Occupy Mars: The Game news & patch notes

📡 Hello, Colonists!

As we promised in our previous update and discussed during our recent live stream, we are sharing the preview version of 1.1.X update on Steam! We are incredibly happy to see how eager you are to jump into the new content. 

⚠️ Warning: Experimental Build

Please keep in mind that this build has only been partially tested by our internal team. It may contain bugs that could potentially corrupt your save files or prevent further progression. We are sharing it with you early because you asked for it, and we trust our brave martian "madman-mode" community to help us spot the issues before the official release.

🚀 How to access the branch

If you are ready to jump in, you can access this build via Steam:

Hey Colonists!

Just a quick reminder that we’re going live today! Join us as we showcase content from our upcoming Major Update and walk you through the changes you can expect.

When: Today at 5PM CEST

Where: Streaming on Steam & Twitch

We look forward to seeing you there!

📡 Incoming Transmission

Hello, Colonists!

We have some incredibly exciting news for you today. Our team is currently firing on all cylinders putting the finishing touches on the upcoming Major Update 1.1, and we can't wait to show you what we've been building.

To celebrate this massive milestone, we are hosting a special live preview stream next weekend to showcase the new content live. We have also prepared a huge discount available on Steam right now!

📺 Live Preview Stream Next Weekend!

Want to see the progress on the new update? We are hosting a special live preview stream next week!

• Where: Steam & Twitch

• When: Thursday 4th of June, 5PM CEST Time

We will be walking you through the biggest changes, demonstrating the new mechanics, and answering your questions live in the chat.

🛠️ What’s Coming in Major Update 1.1?

Here is a sneak peek at the core features and Quality of Life (QoL) improvements we’ve been working on, based directly on your reports and community feedback:

• Significant Campaign Rework: We’ve thoroughly overhauled the Campaign mode logic and mission tracking. We focused heavily on eliminating critical bugs and progression blockers that prevented players from completing the story in certain scenarios.

• Automated Bottle-Filling Rack: tired with clicking on refill button? you can forget about it with our new bottle-filling rack.

• ChemLab & Cooking Table Overhaul: We’ve reworked both interfaces and underlying systems to make resource management smoother, more intuitive, and user-friendly.

• Late-Game Resource Balancing: We’ve rebalanced crafting costs and mechanics  in the mid-to-late game. This will significantly reduce repetitive grinding and make your long-term projects feel much more rewarding.

• Spotty Upgrade: Your favorite robotic companion is getting a utility upgrade! Spotty is no longer just a companion with a few limited abilities—he can now repair buildings to help you maintain and protect your base.

• UI/UX & Tech Polishing: Expect a wave of UI improvements to enhance your overall user experience, along with essential rover bug fixes and further enhancements to co-op P2P stability.

Our changelog is growing rapidly (there are so many smaller fixes and tweaks under the hood!), and we will share the full list closer to the update release.

🚀 45% Discount Until June 10th!

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to start your Martian survival journey—or if you want to invite your friends to join your co-op colony—now is the absolute best time. Occupy Mars: The Game is currently 45% off on Steam until June 10th!

Is the build ready for testing yet? 

Not just yet. This update introduces a massive number of changes, and we still need to implement a few crucial fixes and test everything thoroughly. Learning from our v1.0 launch experience, we want to be 120% sure that the most critical issues are completely resolved before handing it over to you. As soon as we feel the build is stable enough, we will instantly deploy it to the public_testing branch! 

If you would like to have access to builds that haven't passed full tests, let us know in the comments.

Thank you all for your amazing support, reviews, and continuous feedback. We are making this game together with you, and we can't wait to hang out with you during the stream! Every day we are fighting to make Mars a more hospitable and playable area.

Stay tuned for the exact schedule, and keep your fingers crossed for the final sprint!

Occupy Mars Team

📡Transmission end.

Hello, Colonists!

Since the 1.0 launch, we’ve been hard at work analyzing your data and reading every piece of feedback. It’s clear that while the scope of the game is exciting, some mechanics have become more of a chore than a challenge. For the upcoming v1.1 Major Update, we are focusing on making your Martian life smoother and more rewarding.

The Campaign Rework & Quest Logic

We are currently performing a comprehensive overhaul of the Campaign mode. Our main goal is to eliminate quest-related bugs and progression blockers. We’re restructuring the mission logic to ensure that triggers work correctly and that you always have a clear understanding of your objectives.

Economy & Quality of Life

Based on your feedback, we realized that the end-game often required an excessive amount of repetitive clicking - something that didn't feel like an issue during internal tests but became apparent in long-term play.

• Bulk Resource Handling: We are reworking both the UI and game logic to allow players to obtain larger quantities of certain items at once (such as Organic Waste or bottles). We are currently testing the best solutions to make these interactions intuitive and efficient.

• Cost Rebalancing: We’ve heard you regarding the high resource costs of mid-to-late game structures. We are significantly rebalancing the amount of Chemistry-related resources required for major projects, such as the ITS Rocket, to make game experience better in late game..

Technical Optimization & Co-op

• Faster Loading: Optimization of save-file structures is underway to noticeably reduce loading times.

• Co-op Sync: We are deploying a new package of fixes for P2P stability, focusing on better synchronization between the host and other players.

A Scientific Collaboration: Solar Expanse

As a studio dedicated to Hard Science Fiction, we love seeing other teams tackle the challenges of space. Our friends from Game Ops are releasing Solar Expanse, a game that fits perfectly with the spirit of space exploration.

To celebrate their launch, we’ve teamed up for a special "Martian Expanse Bundle". If you enjoy deep systems and space management, you can check it out here: 

What’s Next?

Right now, we are rigorously testing these changes to ensure that the version you receive is as polished as possible. Once we are confident in its stability, we plan to make it available on a testing branch for you to try out before it goes live for everyone.

We truly hope these improvements will help regain your trust and change the minds of those who felt overwhelmed by the game’s initial hurdles. Stay tuned for upcoming devlogs where we will share more detailed information and changelog!

Occupy Mars Team

Update: Patch 1.0.14 is now LIVE for everyone! 🚀

Hey Martians!

A few days ago, we released Patch 1.0.14 to the Public Testing Branch, featuring important updates to blueprints, the workbench, and circuit boards. To ensure everyone can benefit from these improvements over the weekend, we’ve decided to move this patch to the Live branch!

If your game doesn't update automatically, please run a "Verify integrity of game files" through your Steam game settings. You can find the full changelog in our previous devlog

What we are working on now

We know there are still bugs, and we are working hard to fix them. Currently, we are concentrating on campaign bugs and the ongoing issues with the Rover ( It appears the bug primarily affects the Campaign Rover, which is slightly different from the one used in Freeplay. This explains why our previous fix only worked for some players). 

Note: We’ve seen reports of vehicles failing to move. Please make sure Spotty isn't stuck under your Mars Truck or Rover; a quick order change should get him out of the way and free your vehicle!

What’s next?

Our QA team has already been testing next version for several days. We’ll push it to the public_testing branch as soon as it passes our final checks. For more details on our plans, feel free to check out our previous devlog.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Keep your fingers crossed for us and have a great weekend!

See you on Mars!

The Occupy Mars Team

Public Testing Update: Patch 1.0.14 is now available! 🚀

Hello Martians!

