update · January 22, 2026
PlanetBase 2 Dev Update 04 Previews New Vehicles and Structures
The latest PlanetBase 2 development update details new automation structures, manned mining vehicles, and the return of the radio antenna. Developer Martiño outlines the infrastructure additions coming to the colony survival game.
Development on PlanetBase 2 continues to progress past foundational coding, with a new set of structures and vehicles entering the production pipeline. Update 04 introduces intermediate mining tools, early-game water and block production buildings, and familiar communication arrays from the first game.
New Resource Production Structures
Early colonies gain access to the Regolith Furnace, an exterior structure that compacts regolith into building blocks for opaque domes. For water production, the Ice Melter allows players to manually haul and melt mined ice before unlocking automated water extractors. On planets with atmospheres, the Monomer Refinery captures carbon dioxide and combines it with water using electricity to produce monomers, offering an alternative plastic production chain alongside starch-based bioplastic.
Automation and Vehicle Additions
The Harvester arrives as a manned work vehicle designed to gather surface resources like iron, ice, and silicates faster than individual colonists. This vehicle acts as an intermediate step in the mining tech tree before full automation via bots and drones becomes available.
Communication and Power Management
The Control Center receives a new Power Console dedicated to monitoring generation structures including nuclear, geothermal, and fusion reactors. Meanwhile, the Radio Antenna from the original game returns alongside a Radio Console, bringing a wider variety of events and visitors with distinct needs and rewards.
Why this patch matters
Update 04 fills out the early-to-mid-game infrastructure loop, giving players more intermediate options for resource gathering and power monitoring before automation takes over.