Factorio 2.1 Arrives as the Game’s Final Major Update

Wube Software has released Factorio update 2.1, the final major update after 14 years of development, according to PC Gamer.

Final major update

Developer Wube Software revealed that update 2.1 would be the last significant patch for the factory building sim, PC Gamer reports. The studio says the release is not built around new content. Rock Paper Shotgun reports that it adds more than 30 smaller changes covering both the base game and the Space Age expansion, with no big additions to planets or tech trees.

Mixed rockets

According to PC Gamer, the main changes center on the space logistics introduced by Space Age. Rockets can now carry several different items in one launch, which makes it easier to get space platforms built. The outlet adds that platforms can also exchange goods with one another while in orbit and import items from every available location automatically.

Landing pad unloading bay

PC Gamer says Wube also added a constructable unloading bay for landing pads. Players can attach it to a pad so that inserters pull items out and set them directly onto belts or into trains. The outlet expects the addition to make interplanetary logistics somewhat easier for players who move goods between planets.

Biter overhaul

The update also reworks the Biters that attack player bases, according to PC Gamer. Expansion grouping now scales with evolution, so clearing nests is meant to be a meaningful challenge instead of a pile of tiny nests. The report adds that Biters pick more natural spots for new habitats and expand their territory whether or not the player explores the map early.

Asteroids and land mines

Rock Paper Shotgun picked out several smaller changes from the notes. Asteroid damage now depends on the asteroid's remaining health instead of its speed, which the site calls much more predictable. Land mines can serve as tripwires and enemy detectors. Players can also run Space Age without the Quality mechanic, and pumpjacks and burner miners can now be flipped as well as rotated.

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Graphics and pumps

PC Gamer reports that the patch reintroduces fluid mixing prevention and tweaks Space Age's Quality system. It also brings new graphics for assembling machines, oil refineries, rocket silos and heat exchangers. Rock Paper Shotgun quotes Wube on a new pump rendering system that connects to fluid wagons regardless of how awkward a station layout is, which PC Gamer says should ease pump setup at rail stations.

What happens next

PC Gamer says smaller patches may still come, but 2.1 marks the definitive end of development for Factorio. Rock Paper Shotgun reports that Wube will keep delivering bug fixes and support updates while it largely moves on to other prototypes and experiments. The studio told readers that it will not have anything to share about those projects for a long time.

Release date, platforms and price

• Release date: Factorio 2.1 is out now
• Platforms: PC (Windows, macOS and Linux, through Steam, GOG and factorio.com)
• Price: the update is free; Factorio costs 35.00 US dollars and the Space Age expansion 35.00 US dollars on Steam
• Where to get it: Factorio on Steam

Source: PC Gamer

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun

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