p]Snowmen spawn across the map as destructible objects[/p]
• [p]Destroy snowmen to progress through event tiers[/p]
• [p]Snowmen respawn periodically[/p]
• [p]Your snowman kills are tracked across all servers[/p]
• [p]Hit a tier and your reward is granted instantly and kept permanently[/p]

[h2]Prize Tiers[/h2]

• [p]25 Snowmen: Snowman Hunter Calling Card[/p][p][/p]
• [p]50 Snowmen: Candy Cane Torch Skin[/p][p][/p]
• [p]100 Snowmen: Snowman Rock Skin
  [/p]

[p][/p][p]Get in the festive mood and bring joy to your raids with some new tasteful holiday skins![/p][h2]Christmas Weapon Skin Pack[/h2][h3]Also includes a new Calling Card:[/h3][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Snowman Head Helmet Skin[/h2][h3]Also includes a new Calling Card:[/h3][p][/p][p]PLEASE NOTE: The Snowman Helmet Skin is still being reviewed by Steam and should be approved in the coming days.[/p][p][/p][p]From all of us at Crustacean Interactive, thank you for playing, surviving, and supporting Strayed this year. Whether you’ve been with us for a while or just jumped in recently, we truly appreciate every one of you.[/p][p]We hope you enjoy the Whiteout update, the Snowman Hunt, and the chaos that comes with it. Merry Christmas and happy holidays — we’ll see you on the island.[/p]

[p]Update 0.16.0.0 - Point-Blank brings a new Close Quarters Powerhouse, some Rugged New Attire, New Traps and much more![/p][p][/p][p]A new, higher tier, compact SMG built for tight spaces and panic sprays. Best you use both hands while handling this weapon.[/p][p][/p][p]Made to bridge the gap between wood and metal armor, the Scrap Armor strikes the perfect balance of protection and cost effectiveness. Just try not to cut yourself on any of the sharp edges.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]If you really don't want anyone finding your precious loot, you can hide items underground in a stash. These stashes are easy to craft right from your pocket, just takes some cloth. Just remember where you buried it, they're easy to lose.[/p][p][/p][p]A new explosive trap. leave them around anywhere you like and wait for unsuspecting victims to go boom.[/p][p][/p][p]Three new small monuments to add some more loot and variety to the map.[/p][h2]Pumphouse[/h2][p][/p][h2]Bunker[/h2][p][/p][h2]Substation[/h2][p][/p][p]Express yourself with the new Calling Cards! Your Calling Card will display under your username for other players when you kill them.[/p][p]We plan to include one calling card in each new skin pack we release going forward. Over the coming weeks we will retroactively add one calling card to each of the following skin packs: Halloween Weapons, Pumpkin Helmet, Gold Damascene, Ice Cold. Players that bought these packs will receive these calling cards at no additional cost. Free calling cards will also be rewarded to players during community events in the future.[/p][h3]Added[/h3]

• [p]P90 SMG[/p]
• [p]Scrap Armor[/p]
• [p]Player stashes[/p]
• [p]Landmines[/p]
• [p]Mini monuments (pumphouse, bunker, substation)[/p]
• [p]Player calling cards[/p]
• [p]Shader pre-warm loading stage (to prevent shader stutters during gameplay)[/p]
• [p]Ability to favorite skins (auto applies preferred skins when picking up an item)[/p]

[h3]Changed[/h3]

• [p]Main menu is now offline mode[/p]
• [p]Decreased monument spacing (increasing density)[/p]
• [p]Rearchitected server hosting to increase server capacity[/p]
• [p]Improved determinism between servers and clients[/p]
• [p]Rewrote player / chunk detection logic[/p]

[h3]Fixed[/h3]

• [p]Stutters when hitting trees / nodes with stone tools[/p]
• [p]Reduced hitches when equipping a torch[/p]
• [p]Removed blank reflections from monuments[/p]
• [p]Explosions incorrectly measuring player damage[/p]
• [p]Ability to change SteamVR world scale override[/p]
• [p]Stability propagation not being consistent[/p]
• [p]Pipebomb having inversed damage curve[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Join the Strayed Community![/h2][p]If you have concerns/questions/suggestions/feedback etc., don't hesitate to chat on our Discord: [/p][h2]Official Strayed Discord Server [/h2][p][/p][p]Other Strayers are waiting for you to survive with them. Follow us and stay tuned to more updates and announcements on our official channels:[/p][p]Official Strayed Subreddit[/p][p]Official Strayed X Page[/p][p]Official Strayed Instagram[/p][p]Official Strayed TikTok[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]