20/08/2026
Live Update 1.42.0 | Full Patch Notes
# Live Update 1.42.0
August 18, 2026
Update 1.42.0 is going live right now and with it a number of fixes, a second part of the Phantom Targets event with the Anomalia Outfit, a new Player Project, improved map condition scheduling, and new Twitch drops.
# HIGHLIGHTS
* Phantom Targets Event & Phantom Targets Part 2 Raider Project
* The Tick Hunter Set is now available
* Improved Regional Map Condition Schedule
* An Update on Anti-Cheat and Fair Play
* New Twitch Drops (Car Freshener & Ceramic Vase)
* Rubber Duck Competition Winners
# Phantom Targets Revealed
Thanks to the assistance of many Raiders, Shani finally pinpointed the source of the phantom targets: erratic Wasps. These ARC units are exhibiting behavior she’s never seen before: emitting strange noises, flying in irregular patterns, and carrying unidentifiable tech. They’re all swarming towards one location. She needs further assistance to understand what’s waiting for them there.
# Improvements to Map Condition Scheduling
We have been working to make sure that the way we schedule Map Conditions is aligned with your playing habits. To that end, we’re introducing *Regional Map Condition Scheduling*. Starting with 1.42.0, Map Conditions will have their schedule offset based on regions, instead of a single, global schedule.
This means that the schedule will shift to fit specific regions' peak hours to better match your experience. This way, it’ll be less likely to miss out on a map condition regardless of where you are.
Don’t hesitate to tell us how Regional Map Condition schedules are working by chatting with us on our Discord! We’re eager to see what everyone’s experience is like and make adjustments accordingly.
*Note: we will update the Map Condition tracker on the website to reflect this change soon. For now, we are aware the information on the website may not reflect the in-game conditions.*
# Following up about Fair Play
It’s time to look at what’s been going on in the realm of Fair Play since our last chat a few weeks back. Some new (and some recurring) topics have crossed our path since then, and we wanted to reassure you that keeping Topside safe against cheaters and exploits is a top priority for us, and will continue to be so.
# A Note on Third Party Software
When we see reports of third party software being used to gain an advantage of any kind, in-game or at account level, we investigate. The first and most important step is to verify the validity of the report and whether or not the software actually does what it claims to do. A lot of the time, claims are just that, and interacting with this kind of software carries a large amount of risk.
Be aware that downloading unverified and unofficial software can put more than just your account at risk. Beyond getting banned and losing access to the game, your data and personal information could be exposed.
Remember that your account is only as secure as its weakest link. In order to protect your account, your purchases and progression, we strongly recommend making sure 2FA or passkeys are enabled on all external accounts connected to your Embark ID. Oh, and never share your credentials with anyone. No matter how many ducks they offer.
# Recent Actions & Future Plans
Over the past few weeks, we have been making several improvements alongside Anybrain and Denuvo Anti-Cheat. This has resulted in swift action being taken against a large number of accounts that were using recently popularized cheating software.
There is also the matter of ensuring permanent sanctions for serial, blatant cheaters. We continue working on methods that make it more difficult for new accounts to be obtained and that discourage cheaters from returning.
There have been compounding improvements in our ability to also detect accounts that participated in what we classify as “economy exploits”, which means we can more quickly sanction offenders. These types of sanctions have been ongoing.
Additionally, we have several simultaneous initiatives that are meant to address teaming and general matchmaking abuse. We know how important having a consistently good experience is, and that in certain regions or at certain times, it’s easier to run into groups of players that try to force their way into lobbies and engage in griefing. We’ll share more when all of these are ready.
And that’s, of course, not all. We’ll keep building up all of the initiatives we mentioned and we’ll do our best to make sure that your experiences across the Rust Belt are fun, thrilling, and most importantly *fair*.
# Congratulations to the Winners of the Rubber Duck Design Contest!
Last Thursday, the 3 finalists of the Rubber Duck Design Contest were selected via popular vote on our Discord. We have since begun working on bringing the ducks into the game, and we will add them in a future update!
Soon enough, you’ll be able to fill your Raider Den with ducks made by the super-talented *gekko.rar, im\_AshCheeks and nassguhl.*
# Content and Bug Fixes
# Audio
* Refined footstep and movement sounds indoors: removed scuff sounds, improved audibility at distance, and updated occlusion and concrete surface cues.
* Improved footstep audio when moving through foliage for clearer, more natural sound.
* Added unique footstep sounds when moving over plastic cloth and tarp surfaces.
* Added different audio for all Tier 3 magazine upgrades firing sounds.
# Gameplay
* Fixed stomp attacks from the Queen and Matriarch sometimes hitting through walls or from much farther away than intended.
* The Photoelectric Cloak now works against Turbine lightning attacks and Matriarch missiles.
* Added spawn protection to the Surge Coil Trap to avoid affecting players as they spawn in.
* Added the ability to rebind Quick Wheel slots.
* The Dolabra, Hullcracker and Rascal now deal damage correctly in the Practice Range.
# Map
* Fixed an issue where a zip line in Buried City couldn’t be interacted with by repositioning it to ensure it can be used.
# Performance
* Improved UI texture streaming cache for better memory efficiency and reliability.
# Stability
* Fixed several crashes and made various improvements to stability.
# UI
* Fixed project tiles incorrectly showing “Part X completed” on projects without parts.
* Corrected spelling errors and updated localized text across multiple languages.
* Polished matchmaking error messages for clarity.
* Completed project quests now correctly bring you to the associated project page when pressing the “Claim” shortcut button in the logbook.
* Added a Region label on the Map selection screen, which displays your current Matchmaking region.
# KNOWN ISSUES
* We’re continuing to investigate reports of crashes on XBOX Series S. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your reports. As soon as we know more, we’ll let you know.
* We’re aware of issues with crashing on PC, related to Windows Update KB5121003. Please consult our workaround shared here while we work on a fix.
* Players on Epic may experience a sudden loss of keyboard input.
* While we look into this, we recommend disabling any Overlay you may have active. Additionally, you can try alt-tabbing out and back into the game.
* The Projects tab has a sticky notification dot.
* The throw animation may sometimes fail to play when attempting to detonate a Trigger ‘Nade immediately after throwing it.
* The weapon swap animation may appear broken if weapon swapping right after vaulting.
* Player animations may appear broken when interrupting a search of the Baron Husk.
* Shredders float to the ceiling in some rooms of the Hidden Bunker.
* Leapers can jump through the ARC Turbine.
* When bringing items that give Merits with you into a Raid, the items will wrongfully display a Merits icon.
* Shots taken while riding ARC may not register correctly.
* Some doors may allow player flashlights’ beams to pass through instead of blocking the emitted light.
* We are aware of some clipping issues with the Triumph, Reaver and Azimuth outfits.
* Old Ermal offers may appear to be available in the 'Acquire and Craft' menu (visual only).
See you Topside,
//Ossen & Raz