We’re back with another update! Patch 1.0.14 has just landed on the Public Testing Branch (public_testing in Steam’s properties of the game, Beta Tab). We’ve been pushing hard to get this one ready, and although it took a bit more time than usual, there it is.

🚀 Quick Look Ahead

Before we dive into the details, here’s a snapshot of what’s coming: we are continuing our daily work on bug fixes while simultaneously developing the bigger 1.1 Update, which will focus heavily on the Campaign mode.

🛠️ Changelog 1.0.14

• Fixed a bug preventing the repair of circuit boards on the Workbench.

• Fixed the issue with locked Heavy Suit and Kilopower blueprints (it’s temporary solution until the Campaign Update is released)

• Fixed an issue where quests wouldn't complete if a requirement was met before the quest was active.

• Resolved an issue with loading the Motorcross bike onto the Truck's trunk.

• Resolved a bug that caused players to get stuck inside the Heavy Rover’s interior.

• Addressed several desynchronization issues regarding rocks and the Crusher in Co-op mode.

• Fixed a bug where some indoor devices were missing from the Fuse Box, making it impossible to turn them off.

• Partially fixed an issue where Supply Drops would occasionally fail to fall.

• Fixed a glitch in the Tutorial Panel.

• Resolved several issues causing items to disappear from the player’s container.

• Fixed a bug where the scaffolding "ghost" (blueprint) could not be placed on the Launchpad in Co-op.

• Resolved issues with teleporting and missing cutscenes in the Intro Base.

• Fixed a bug where the Elevator required multiple clicks to start moving.

• Resolved an issue where the Corridor Elevator would stop working after saving and loading the game.

• Fixed a bug where the Rover’s Arm would suddenly stop functioning.

• Resolved issues with the Rover Arm’s welding tool and its interaction with the Rover's container.

• Fixed several general issues related to loading save files.

• Improved Co-op stability by fixing another set of player synchronization issues.

• Resolved an issue with the cursor getting stuck, which prevented players from clicking on UI elements.

• Fixed a bug causing textures to disappear from the Spotty in several situations.

• Resolved an issue where the Heavy Rover was unable to move after resetting.

• Fixed a compatibility bug where PlayStation controllers stopped working after the last update at all. (known bug: gamepad can't be used in lobby)

• Resolved an issue where players could start a reaction in the Chemlab without having enough storage space for the output products.

• Fixed a blocker in the Intro Base where players could exit the ITS rocket before completing all necessary quests inside.

• Fixed incorrect descriptions for Chemistry Pendrives.

• Resolved an issue where the Feedback Reporter didn’t confirm to the player that a bug report had been sent.

• Fixed some issues with the rock grabbing and the incorrect color of the pointer.

• Resolved audio glitches related to the Miners.

• Fixed a bug where Uranium Rods would disappear in Centrifuges after saving and loading the game.

• Resolved some issues with "infinite sleep" loops occurring in Co-op mode.

🗺️ Our Future Plans & What’s Next

Our commitment to Occupy Mars remains as strong as ever. Here is what we are currently focused on:

• Ongoing Hotfixes: We are continuously monitoring your reports and releasing patches to improve the overall stability of the game.

• Campaign Update 1.1.0: This will be a significant milestone focused primarily on Campaign fixes. Our goal is to resolve remaining quest-related issues while doing our absolute best to maintain compatibility with your existing save files.

📢 Join the Discussion

We truly hope that these ongoing improvements are making your experience better and will be reflected in your reviews of the game. Your feedback is what drives us forward, so please keep it coming!

• Follow us on Social Media to stay up to date with all our projects and plans.

• Join our Discord to chat directly with the developers and other colonists.

Thank you for your incredible patience and for believing in our vision of the Red Planet.

See you on Mars! 

The Occupy Mars Team

Stability Update: Patch 1.0.12 on public_testing branch 🚀

Edit: this update was now switched live to default Steam branch.

Hello Martians!

We’ve been a bit quieter than usual over the last few days, but that’s only because our team has been working tirelessly behind the scenes. We took a short break from releasing smaller daily hotfixes to focus on deeper, more complex issues that required significant code changes and more testing. The result is this larger patch, which brings a substantial number of improvements to the game.

For everyone interested in details, the whole list of fixes and improvements is at the bottom of this devlog. We also wanted you to read a few tips and information, which could be useful, especially if you are new to Mars. 

Remember to make a backup of your saves if you switch to public_testing branch.

A Quick Guide for Colonists: Knowledge is Power 🔴 We’ve noticed many reports and reviews regarding mechanics, that are explained within our built-in learning tools. We’ve even seen players change their Steam reviews after discovering where to find this information!

Before you feel stuck, please check out these resources:

• Video Tutorials: Accessible via the Escape Menu, or by pressing H, when a popup comes up. These include videos on how to handle core systems. They were designed by the people who know the game best to help you master the Martian environment.

• Tablet Knowledge Tab: Your tablet contains a massive FAQ and Knowledge Base. From building details to survival tips, it’s the guide for any starting colonist.

Important Gameplay Tips:

• The Grid System: We’ve received reports about pumps or transformers not having inputs when placed on a steel grid/ramp. This is by design. The grid itself acts as the conduit, collecting and distributing resources from beneath. You don't need manual inputs for devices placed on the grid; production goes directly into the infrastructure. To transfer resources and energy outside the grid, you have to build pump splitter and transformer. We’ve added visual updates to the models of those devices to make this even clearer.

• Safe Cooking & Experimentation: You don’t start with a list of recipes, but don’t let that stop you! You won’t lose ingredients (like water, salt, or potatoes) during experimentation if the parameters or vegetables aren't mixed right. Simply add an ingredient and click "Start Cooking" to see potential recipes.

• Organic Waste & Chemistry: To keep your Chem Lab running, remember that Composters and Trees are your best friends. Especially in the later stages, trees provide a massive amount of Organic Waste needed for advanced reactions. Remember also about resources, which can be obtained from Abandoned Outposts - those are great resources not only for building materials but everything else you need for survival on Red Planet

• Kilopower&Heavy Suit Tablets not working: this is due to a problem with next campaign mission not triggering, the campaign missions will be fixed in the next updates. This is not a bug with tablets, this is caused by not yet fixed campaign bug

• Chemlab - there’s no experience points for chemistry, every reaction is unlocked on the table, tablet only shows what’s unlocked.

Occupy Mars is a complex game, and we know the learning curve is steep. We wanted you to have fun discovering your own path to survival, but remember: you have the necessary information in the Tutorial and Knowledge menus. Even Mark Watney was using the manuals while trying to stay alive on the red planet 🙂 

We also encourage you to join our Discord server or the Steam Community. There are many veteran players there who are eager to share their tips and knowledge about surviving on Mars.

We Are Listening We want to be clear: we are still hotfixing and we aren't stopping here. We hear your voices, we see your reports, and we’re gathering all the feedback you share on Discord, Steam, and social media.

While we are unable to reply to every single message individually due to the massive volume of feedback, please know that nothing is ignored. Every report is documented and passed directly to the developers. We are working around the clock to bring Occupy Mars to the level of polish you deserve - and the state we envisioned for our 1.0 launch.

