update · May 12, 2026

Red Rust Pioneers Development Update #9 Details MetaHumans and Building

Red Rust Pioneers marks its first anniversary with updates on Unreal Engine MetaHuman character models, a UK Games Fund grant, and cabin construction systems.

Celebrating one year since its store page launch, Rusty Robot released a development update for Red Rust Pioneers detailing new character models, funding, and the integration of homestead building.

UK Games Fund Grant

Rusty Robot received a Content Grant from the UK Games Fund earlier this year. The funding has allowed the studio to expand its development team to accelerate the creation of the frontier survival game.

MetaHuman Character Pipeline

All player characters are being rebuilt from scratch using Unreal Engine's MetaHuman technology, replacing initial prototype assets. The update includes a modular system with period-appropriate hairstyles and face presets to support an upcoming character creation system.

Homestead Construction

Following community feedback from a February Discord poll where 53 percent of players voted for homestead building, the cabin construction system has been integrated into the main game. Players can build wooden foundations, log walls with corner joints, doors, windows, pitched roofs, and porches.

Why this patch matters

Development continues to ramp up with grant funding, focusing on authentic frontier aesthetics and player-requested building mechanics.