Facepunch Studios has launched a new premium server system in Rust, aimed at reducing the number of cheaters and improving the overall player experience. To access these premium servers, players must have at least $15 worth of Rust-related items in their Steam inventory. While the move is intended to create a more secure and fair environment, it has sparked debate within the community.
What Are Premium Servers?
Premium servers function similarly to standard servers but impose a financial barrier to entry. By requiring players to have a Rust inventory value of at least $15, the system aims to deter cheaters who typically use low-cost or disposable accounts. This approach is designed to make it more expensive for bad actors to repeatedly rejoin the game after being banned.
Pros of Premium Servers
- Reduces Cheaters and Ban Evasion: By introducing a monetary requirement, it becomes harder for cheaters to continuously create new accounts after being banned.
- More Secure Gameplay: Players looking for a fairer experience may appreciate a lower likelihood of running into hackers and exploiters.
- Supports the Game’s Economy: Encouraging players to own Rust-related items could potentially increase engagement with in-game cosmetics and skins, benefiting the game’s ecosystem.
Cons of Premium Servers
- Barrier for New or Casual Players: Players who do not trade skins or buy cosmetics may be locked out of these servers unless they invest in the game’s economy.
- Not a Guaranteed Fix: While it raises the cost of cheating, determined cheaters could still find workarounds, such as using stolen or purchased accounts.
- Economic Disadvantage for Some Players: Players in regions with weaker currencies may find it more difficult to meet the $15 requirement.
Community Response
The Rust community is divided on this new feature. Some players welcome the initiative, seeing it as a much-needed step to curb cheaters and improve server integrity. Others argue that it creates an unnecessary financial barrier, effectively gating part of the game’s experience behind a paywall.
As the system rolls out, it remains to be seen whether these premium servers will deliver a noticeable improvement in gameplay quality or if Facepunch will need to adjust the system based on player feedback. For now, Rust’s latest move represents another attempt to tackle one of the game’s longest-standing issues