Changelog 1.0.12

⚠️ Critical and major Fixes

• fixed issue with Rover folding after load

• fixed issues with missing Rover after load

• fixed few cases of freezed tablet

• fixed few cases with broken saves

• fixed some cases of blocked interactions when having full inventory

• fixed Rover teleport issue in single player mode

• fixed Rover destroying hangar

• fixed issue with disappearing items when crate is open

• fixed issue with driving Truck

• fixed missing missions on UI issues

• fixed issue with build lantern quest after load

• fixed recognition of waste tanks on Chemlab

• fixed issue with Rover's arm stopped working after load

• fixed issue with invisible Rover's trailer in hangar screen after save/load

• fixed end game screen

• fixed case with disappearing truck

• fixed ATV mission blocker

• fixed bug with player under terrain after processing food / cooking

• fixed empty ui after decoding chemistry pendrive

• fixed medium solar panel not completing mission to build solar panel

• fixed Anti-meteor Missile Launcher not working on grid

• fixed coffee in pepper seed magazine

• fixed resetting quad causes player to fall under the terrain

• fixed issue with ATV reset 

• deleted point tracker in chemistry tab

• fixed main menu buttons disappeared after leaving coop game

• fixed issues with water bottles on Chemlab

• fixed wrong mission translation in french

• fixed broken lightning after driving inside Olympus

• fixed possibily to get out of training terrain and have no option to get back to base

• fixed truck's flickering screen

• fixed items from training area disappearance after load

• fixed some cases with disappering food and magazines from machines

• fixed desynchronization in sleeping animation lenght

• fixed too long weather effect

• blocked possibilty to load rocks on truck while quad is parked 

• Truck driving fixes

• fixed antenna locked for 0 hours

• fixed issues with loading batteries from socket

• fixed powering ITS

• fixed uranium centrifuge progress after load

• fixed kilopower from destroyed introbase came back after load

• fixed supply drop under the terrain

• fixed quests with workshop devices and cables (broken if player built devices earlier)

• fixed issue with rover crashing the game

• solved problem with driving rover using remote controller

• fixed problem with drone bugging the game in case of landing on a truck

• Added dynamite (solid rocket fuel) as a product of ANFO reaction 

🛠️Fixes&Improvements

• fixed problem with building battery pack expansion on grid after grinding

• fixed lightpoles placing

• fixed partially underground outpost and floating solar panels

• fixed invisible terrain after load in dome

• fixed missing standby panel in 3 in 1 tank

• small translation fixes in: NL, FR, EN

• fixed spacing in the text in Knowledge Base

✨ Features

• added rubber to loot

• increased amount of electricity from Large Solar Panel

• increased visibility of tutorial popup for better accessibility

• added dust effect on grid floors

• added modified model of devices on grid (pipes/cables going from socket to grid)

Keep your fingers crossed for us, and thank you for being such a supportive community. We’re in this for the long haul!

See you on Mars! 

The Occupy Mars Team

Hello, Martians!

Update: Patch 1.0.7 is Live! 🚀

We’re not slowing down! Our team is consistently pushing out updates to ensure your Martian experience is as smooth as possible. We are fully committed to addressing your feedback and squashing the remaining bugs. Patch 1.0.7 is now live!

What’s in this update (Changelog 1.0.7): 

• fixed an issue where parts of Spotty (the robotic dog) could fall under the floor or remain stuck inside objects, preventing progress.

• rocks processed in the Rock Crusher or gathered by the Miner will now yield chemistry-related elements.

• fixed issues with connecting water and electricity in the Workshop mission.

• fixed a bug that prevented players from completing  food source mission.

• fixed a bug with the Truck mission

• fixed some issues with Save Games not loading in both Single Player and Co-op modes.

• implemented a partial fix for players getting stuck in container screens or various other UI menus.

• the second stripe on the backpack now correctly displays the player's health level.

• resolved a soft-lock occurring during the truck-related objectives.

• resolved issues with overlapping dialogue lines during campaign sequences.

• implemented some physics changes to theTruck to improve handling and stability.

• fixed a critical bug where unloading resources from the Miner could lead to the destruction of the Rover.

• resolved issues where the Rover’s trailer would become unresponsive or move only in one direction.

• fixed "Merging Objects" UI issues where elements would overlap, making the interface hard to read.

• improvements for Chemlab items, chemical elements, and substances resulting from reactions.

What’s coming in the next versions?

We are already shifting our focus toward the next milestones. Our primary goals include:

• Campaign & QoL Improvements: More fixes for campaign progression and various Quality of Life enhancements based directly on your suggestions.

• Bug Squashing: Continuous efforts to eliminate issues reported by the community.

• Cooking Recipes: QoL changes

  Pro Tip: Remember, you don’t lose any vegetables or elements when experimenting at the Cooking Table. Feel free to experiment—it’s the only way to discover new recipes!

• Chemistry Tech Tree: Adjusting the order in which certain recipes appear to improve the progression flow.

The Road to Version 1.1.0

Our plan is to release Version 1.10 as soon as possible. Keep your fingers crossed for us! The whole team is grinding to improve the game based on your invaluable feedback.

Thank you for your incredible patience and for being the best community a dev team could ask for.

See you on Mars! 

Occupy Mars Team

Hello, Martians!

Quick Update: Patch 1.0.5 is Live! 🚀

We’re keeping the momentum going! Our team is still pushing hard with daily hotfixes because we’re fully aware that there are still bugs to squash. Patch 1.0.5 is now live, focusing on stability, quest flow, and some much-needed rebalancing.

What’s in this update:

• Chemistry Rebalance (Chlorine): We’ve significantly increased Chlorine availability. It should now drop in larger quantities and can be found in Silicon and Aluminum rocks as well.

• Vehicle Stability: We’ve implemented a fix for the Heavy Rover and Truck sinking into or falling through the terrain.

• Spotty Parts: We’ve partially resolved the issue with missing parts for Spotty in case of save/load. Note: We’ll be further refining this in the next update to ensure it’s 100% solid.

• Quest & UI Fixes: Fixed several cases of the problem with Truck’s location shifting unexpectedly during missions. We’ve also cleaned up several missing icons and small UI glitches.

  Note: the problems with target points may still occur, subsequent patches will fix next cases of this bug

• Co-op Improvements: Addressed several desync issues and problems occurring during save loading in multiplayer sessions.

What’s coming in 1.0.6?

We know some of you are still experiencing issues with saving or loading specific game states. We are already testing Patch 1.0.6, which is dedicated to fixing these remaining save-related bugs.

The plans for next builds include:

• Crushers & Miners: Integrating the new mechanics to allow chemical element extraction directly from these machines.

• Campaign Overhaul: A series of fixes for campaign quests that should resolve the majority of reported progression blockers.

We're aiming to get 1.0.6 into your hands as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience and for being such an incredible community!

See you on Mars! 

Occupy Mars Team

Hello, Martians!

Quick Update: Patch 1.0.4 is Live! 🚀

As we mentioned before, our team is working around the clock to address the most pressing issues you've reported since the 1.0 launch. We’ve just deployed Patch 1.0.4, which focuses on stability and some of the more frustrating inventory bugs.

Here’s what’s new:

• Inventory Restoration: We’ve fixed the bug that caused items to disappear from your Heavy Rover’s inventory when loading old saves. Note: We are still investigating a separate issue where items may disappear from the container attached to the Rover and another one with Rover falling into the ground. Please be cautious with that specific storage for now.

