The latest developer blog from Facepunch Studios indicates that the launch of the highly anticipated Rust Naval update has been delayed to February 2026. Fans are naturally quite disappointed, and definitely for the right reasons. In a nutshell, the update was simply too massive to release this early, without spending a month or more hotfixing different elements that might break if the patch got shipped.In this article, we will explore in detail the reasons why the Rust Naval update's launch has been delayed to February 2026. Read below to know more. Why has the Rust Naval update been delayed to February 2026?Rust has arguably had some of the biggest content additions in 2025. Starting from the addition of the primitive game mode, revamping the hardcore mode, and the addition of the jungle biome in the game, we've seen some massive changes being implemented within the title throughout the course of the year.That said, the Naval update was not something that the developers could simply ship within a week. It is yet another massive package, featuring elements that will overhaul the entire waterworld system within the game, add new base-building mechanics, monuments, islands, and so much more. It's something that will redefine how the game is played at the core level, providing players with an opportunity to explore something beyond the landlocked structures within the game.With the Rust Naval update being teased for the past few months and its release confirmed for December, it was simply too much to take on in a short amount of time. Alistair McFarlane, the COO and Company director of Facepunch Studios, issued the following statement regarding the inevitable delay of the Rust Naval update:"We took on too much. The naval update is massive, lots of new systems, touching old ones, and the closer we got to patch release, the less confident and happy we were with the state of it. We could have pushed it out and crossed our fingers, hoping it behaved at scale, or we could pause, take a breath, and avoid shipping something that risks crippling servers during the busiest time of the year. We do not want to drop server populations by 100 to 200 players or spend the holiday period firefighting performance and bugs. Rust is in a good state without the naval patch, we cannot justify risking stability for the sake of hitting a date."Though fans are quite dismayed at the fact that this major content update will not be shipped with the latest December 2025 force wipe, we are sure that they would rather appreciate playing a more refined version of the game rather than experiencing new content that not only breaks the title, but riddles it with bugs and errors for the duration of the entire month, or more. That's everything that you need to know about the Rust Naval update being delayed to February 2026. If this article is to your liking, check out our other guides below:Beekeeping in Rust: How to start, bee grenade, and moreMinigun and Military Flamethrower in Rust: How to get and useHoming Missile Launcher in Rust: How to craft, how to use, and moreFishing guide in Rust: How to fish, benefits, and moreAttack Helicopter might get a major buff in future update