The demo released September 14, 2026. Steam confirms three starting scenarios plus hardcore mode, Water Merchant's initial water kit, a new Toolbox, a new machine and item, and upgrade support for the Bottle Printer and Vacuum Robot. Older Playtest guides may show different availability.
Verified differences
The following items are named by the official September demo store description, rather than inferred from thumbnails or creator chatter.
| Feature | Status for the September demo |
|---|---|
| Release date | September 14, 2026 |
| Starting content | Three starting scenarios plus hardcore mode |
| Water Merchant | Testing and purification kit available from the beginning |
| New equipment | Toolbox |
| Production | One new machine and one new item reported by Steam |
| Bottle Printer | Upgrades supported |
| Vacuum Robot | Upgrades supported |
| Other changes | Fixes and quality-of-life improvements; see Steam change log |
Why older walkthroughs disagree
An August Playtest patch introduced Rock Bottom and discussed additional water upgrades. The later demo introduced Water Merchant and revised other systems. A streamer reviewing current demo changes also mentions new fridge-related interactions and quality-of-life adjustments. These are gameplay observations, not a substitute for complete patch notes.
What about the full game?
The full Steam listing currently lists October 28, 2026 as the planned release date. Its feature list is broader than the demo’s and is not proof that every full-game mechanism is playable now. Guides on this site refer to the September demo unless clearly stated otherwise.
For an immediately useful start, use beginner’s guide or Water Merchant.
UPDATE 049: the specific changes to check in your current save
The developer’s September 14 UPDATE 049 patch notes are more detailed than the short Steam demo description. Their equipment changes are: the Toolbox becomes purchasable from Dr. Jackson after day 14 and can equip slots with number keys 1–9; the Bottle Printer gets electronic-parts upgrades for normal and large variants; and a Vacuum Robot fitted with a Common Electronic gains an optional incinerator that consumes double power when active. The new machine and corresponding item are not named in the official content summary, so do not interpret a creator’s guess as their definitive names.
The update also reports two new challenge-oriented starting perks, a multi-item selection box, Shift-assisted precise drag placement between inventories, a sorting menu on grid inventories, machine/container previews before purchase, and support for 25 open inventory windows instead of the older cap of 10. Individual windows now return after examining customers or shooting, and the Delete key trashes an owned item while hovering it in the store. You can review the demo stream reading the update around 02:29:28 alongside the written official patch.
Water customers and pricing are different
A water container now counts as a water good only while it holds liquid; an empty one becomes a household good. Market events can therefore affect the liquid and the container itself. Premium Spring Water has a Water tag, but non-Upper Level customers and tourists will not accept it. Some third-tier display-case buyers now scale their budgets, and bargaining has been adjusted. This is why an older Playtest price screenshot is not a reliable September-demo sale price. Source: UPDATE 049, Changes.
Avoid the old-version scavenging advice
The flashlight’s scavenging passive effect was fixed so that it no longer applies while the light is left back at the shop. Also, once the Scav Scanner reaches its maximum upgrade, you can no longer waste additional electronic parts on it. Before following a copied loadout, check that the guide actually refers to the September demo. The patch additionally updates scrap repair to restore 50% of maximum durability, rather than a flat 50 points, and fixes the display of scavenging wound reductions. These are patch-specific facts, not universal equipment prices.
Release date is separate from currently playable content
The September 14 announcement gives the full-game release as October 28, 2026. The demo is playable now, but the release date is not evidence that all future job paths, machines, cosmetics or locations exist in this build. If another page asserts a recipe or location from the full-game marketing description, verify it in the current demo before using it as an instruction.
Last checked September 16, 2026. Instructions refer to the September demo unless otherwise stated.