• Chemistry Fixes: We’ve likely resolved the issue where Chemical Elements were not properly saving in their designated inventory boxes.

• Campaign & Polish: 

  • Fixed several blockers in the Campaign mode.

    Note: There are still several other blockers, we are fixing them already.

  • Fixed various missing translations and tooltips.

  • Adjusted volume levels for certain voice messages and notifications that were either too loud or too quiet.

What’s next?

Our work doesn't stop here! We are already preparing another patch. We will release it ASAP. We want to ensure that fixing one thing doesn't accidentally break another—Mars is harsh enough as it is!

The upcoming hotfixes we're working on include a rebalance of the Chemistry Tech Tree (replacing nitrogen with chlorine in aluminum rocks, increasing element yields from drilling, and reducing construction costs). We are currently hard at work on implementing element extraction from crushers and miners, along with more campaign fixes and a solution for vehicles sinking into the ground. We realize chemistry isn't to everyone’s taste, but we’re doing our best to make the experience as smooth as possible.

Thank you for your patience and for constantly sending us your feedback. It helps us make the game better every single hour. Once again, we would like to sincerely apologize for any issues this major update has caused and assure you that we are doing everything in our power to address the reported issues. It means a lot to us that despite our mistakes, you are still with us.

See you on Mars!

Occupy Mars Team

Dear Martians,

We worked for the whole Sunday and the New Patch v1.0.4 is now available on public_testing branch on Steam! We didn't have time to test everything in it, but if no major issues are found it will be switched as the new default build.

Changelog:

• Fixed issues with saving the position of target points and items in campaign mode

• Fixed issues where players were unable to access Heavy Rover's inventory from an old save.

• Fixed missing translations in some places (re-downloaded translation sheet)

• Fixed audio message from ITS-3 on Olympus

• Fixed readability of alerts on pop-up tips

• and more!

This is just the beginning of many improvements, features and QoL updates we are planning to add to the game. Stay tuned, and thank you for playing! 🚀

Hello, Martians! 🔴

Updated message from HQ:

Hotfix v1.0.4 is now live on public_testing branch!

We worked for the whole Sunday and the New Patch v1.0.4 is now available on public_testing branch on Steam! We didn't have time to test everything in it, but if no major issues are found it will be switched as the new default build very soon. Meanwhile you can play it on public_testing (you can change it in Steam preferences).

Changelog:

• Fixed issues with saving the position of target points and items in campaign mode

• Fixed issues where players were unable to access Heavy Rover's inventory from an old save.

• Fixed missing translations in some places (re-downloaded translation sheet)

• Fixed audio message from ITS-3 on Olympus

• Fixed readability of alerts on pop-up tips

• and more!

This is just the beginning of many improvements, features and QoL updates we are planning to add to the game. Stay tuned, and thank you for playing! 🚀

Mission Status: 1.0 Launch & Immediate Technical Update

Let’s be direct: the 1.0 launch and the initial hotfixes haven't been as smooth as we intended. In the final push for the 1.0 release, the complexity of the project combined with our small team size meant that certain issues slipped through the cracks.

We’re not here to make excuses – we’re here to fix them. We love this project and we’re determined to make it the Martian experience you expect. Our team is currently operating at full capacity to address your reports and stabilize the build. We believe sincerity is what you, as the community expect from us now.

Current Development Priorities

Campaign & Quests - a fix is currently in internal testing and will be deployed as soon as it's verified.

Vanishing Rover Inventory - the culprit has been found, we are resolving this lissue now.

Container Issues we've found the cause and we're preparing fix.

Resource Balance (Chlorine) We hear your feedback regarding the Chlorine grind. We are looking into a quick adjustment of building requirements and other solutions. For the upcoming builds, we also plan to increase yields and redistribute Chlorine across more rock types and, if this is possible for a quick implementation, adding elements for spawning in crushers. We'll be informing you about details

• Pro-tip: Remember that the Spectral Detector Tier 2 allows you to check rock compositions, which is vital for efficient resource gathering in the current balance.

Vehicles Stuck in Terrain we've found the cause and we're preparing quick fix aims to stabilize vehicle physics and prevent clipping issues upon loading.

Our Strategy Moving Forward

We are pushing hotfixes as fast as we can safely verify them. Our priority is clear: fix "game-breaking" issues first. Once the foundation is solid, we will immediately move on to balancing tweaks and general polish.

We’re hotfixing the game as fast as we can to get it where it needs to be. Keep the feedback coming; we are listening and we are working.

Thanks for your continued support and for reporting everything you find. You can find us here and on our Discord server.

Occupy Mars Team

🚀 Martians — the day has finally come! 🚀

After years of development and an incredible journey through Early Access, Occupy Mars: The Game officially launches today in version 1.0. What started as a shared dream almost a decade ago has grown into a full-fledged game — shaped by passion, perseverance, and your feedback every step of the way.

Below you can see a summary of how far we’ve come — both since the last major update and since entering Early Access. Version 1.0 brings a huge amount of content and systems together, including expanded chemistry with complex reactions and rare minerals, new plants: hazelnut, soy, and coffee, advanced grid-based and vertical building, cooking with dozens of recipes, new buildings such as the large solar panel, the ITS rocket, and even Spotty, your robotic companion on Mars. This release represents the vision we’ve been working toward for years.

For those who want to dive deeper into the details, you can find the full changelog under the link below, covering all changes, improvements, and additions made since the last major update.

With the release of version 1.0, we’ve reached the end of the roadmap as we planned it, everything we promised has been implemented and delivered. This does not mean we’re stepping away from the game. The full release opens up entirely new possibilities for us, both in terms of future content and further development directions. We plan to keep supporting the game with fixes and patches whenever needed, and we have plenty of ideas for how Occupy Mars can continue to grow. There is also a lot of content that was not part of the original roadmap, but which we would love to add to the game.

🛰️What’s behind us and what’s ahead of us?

When it comes to leaving Early Access, there are generally two common approaches. Some teams pair the transition to version 1.0 with a major content update, while others wait until development naturally slows down and move to full release alongside a smaller QoL-focused update after years of iteration.

From the beginning, our goal was to follow the first path. Looking at our roadmap, the final planned features — such as Spotty, the Chemistry Tree, and Grid-based building systems — came together at this stage of development, making it the right moment to move to version 1.0. With all promised content now delivered, we can shift more focus toward optimization, gamepad support, and quality-of-life improvements, many of which come directly from years of community feedback. We remain fully open to suggestions, and reaching full release gives us a clearer foundation for planning what comes next.

👕 Official Merch Shop by Tilt

Thanks to our cooperation with Tilt, we have recently launched an Official Merch Shop! If you ever wanted an Occupy Mars Mouse Pad, T-shirts and Hoodies or Floor Mat, they are now available. This is handled externally, so our team remains 100% focused on the game.

