Hopes for a sequel to the beloved survival game Rust were swiftly dashed this week after Facepunch Studios founder Garry Newman firmly denied that Rust 2 is in development. The denial came after a mysterious and unexplained Steam store page for a game titled “Rust 2” appeared online, sending fans and the gaming community into a frenzy of speculation about a possible follow-up to the long-running multiplayer hit.
The suspicious listing, which contained no images, descriptions, or any meaningful details, was first spotted by eagle-eyed members of the Rust subreddit. Adding fuel to the fire, an account appearing to belong to Facepunch COO Alistair McFarlane responded to the Reddit thread with the cryptic message, “You saw nothing” — a comment that only intensified the rumor mill. However, Newman moved quickly to set the record straight in a statement to PC Gamer, flatly stating, “Nope. We’re not making Rust 2,” and adding that he had “no idea at all” what the Steam page was about.
The listing has since been flagged by SteamDB staff as potentially suspicious, with a warning that it could be malicious or an attempt to impersonate a legitimate product. Another Facepunch developer separately confirmed that the page is “fake/not us,” further distancing the studio from the rogue listing. Users have been advised to exercise caution and avoid purchasing or downloading anything associated with it.
While Rust 2 is not currently on the drawing board, Newman has referenced the idea of a sequel before. In 2023, amid the backlash against Unity’s controversial per-install fee proposal, Newman criticized the engine company and declared that if a Rust sequel were ever made, it would not be built on Unity. He also acknowledged the games industry’s collective failure to develop alternatives sooner, suggesting that the thought of a second Rust game is not entirely off the table — just not something actively being pursued.
In the meantime, the original Rust continues to thrive with regular content updates. The game, which first launched in early access back in 2013, recently introduced boat-building mechanics and a new jungle biome, marking some of the most significant additions to its world in nearly a decade. Facepunch has also made headlines for other reasons lately, including McFarlane’s reported interest in purchasing Amazon’s soon-to-be-shuttered MMO, New World, for $25 million.
For now, fans of Rust will have to make do with the ever-evolving original. Any dreams of a full-fledged sequel will need to remain on ice — or, perhaps more fittingly, rust in peace until Facepunch says otherwise.