Core Keeper 2026 Roadmap: Road to the Maw
On 13 August 2026 Pugstorm announced Road to the Maw - the next three major content updates for Core Keeper. This page summarises what was actually announced, keeps the confirmed details separate from the things that are still unknown, and covers what each update is likely to mean if you run a dedicated server.
Everything below comes from Pugstorm's own roadmap post, the follow-up community update, and the 1.3 release announcement of 10 September 2026. Where a date or a feature has not been committed to, this page says so rather than guessing.
1.3 has a date: 21 September 2026. Pugstorm announced it on 10 September along with the full feature list, which is in the 1.3 section below. 1.4 and 1.5 still have no dates.
What Road to the Maw is
Three interconnected major content updates, numbered 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5.
Pugstorm originally planned this as a single update - in their words, "Core Keeper's crowning glory" - but split it into three once development started, because building up to one release would mean players waited much longer before getting to experience any of it.
They also flag that these three parts might not follow the same "new biome, new boss, new tool tiers" format as previous major updates. The stated goal for the first two is to expand the depth of existing features and systems with new content, improvements and balancing, building towards the reveal in 1.5 of what lies beyond Breaker's Reach.
1.3 - Riders of the Underground
Releases 21 September 2026. The first stop, and travel and transport is the key focus. Pugstorm detailed the contents on 10 September 2026.
What is in it
- Rideable mounts. Every type of cattle in the game becomes rideable once you craft a Saddle and place it on the animal. Mounts get their own interface where you name them and set whether they stay put, roam, or follow you when you are not riding. Removing the Saddle turns the mount back into ordinary cattle.
- The Moss sub-biome, found in the darker and more humid corners of the Forgotten Ruins. Pugstorm describe it as a calm area with no natural predators, though Cavelings wander in. It introduces the Orex, a raptor-shaped but placid new breed of cattle that eats critters.
- The Hookshot, an off-hand item for crossing pits wherever there is something to hook onto. It does not replace bridges, but it clears small chasms quickly.
- Mage and summoner rework. Talents in the Magic and Summoning trees are rebalanced and restructured, Summoners get a new weapon type, Mages get new staves, and the way summons spawn and persist has changed.
- Three new pets, two of them named. The Hoppet attacks at range and can apply a slippery effect, and Azeos Jr fires shards and can stun. The third is deliberately unannounced.
- New gear in quantity: 10 armour pieces, 15 rings, 15 necklaces, new pouches, new enemies and new weapons.
- Vehicle and quality-of-life fixes. Boats, mine carts and go-karts go to your inventory if you die riding them, go-kart handbrake, turning and inertia are improved, cursor and crosshair indicators become customisable, paintbrush areas become resizeable, there is a key bind to cycle loadouts, and you can compare gear.
Pugstorm say this is "the tip of the iceberg" and that full patch notes arrive with the update.
1.4 - Trials of the Depths
Described as "experience the game, harder than ever" - built around depth and mastery, aimed at veteran players and thrill seekers who want to push further than the base game asks. Pugstorm's own framing: "Daredevils, we hear you, and we're looking forward to trying to kill you!"
No feature list, no date. Treat anything more specific than the above as speculation.
1.5 - Beyond the Breach
The payoff: "cross into what was sealed away", with an all-new biome revealing what lies beyond Breaker's Reach. Pugstorm describe it as a pivotal moment that the whole journey has been leading up to.
No feature list, no date.
What is NOT on the roadmap
Worth being clear about, because roadmap posts get over-read:
- No release dates for 1.4 or 1.5. Only 1.3 has one, 21 September 2026, announced on 10 September. The original roadmap post committed to nothing more precise than "later this year" for any of them.
- Nothing announced beyond 1.5. Pugstorm say they have no concrete plans to announce past Road to the Maw right now, and are explicitly asking the community to tell them if they want more afterwards.
- Bug fixes and stability continue alongside - they state a commitment to keeping the game smooth regardless of the roadmap.
- Minor content updates are planned too. The first one is set to follow 1.3.
- A Steam Workshop beta test is in progress to improve mods and modding.
What this means for a dedicated server
Nothing on the roadmap changes how a server is run today, but three things are worth planning for:
- Each major update means a server update. A Core Keeper client that has updated through Steam expects a server on the same build. Keep auto-update on, or restart the server after a release so your players are not locked out - see server connection troubleshooting if players suddenly cannot join.
- Modded servers should expect breakage. Major updates routinely invalidate mods, and the Workshop beta means the modding surface itself is moving. If you run mods, read dedicated server mods and be ready to pin or drop mods on update day.
- Back up before updating, not after. With 1.3 landing on 21 September, that means taking a backup on the 20th. 1.3 rebalances progression and restructures the Magic and Summoning talent trees, and 1.5 adds a new biome to existing worlds. Neither is announced as save-breaking, but a backup taken beforehand is the only cheap way to find out on your own terms.
If you would rather not babysit any of that, a managed Core Keeper server handles updates and scheduled backups for you.
Frequently asked
When does Core Keeper 1.3 release?
21 September 2026. Pugstorm announced the date on 10 September 2026, in the same post that detailed the contents. No date has been committed for 1.4 or 1.5.
Is Road to the Maw the end of Core Keeper?
Not stated as such. Pugstorm say 1.5 is designed as a pivotal moment the adventure has been leading up to, that they have no concrete plans to announce beyond it right now, and that they want to keep growing the game with the community. They are actively asking players to say if they want more after Road to the Maw.
Will my world survive these updates?
Nothing has been announced as save-breaking. Core Keeper updates have generally preserved existing worlds, but 1.3 brings progression rebalancing and 1.5 adds a new biome, so take a backup before updating either way.
Will my mods keep working?
Expect them not to, at least briefly. Major content updates routinely break mods, and Pugstorm are separately running a Steam Workshop beta test aimed at improving mods and modding - so the modding surface is changing as well as the game.
Sources
- Pugstorm, "Core Keeper 2026 Roadmap: Road to the Maw!", Steam announcement, 13 August 2026.
- Pugstorm, "Community Update - August 2026", Steam announcement, 31 August 2026.
- Pugstorm, "Riders of the Underground - Core Keeper's 1.3 Update is Coming September 21st", Steam announcement, 10 September 2026.
Related pages
- Core Keeper dedicated server setup
- Core Keeper dedicated server mods
- Server connection troubleshooting
- Boss guide
- Biome exploration map
Note on dates: the only release date on this page is 1.3 on 21 September 2026, which Pugstorm announced themselves on 10 September. 1.4 and 1.5 have none, so treat a specific date for either as somebody's guess until Pugstorm post one.