Merch shop

This is the most important milestone on our long road to Mars — and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who played, reported bugs, shared feedback, and believed in the project. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Now… it’s time to land on Mars. 🔴🚀

See you on the surface! — The Occupy Mars Team

🛰️ Occupy Mars – Incoming Transmission

Hello Martians! 🌕

The long-awaited moment has finally arrived — Occupy Mars: The Game is now live in Version 1.0! After years of development and refining the experience based on your feedback, we’ve reached the end of our roadmap and delivered the full vision of the game. From performance boosts and co-op refinements to new systems like expanded chemistry and the arrival of Spotty, this update marks our biggest milestone yet. Below you’ll find the full changelog — the complete list of all fixes, features, and improvements that make the 1.0 experience our most stable and content-rich version to date. Get your habitats ready, check your oxygen levels, and enjoy the full Martian survival experience solo or with your friends in coop mode! 

🚀 Features

• added new research tree - chemistry

• added 24 recipes for chemistry reactions

• added Spotty the robot companion

• added ITS Rocket for building

• added grids with a system with a convenient wireless system for storing energy, water, oxygen, and methane, and powering small outdoor buildings

• added vertical grids

• added new building - Large Solar Panel

• reworked and expanded introbase campaign

• added new quests for storyline

• added cooking table with cooking mechanics

• added 37 food recipes

• added new plants - soy, hazelnut and coffee (coffee and pizza on Mars? Why not!)

• added new resources for chemistry mechanics

• added possibility to build multiple heavy rovers in coop

• added miners in coop mode

• added hacking antennas in coop

• added trailers in coop

• added fuses mechanics in coop

• added airlock synchronisation in coop

• added crushers in coop

• added ramps for ITS building

• added tutorials for new features

• added signs limit in the ingame chat

• added the effect of burnt land around landing capsule

🧰 Fixes

Critical issues

• fixed problem with launching the game in offline mode

• solved the issue with disconnect when trying to save game

• fixed several bugs that caused items to vanish from containers

• fixed a bug with items vanishing from material boxes

• fixed an issue where clients were disconnected with a "lobby closed" message while the host's game was loading

High 

• fixed several problems with rover driving

• solved the case when client doesn't have exit screen when host leaves the game

• fixed not refreshing status bar on UI

• fixed problems with coop games while client uses Starlink devices

• fixed problem with game crashing at the start while music still playing

• fixed several cases of interactions blocking while picking up ready-to-load rocks

• solved an issue with truck charging

• fixed an issue with suit batteries vanishing when taken from the battery rack

• fixed several saving problems

• solved problem with Audio AI voice is not working

Normal&Low

• fixed less severe pump station UI problems

• fixed several cases of "No translation found" bug

• adjusted the volume levels for circuit box notifications

• fixed problem with incorrect cursor after talking with governor

• fixed overlapping 'search' option in tutorial section

• fixed problem with overlapping tooltip on the tablet screen

🪲 Known Bugs

• There is a bug that makes finishing the introbase impossible (hotfix on the way) FIXED

• there may be issues with water or electricity desynchronisation between players  in multiplayer in rare cases, especially on grid

• rare cases of disconnect for clients when host loses connection while playing or with joining/rejoining of clients

• player can’t disconnect if host doesn’t accept invitation in public game

We are planning to fix those issues in the next hotfixes. The standard solution for the most bugs is to save your progress and restart the game. In coop mode the whole team should restart the game. Verifying game files also usually helps with many problems. Check if you have any mods - probably just after update it may not work properly.

In case the problem is not listed here, please report it via in-game F4 reporter (leaving contact so we can reach you in case of need) or send save and log, with the description of the problem to:

[email protected]

Stay tuned for the next news and the release.

As always, thank you for your incredible feedback, reports, and support! ❤️

See you on Mars!

Yours Barely Alive ( ;) ) Occupy Mars Team

Transmission end. 📡

Hello, Martians! 🔴

We have a two announcement for you today.

🚀 Global Release Time 🚀

Below you’ll find the global release time map for Occupy Mars: The Game. The release happens at the same moment worldwide, but for your convenience we’ve included approximate local times for different regions — so you can easily see when the game unlocks for you.

📅 v1.0 Launch Live Stream: 7PM CET, January 30, 2026 🚀

We’ll celebrate the release together, talk about our long journey to Mars, eat some pizza 🍕, show what’s new in the game, and hang out with members of the dev team. This is a huge milestone for us — and we’d love to celebrate it with you. ❤️

Before release we will publish full changelog and devlog with summary and our plans for the future.

See you on the Red Planet,

Occupy Mars Team

Hello, Martians! 🔴

📅 v1.0 Release Date: January 30, 2026 🚀

We have come a long way

• May 2023: Early Access Launch 🚀
• August 2023 - Exploration Update: 35+ new features, 2 new vehicles, Heavy Suit.
• January 2024 - Nuclear Update: 20+ new features, Events system, Supply Drops.
• August 2024 - Anniversary Update: 60+ new features, Launchpad, Decorations.
• December 2024 - Winter Update: Infinite Technologies, Rover Map, Hangar Rework.
• November 2025 - CoOp Update: Online Multiplayer & complete rework of core systems.

🚀 v1.0 is all about CONTENT

Coming in v1.0 (January 30th):

• Spotty the Robot: Feeling lonely in single player mode? A friendly robot dog companion will be available to help you on your journey! 🐕🤖
• Chemistry Tech: The Chemlab and advanced Chemistry technologies will finally arrive, adding a new layer of depth to crafting and survival. ⚗️🧪
• Vertical Grid Buildings: The long-awaited scaffolding grid system is here! You will finally be able to build vertical structures and complex bases exactly how you imagined. ▦🏬
• Multiplayer Polish: Weather sync, remaining vehicles, and technologies in the co-op mode. 👩‍🚀👨‍🚀
• Campaign Mode: We are finally bringing all features and technologies together into an improved campaign that you can complete. 🚀

👕 Official Merch Shop by Tilt

Dear Martians,

We are happy to announce that we have just released a new hotfix update addressing the most urgent issues you have reported. We hope these changes will improve your gameplay experience. Some of the problems may still occur, but we continue to collect your feedback and are already working on further updates. In the What’s New section you can also read about our initial plans moving forward.

🚀 Changelog - Update v0.240.7

• Fixed problems with unlocking technology blueprints from drop events

• Fixed incorrect durability info of blowtorch after fixing the tool on workbench

• Fixed problem with weather occuring once again after loading save created during dust devils

• Solved the problem with weather effect sound that didn't end

• Fixed some cases of blocked interactions after picking up pickable

• Fixed several cases of blocked interactions after picking up a ready to load rock

• Fixed sabatier/tank grinding issues

• Fixed broken external oxygen fill indicator

• Solved issue with game client stuck on screen "The Lobby has been closed(...)"

• Fixed problems with gamepad that was inactive in coop lobby

• Added simplified Co-Op Lobby UI

Known issues:

• Launching the game in offline mode (without internet connection) still causes the playfab login issue.

🧑‍🚀 What's next?

Work is well underway on our next major content drop, and it’s shaping up to be a big one! We are currently focusing on the Chemistry system, Spotty, and the new Grid Building system. Additionally, we are working hard to enable the remaining missing technologies in Co-Op mode.

Stay tuned, Colonists!

The Occupy Mars Team

P.S. our friends from Drago Entertainment just released v1.0 of their Winter Survival, so there's a promotion bundle available for those who want to try it:

🛰️ Incoming Transmission from Mars

Dear Martians, 🌕

We are very happy to announce that we have just released a new update for Occupy Mars: The Game!

