Although the survival game Rust (PC, Mac, PS4, Xbox One) has been playable since 2013, it ranks among the most popular games on Steam. MeinMMO explains why it’s still worth getting into in 2022.
What is Rust? The game follows the classic survival approach: you start naked on the beach of an island, armed only with a rock, and you must survive. In doing so, you gather resources, craft armor and weapons, and build yourself a shelter.
In large camps, happily scattered across the map, you will find better equipment, explore different biomes and complexes, or fight against other players, who often pose the greatest threat. Rust is considered one of our best survival games for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation due to its many possibilities and active community.
However, Rust is considered a rough environment. You will receive little to no guidance, have to learn many things on your own, and most of it through pain. Almost all veterans say: if you want to play Rust, you have to be prepared to die.
In 2021, Rust had a major breakthrough thanks to a project on Twitch, featuring many prominent streamers. Due to the hype, the player numbers skyrocketed. Even in 2022, Rust is still the top survival game on Steam.
What is the current state of Rust? According to the analysis site steamcharts, Rust frequently ranks among the top 10 games with the most players. Currently, the game sees over 80,000 players on average and over 150,000 at peak times.
Since May 2021, Rust has also been playable on PlayStation and Xbox. Recently, the survival game set a new record, reporting over 12 million copies sold worldwide (via Steam).
Starting Rust in 2022 – Here’s what you need to know
How do I start best? The island is divided into harder and easier areas. In your first hours, especially avoid visiting mountains, and stay more in wooded areas. The sea has also become quite dangerous, not least because of the new sharks.
The most important tip beginners should heed is: do not give up. You will repeatedly face difficult situations that need to be overcome. Fans often say that Rust is frustrating for the first few dozen hours, but then becomes really addictive.
The great advantage of Rust for beginners is that most servers are regularly “wiped”. This means everything is reset, all progress is lost. This way, no player or clan can establish absolute domination in the long term.
If you are very attached to your base, this can be annoying. However, for equality of opportunity, this approach is a blessing. If you want to start anew, best time your start with a wipe and then explore Rust. Our beginner guides also help you with that:
For whom is getting started worthwhile? Anyone interested in the survival genre or who has already played survival games should definitely take a look at Rust. Despite its harshness, it is one of the best survival games for entering the genre.
Veterans probably already know Rust. If not, the game is an excellent alternative to frontrunners like ARK, Conan Exiles, and DayZ or newer games like Icarus.
Especially in 2022, Rust is a good entry point for preparing for the survival year. Because the coming months hold some new games, which are definitely worth a look into the genre:
