Rust 2 Apparently Just Leaked

This article was updated by Andrea Trama on April 11, 2026, regarding the veracity of the rumor that Rust 2 is in development. It was first published on April 9.

Survival game fans are in for a bit of a surprise, as it appears that Rust 2 has just leaked. Or at least, it appears that way — it’s also possible that the leak is some sort of PR stunt, or possibly unrelated to the original game. However, with Rust’s popularity and the long window since launch, it’s not unrealistic to expect something new in the works from developer Facepunch Studios.

First released in early access way back in December 2013, Rust sees players scavenge a large open-world in search of resources. The game is most famous for its interactions between players, which often end in humorous bits of fun, or more frequently, violence. With a bevy of features added since launch, Facepunch Studios likely has no shortage of ideas for ways to evolve the formula in a potential sequel.

Rust 2 Might Be on the Way

That sequel may be coming soon, as images of Rust 2’s Steam page are now circulating on Reddit. The page is, unfortunately, devoid of practical information, boasting only the name “Rust 2” and a free-to-play tag. The Steam page is still available via a direct link as of this writing, though it’s unlisted and will not appear in search. Notably, SteamDB has flagged the Rust 2 listing as suspicious, as it “may be malicious or impersonating another product.”

On Reddit, the store page has stirred up quite a bit of attention. Most importantly, however, Facepunch Games COO Alistair McFarlane, known as Alistair_Mc on Reddit, commented, “You saw nothing.” Notably, the Reddit account that made the original post had existed for mere minutes before circulating the image online. Some fans have taken that, along with McFarlane’s comment, as an indication that this may be a marketing stunt.

In another message, McFarlane stated that he, “[visits] the subreddit a lot,” and sometimes sees posts that cause confusion. He added, “Now you’re all questioning yourselves, is this real? Maybe?” While that certainly doesn’t clear up matters, it’s certainly a way to get fans excited about a potential full reveal sometime in the near future. Summer Game Fest is in June, so it makes sense a developer might want to start garnering excitement, should a full reveal be slated to happen on gaming’s biggest stage.

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This isn’t the first time a potential sequel has made headlines. Back in 2023, when Unity changed its pricing structure, Facepunch founder Garry Newman stated that Rust 2 wouldn’t be a Unity game due to the cost increases. Unity has since changed course, and little to nothing has been heard about the game since. Because of that, it’s been unclear if a sequel is really in the works.

Fans may soon have an answer. If a new game is on the way, it’s sure to make waves. Rust remains one of Steam’s most played games, typically hovering around 150,000 concurrent players. That easily places Rust in Steam’s top ten most played games, and sometimes even in the top five. Of course, transitions are difficult, and if the game does end up being free-to-play as the store page tags say, there’s bound to be some questions about potential microtransactions. For now, Rust fans will just need to keep their eyes peeled for more information.