This update brings the co-op mode to the main branch — it’s no longer limited to playtest participants! From now on, every player can team up with friends, build colonies together, and explore Mars side by side. This build is now live for all players on Steam, EPIC and GOG!

But that’s not all — this update also introduces numerous fixes, optimizations, and new features available to single-player explorers as well.

You can find the full list of changes in the separate post - v0.240.2 changelog linked below:

Thanks for feedback 💝

Over the past months since the initial co-op beta playtest launch, we’ve been collecting your feedback, analyzing reports, testing, iterating, and reworking multiple systems to make the co-op experience smoother, more stable, and enjoyable.

It took time — we know you’ve been waiting patiently — but we truly believe we’ve now reached a point where Occupy Mars feels better than ever.

Before we move on, we want to say a huge thank you to the amazing group of players who helped us by sharing their feedback and testing different co-op versions over the past months. Without you, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Your comments, bug reports, and suggestions were an invaluable help in shaping this update and improving the overall experience. This game is being built for you — and together with you. That’s the core philosophy of our studio, and we want to emphasize it clearly: Without your support, we simply wouldn’t be here.

Thank you to all the anonymous heroes who spent their time testing, reporting, and helping us make Occupy Mars better since the original beta announcement. ❤️

Crossplay 🎮

Another great piece of news:

We’ve also enabled cross-platform multiplayer! 🌍

That means Steam, Epic, and GOG players will be able to explore, build, and survive together, regardless of where they bought the game.

Grab your friends — no platform boundaries anymore!

Discount 🎁

And we’ve got one more great piece of news to celebrate this release! 🎉

We’re launching a special discount – 38% off Occupy Mars: The Game!

Check your regional store to see the exact price in your currency — it’s the perfect moment to invite your friends and start your Martian colony together. 🌕

This update finally opens the doors of Mars for everyone, so there’s no better time to join the mission! 🚀

There's also a new collaboration bundle: Occupy Mars with Astronomics!

What’s next? 🧪🤖

We’re not taking a vacation just yet!

Our next goal is to deliver the content promised during our Kickstarter campaign, including the long-awaited Chemistry and Robotics Update.

There are still a few features we’d like to polish and add to the co-op system, but our focus is now shifting toward expanding content, gameplay and adding brand-new mechanics.

Keep your fingers crossed — it’s going to be an intensive and challenging time, but we hope to surprise you (in a good way!) with our timing. 😉

Stay tuned for more updates, and as always — thank you for your trust, patience, and amazing support!

See you on Mars, The Occupy Mars Team

📡 End of transmission.

🛰️ Occupy Mars – Incoming Transmission

Hello Martians! 🌕

Our next update is just around the corner — and it’s a big one! We’ve been working hard to refine both the single-player and co-op modes since the first co-op beta release, addressing your feedback, boosting performance, and expanding gameplay features.

Below you’ll find the changelog — the full list of fixes and improvements going live with this update.

Get your habitats ready, check your oxygen levels and prepare for a smoother, more stable experience!🚀

🚀 Single / Coop Features

• Rework of driving model for ATV and Motocross.

• Added Bigger Inventory I and II technologies that allow players to print boxes for rocks and building materials. Boxes expand Player’s inventory.

• Changed Blueprint unlocking rules to allow the player to choose one from three blueprints.

• Jetpack no longer prints with fuel (methane and oxygen) inside the bottles.

• Improved general responsiveness of in-game interactions.

• Implemented Heavy Suit Hydraulics feature: faster movement and reduced damage from falling.

• Improved visual quality of weather effects.

• Reworked building damage calculation from meteorites - first meteor hit always leave building at least 1 HP so player has time to react and repair the structure.

• Added safer electrical unplugging method for vehicles.

• Improved vehicle suspension system.

• Added front indicator to inventory box ghost.

• Added Rover tracks when player drives in 3rd person view

• Added numerical percentage tipper load indicator in the lower left corner of the crane screen in Rover.

• Added new particles to the Air Compressor.

• Added dirty variants for Outpost decorations to enhance realism.

• Added dust accumulation on loot found in Outposts.

• Blocked building devices on pickups in interior structures.

• Made the Small Board inventory icon smaller.

🤝 Co-op Features (including the ones from the beta version)

• Added multiplayer online Co-op game mode

• Added cross-platform play service integration between Steam, Epic Games and GOG.

• Added the feature to load and create CO-OP games from the Main Menu Load Panel.

• Implemented in-game Chat functionality.

• Implemented the possibility to create Private Lobbies that are not visible in the search list.

• Implemented reconnecting system that prevents players from loosing the game session in many cases

• Implemented player inventory synchronization for improved stability.

• Added new ID system to ensure consistent player handling in co-op sessions.

• Introduced Playfab Party integration for a more reliable multiplayer backend.

• Added autosaving feature in case of disconnection and loosing the game session

• Reworked entire Power, Water, Oxygen, and Methane system to decrease the risk of values desynchronization between players.

• Enabled connection status messages for players joining co-op sessions.

• Added synchronization for oxygen usage from buildings, backpacks, and life support systems.

• Enabled synchronization of bottle filling from control panels.

• Integrated synchronization systems for the heavy suit.

• Implemented co-op support for centrifuge mechanics.

• Implemented  loot spawning system for Outposts.

• Added synchronization for cable animations.

• Introduced co-op version of the technology tree.

• Added the functionality to indicate which player currently uses or last used a specific vehicle.

• Added different colour for building’s ghosts placed by different players

• Added a Discord button/link to the search screen.

• Highlighted the 'Load Game' button on the starting lobby screen.

• Added the possibility for players to drop their inventory in a box upon leaving the game (as an option to choose while creating lobby).

• Added the option to vote on technology selection using keyboard shortcuts.

• Enabled automatic decoration unlocks at co-op game start.

• Developed an enhanced authority management system for co-op sessions.

• Added essential co-op information panel/pop-up for players.

• Implemented new, more friendly UI for co-op and other game modes in the main menu.

• Implemented handling for various network disconnection scenarios.

• Added partial synchronization of avatars for non-friend players.

🧰 Single / General Fixes

• Solved multiple issues of blocking interactions with objects.

• Fixed multiple cases of issue preventing the game from being saved.

• Fixed several cases of game crashes.

• Fixed multiple problems related to sleeping, including players getting stuck in a sleep loop or stuck on the "Saving..." screen.

• Solved the problem with the player being blocked after setting the sleep timer.

• Fixed several crashes cases that occurred during game launch.

• Switched off tesselation on RTX 30XX series cards to prevent framerate drops (player can switch it on manually).

• Fixed miner allowing to unload resources into a container that was already full.

• Fixed problem with pin’s colours disappearing on the map.

• Fixed issue where dust devils could affect the player even when inside a warehouse.

• Fixed several Workbench issues.

• Fixed issue where the game would freeze on the graphics preferences window.

• Fixed several issues with items disappearing from ATV crates after saving and restarting.

• Optimized LODs and fixed missing materials in cracks.

• Fixed issue with clothing items duplicating unexpectedly.

• Fixed issue with double rock spawning caused by terrain generation system.

• Fixed weather effects being visible while the player was inside.

• Fixed issue with night vision not turning off properly.

• Fixed missing home button on the tablet interface.

• Fixed incorrect estimation of sleep duration.

• Fixed edge case where player had access to night vision despite not unlocking it.

• Fixed missing rock drilling particles from other players.

• Fixed issue where some rocks lacked physics.

• Removed small levitating object from the environment.

• Partially fixed issue with duplicated broken ATV / Quad.

• Fixed issue with Big Crusher exploding when player drives Rover into it.

• Fixed problem with broken Main Menu UI after exiting coop lobby using ESC.

• Fixed problem with missing unload information on the Crusher.

• Fixed issue with player falling under the map in introbase.

• Fixed problem with unloading the uranium from the Mars Truck on the Big Crusher.

• Fixed issue where a lightning strike during a storm could kill the player inside the base including Greenhouse.

• Fixed issue with the player being able to destroy the hangar by resetting the rover.

• Fixed bug with campaign quests if the player picked up the Waste Tank using Control + Right Mouse Button.

• Improved speed of loading the save list in Single Player mode when the number of saves is high.

• Fixed Undetectable semi-truck (tipper) rover issue.

• Fixed incorrect slot numbering for workshop structures.

• Fixed missing black backpack in player customization.

• Improved visibility of PCB parts on zoom screen.

• Solved problem with player being unable to build antennas on the grid.

• Fixed issue where light from a closed hangar was visible outside.

• Fixed problem with wrong building slot indicator.

• Fixed issue with the player who can interact with the fuses even though the hatch is closed.

• Fixed compass showing wrong direction on the HUD.

• Fixed minor typos in the Knowledge Base (English version) and several other places in multiple languages.

• Fixed minor bugs related to the inability to interact with or reach elements of damaged Outposts.

• Fixed problem with players being unable to leave the bathroom in the abandoned base.

• Fixed issue with Light in building without electricity (after load).

• Fixed issue where a box levitates after grinding the platform under it.

• Fixed issue where the collar of the old airlock hangs in the air after destroying an airlock.

• Fixed the issue with notification spam if player is hit by a meteorite when sleeping.

🧑‍🚀 Co-op Fixes

• Fixed issue with Inventory in Starting Capsule which does not synchronize between players.

• Solved the issue where a circuit board being repaired on the workbench would disappear.

• Fixed multiple cases of desynchronization between players when joining the game.

• Solved the problem with bottle filling (Water/Oxygen) not working.

• Solved the problem with ATV crates not working.

• Solved the problem with packet transmission between players (data downloading issue).

• Solved rare case where player was stuck in a loop after attempting to sleep while jumping.

• Fixed multiple cases of black screen and prefab errors (including freezing) when starting a session or joining a server.

• Solved numerous cases of players being thrown to the skybox after attempting to join or start a game.

• Solved numerous problems resulting in "index out of range" errors.

• Solved several connection issues where player could not connect or immediately after being disconnected from the host/server.

• Solved the issue where player was stuck in the sleeping animation loop after both players went to sleep.

• Solved crash issues when player left the game lobby during session setup.

• Solved the problem with players getting stuck in workbenches.

• Fixed bug with players forced to look at specific direction.

• Solved the problem where EXP gain was duplicated depending on the number of players.

🪲 Known Bugs

• Specific and rare case of broken oxygen growth indicator if player who joins the game is in different place than the host or players exchange their saves manually (as stated below, save and restart helps)

• Rare cases of blocking the interaction with seed machine or Food Processing Unit when player has full animation on in Options and clicks in rapid manner (as stated below, save and restart helps)

• Rare cases of reappearing broken ATV in both coop and single games

• Problems with missing patches on the shoulder

• ATV may stuck in the air if player is disconnected when the vehicle jumps

• Several cases of “no translation found” bug in popups (but tutorials are still available in ESC menu)

Those should be fixed in the next hotfixes. The solution for co-op bugs is to save your progress and restart the game, in some cases the whole team should restart the game. 

In case the problem is not listed here, please report it via in-game F4 reporter (leaving contact so we can reach you in case of need) or send save and log, with the description of the problem to: [email protected]

Stay tuned for the next devlog and the update release.

As always, thank you for your incredible feedback, reports, and support! ❤️

See you on Mars!

Occupy Mars Team

Transmission end. 📡

📡 New Transmission from the Headquarters

ERA management message:

Pioneers,

🚀 Update Incoming – Release on November 7th!

We’re excited to announce that on November 7th, 2025, we’ll be releasing an update for Occupy Mars!

This is one of the most important milestones in the game’s development – especially for the co-op mode, which has been our main focus in recent months.

🔧 What’s New

🧑‍🚀 Co-op Mode:

• numerous stability and synchronization fixes,

• new content – additional buildings and technologies available in co-op,

• new features, including:

  • an in-game chat,

  • private lobbies and improved friend joining system.

This update takes co-op gameplay to a whole new level, making teamwork and base building on Mars more enjoyable than ever before. However, some buildings and vehicles are still missing in this co-op update, we will add them as soon as they are ready.

🧍 Single Player Improvements

We haven’t forgotten about solo pioneers! 👩‍🚀 While reworking the co-op systems, we also introduced several improvements and new features for the single-player experience (some of them are available also in coop):

• ability to choose which blueprints to unlock when progressing through the tech tree,

• new driving model for small vehicles (including mid-air control),

• new technologies and resource containers,

• and a long list of smaller, but highly requested quality-of-life improvements.

❤️ Thank You

We know it took some time — but we made it and co-op is finally going to the default Steam branch!

This update wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing community: all the players who helped us test the co-op mode, reported issues, and shared their feedback.

We truly appreciate your patience, dedication, and support. Your contribution has been invaluable in shaping the future of Occupy Mars. 🙏

🪐 What’s Next

After this release, we’ll be heading toward our final major milestone – delivering the remaining promised content and preparing the game for full release.

Remember to visit our social media, DISCORD and Steam Community

Keep your fingers crossed, and see you on Mars!

Stay tuned, Colonists! – Occupy Mars Dev Team

Transmission end.

📡 Incoming Transmission from the Field

Colonist Report:

Pioneers,

Thank you for all the feedback! After the launch of the co-op playtests we received an incredible amount of reports and suggestions across reviews, ingame reporter, Discord, Steam Community and email. We’re hard at work analyzing them and pushing forward.

What’s Next?

We’ll most likely split the coop content into more than one update. We are planning to release patch with fixes and smaller features as well as another pack of unblocked technologies and buildings.

Here’s what’s already incoming (some of those affect both single player and coop):

• 🏍️ New driving model for quad and motocross – auto-camera, in-air position adjustments, easier landings.

• 📜 Player's choice of blueprints – choose 1 of 3 blueprints to unlock technologies.

• 📦 Bigger inventory technologies - unlock boxes for rocks and building materials.

• 🏗️ More buildings and technologies enabled in coop - more and more features from single player enabled in coop mode.

• 🌐 Better stability & reconnects, plus private co-op game options.

We are also reworking some core systems under the hood. This groundwork will allow us to expand the game further, by adding, among other things:

• Multiple Rovers - new system will allow players to build more than one Heavy rover, both in coop and single player mode 🚀

• Autosaves at fixed intervals 💾

• Weather system upgrade ☁️

Those features will not be implemented in the first patch, but will come with the full co-op update once they’re ready.

Behind the Scenes

Our whole team recently gathered to discuss the long-term vision, roadmap and lessons learned from the co-op launch. It was an intense but productive meeting – we came out aligned, optimistic and focused. While co-op remains our main task, we’re also paving the way for the Chemistry Update and Robotics Update.

A Word to Our Community

Whole team is focused on delivering updates to the game. Remember – you can always send us your suggestions and ideas for what you’d like to see in the game. Every submission is reviewed, and many of them end up in the game. We’re making this game with you and for you. Without your feedback, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We’re lucky to have such a passionate, dedicated community.

Stay tuned, and keep those fingers crossed for us. Occupy Mars Team

Transmission end.

🚀 First Co-op Beta Playtest Releasing to Players

After months of testing and iteration, we’ve reached a version of the co-op mode that, while not perfect, is stable enough to be shared with players. This marks a huge milestone for the project — and your feedback and bug reports have played a critical role in getting us here. Thank you.

This release is available as a public_testing beta playtest, and we encourage all notified players interested in multiplayer to give it a try. It’s still a work-in-progress, but we believe it’s good enough to start real gameplay and stress testing.

We are already working on a hotfix update that addresses some of the most urgent known issues. We’re also preparing the next version of the update with more content and deeper systemic changes.

This build doesn’t include everything we originally planned — it’s a compromise between overall stability and the need to finally get co-op into your hands.

Over the last two years, 1,510 co-op–related tickets have passed through our tracker — covering bugs, suggestions, and task implementations. What you see in this devlog is only a small slice of what separates the last public version from this current co-op beta.

In parallel, we’ve also worked through a large number of general improvements unrelated to multiplayer — including crash handling, graphics quality, stability, performance and other foundational systems.

Many of those additional tasks are still in progress. Some of the things we’re building now won’t be visible until a month, two, or three from now.

Thank you for your trust, feedback, and ongoing support. Let’s keep pushing this mission forward — together.

The Occupy Mars Team

🔧 How to Join and Host Co-Op Sessions

To access the Co-op Beta, you need to switch your game branch to public_testing on Steam. Important: If you haven’t previously signed up for the beta or participated in pre-EarlyAccess playtests, the co-op mode will not be working for you unless you sign up for the Occupy Mars: Co-Op Playtest button.

How to activate the first co-op playtest:

Dear players! We’ve got a handful of announcements for you today.

🛰️ July Update – Co-Op & Countdown

💡 Heads up, Astronauts!

🎁 Kickstarter backer?

🎉 Amazing Discounts!

Co-Op Devlog: Tech Tree is In, Fixes Continue, and Steam Sale Live! 🌱🛠️

Hello Martians!

We’re back with another devlog to keep you in the loop as we continue improving and expanding Co-Op mode. There’s some great news this time — a long-awaited feature has finally made its way into the game… and it changes a lot!

🧪 Co-Op Tech Tree is Now Functional

We’re happy to confirm that the Tech Tree now works in Co-Op mode — and it’s a game changer! Players can now earn experience and unlock new technologies together, but it also revealed how many systems are interconnected — scanning, drilling, growing plants, recycling, and even sleeping can all impact tech point generation.

We’ve already implemented the core synchronization and fixed several edge cases — like points only going to the host, or desynced XP values between players. We’re still refining balancing and interactions, but overall… it's working, and it’s fun!

This also means Co-Op is feeling more like a full-featured game mode now — not just a sandbox playground.

🔧 Fixes & Progress Update

We’ve addressed a broad range of issues in the past week, including:

• Stuck players after respawn or save/load scenarios

• Invisible players, broken interactions or ghost items

• Desynced incubators, plants growing at different speeds

• Issues with grinding, planting, or harvesting mechanics in multiplayer

• Camera bugs, incorrect UI states, or “skybox” glitches

We’re still working on polishing more subtle bugs — like occasional desyncs with cables or panels not updating correctly for all players. Some systems are being reworked to better support Co-Op logic long-term.

🛰️ Co-Op Rollout Plan

We’re inching closer to opening up multiplayer testing to more players. Once internal builds reach the stability we’re aiming for, we’ll begin inviting groups to participate in public tests. As before, Co-Op will eventually launch as a free update for all owners of the game.

Steam Sale – 40 % Off Right Now! 🔥

The Steam Sale is live, and Occupy Mars is currently 40 % off. If you’ve been thinking about grabbing the game — or gifting it to a friend you’d like to explore Mars with — now’s the perfect moment.

Thanks for Following the Mission 🚀

Every week we’re getting closer to completing the Co-Op upgrade. It’s a lot of work behind the scenes, but your feedback, patience and enthusiasm make it absolutely worth it.

We’ll be back soon with more news — stay safe, stay curious, and keep watching the Red Planet.

– Occupy Mars team

Co-Op Devlog: Solid Progress, System Fixes and One Step Closer

Hey Martians! 👋

Our internal Co-Op testing is steadily moving forward, and we’re excited to share the progress with you. While developing multiplayer for a complex sandbox like Occupy Mars is no small feat, we’re seeing real momentum — and this build brings us another big step closer to public testing.

🔧 Key Systems Polished in This Build

This week’s internal update focused on stability, synchronization, and multiplayer logic across various systems. Here’s what we’ve improved:

🛏️ Sleep system stability: We fixed many edge cases involving sleep mechanics — progress not triggering, incorrect max durations, interruptions caused by low oxygen/water despite having enough, and camera or UI issues during interactions.

💾 Save/load reliability: Improved spawn positions, inventory loading, session syncing, and addressed bugs with saves not overwriting properly.

🔌 Cable & pipe syncing: Floating plugs, desynced cables, blocked interactions — now cleaned up and syncing correctly between host and clients.

🧰 UI & interaction fixes: ESC/menu/board interactions work reliably again. No more getting stuck while configuring setups or trying to accept requests.

🌐 Multiplayer connection stability: Better handling of joins, rejoins, and complex in-game actions like simultaneous saves or crash-recovery. More reliable all around!

🔧 Still in Progress

We’re still fine-tuning a few of the trickier bugs:

• Plug and connector desyncs in very specific scenarios

• Rare disconnects when 3rd player joins or rejoins

• UI issues during rapid saving or loading by multiple players

🛰️What’s Next?

Once we’re confident in the build’s stability, we’ll invite small test groups to help us stress test the systems in real-world gameplay. When ready, Co-Op mode will be released as a free update for all existing Occupy Mars players.

Thanks for Your Support 💛

We’re nearly there. Thanks for being patient while we build a rock-solid multiplayer experience. See you on Mars (with your crew) soon!

Occupy Mars team

Hello, fellow Martians! 👨‍🚀👩‍🚀

Co-Op Progress Update: Major Fixes & Internal Testing 🚀🔧

What’s Happening Right Now? 👨‍💻👩‍💻

Top Priority Fixes We've Made So Far 🛠️

When Will Players Get Access? 🧪

What Else Will Be Included? 📦

Thanks for Your Patience ❤️

Hello, fellow Martians! 👨‍🚀👩‍🚀

Survive. Build. Explore. Together. 🎮

Join Our First Co-Op Stream! 🚀

Become a Co-Op Beta Tester! 🛰️

Special Co-Op Celebration Discount! 🔥

What’s Next?

Dear Martians!

• Fixed energy calculation issue affecting big bases with complicated energy grids.