THE SHORT ANSWER
The May 7 Rust update adds customizable workbench upgrades that provide unique bonuses and visual changes, a mortar weapon requiring binoculars for indirect fire, tin can alarms that can now hold grenades and other throwables, a redesigned vending machine interface with skin selling and order reordering, a permanent Crypt stone building skin, and an official Discord shop offering 20% off pre-2026 DLC through May 21. Quality-of-life changes include power requirements for computer stations, grenade animation fixes, and monument building zone corrections.
- Nine non-craftable workbench upgrades with distinct bonuses and visuals can be mixed and matched
- New mortar deployable fires anti-personnel or anti-structure shells over long distances using binoculars for ranging
- Tin can alarms now accept nine trap payloads including F1 grenades, molotovs, bee grenades, and flashbangs
- Vending machine UI redesigned with built-in inventory management, individual skin sales, and drag-and-drop order reordering
- Official Discord shop launches with 20% off all pre-2026 Steam Item Store DLC until May 21
Workbench Upgrade System
Workbenches now support nine unique upgrades that players must find in the world — they cannot be crafted. Each upgrade applies a distinct bonus and changes the workbench's visual appearance. Bonuses stack when multiple upgrades are installed, letting players tailor benches to their playstyle. Because upgrades are rare and non-replaceable, losing a fully kitted bench to a raid carries more weight than before.
Mortar Deployable
The mortar is a ground-placed artillery piece functionally similar to cannons but built for indirect fire over long distances. There is no aiming reticle; players must use binoculars to estimate elevation and adjust through trial and error. Each shot produces recoil that shifts the mortar's angle slightly, and a built-in dispersion factor means shells land in a variable radius. Two ammunition types exist: one optimized for player damage, the other for structural demolition. The weapon fills a niche between close-range siege tools and long-range rocket fire.
Tin Can Alarm Payloads
The tin can alarm retains its tripwire trigger but now accepts a loaded item that gets ejected when the wire is tripped. Supported payloads: F1 grenade, molotov, bee grenade, beancan grenade, flashbang, smoke grenade, supply signal, flare, and firecrackers. This turns a simple noise maker into a configurable trap layer for base entrances, monument chokepoints, or interior corridors. The alarm can be deployed anywhere, including inside monuments.
Vending Machine UI Overhaul
The administration page has been rebuilt with a built-in inventory panel for rapid order creation. Sellers can now list individual skins rather than only bulk items, and existing sell orders can be reordered via drag-and-drop instead of deleting and recreating them. The purchase page received visual polish but no functional changes. The update addresses long-standing friction for high-volume shop operators.
Discord Storefront and Limited Sale
Facepunch launched an official Rust shop inside Discord, the second game to use the platform's native commerce features. From May 7 through May 21, all Steam Item Store DLC released before 2026 is discounted 20 percent. The sale is described as experimental with no plans for regular recurrence; future promotions would only cover older items. Purchases deliver directly to the buyer's Steam inventory. The Crypt stone building skin also released this month as a permanent store addition for stone-tier structures.
Notable Fixes and Adjustments
Computer stations now require electrical power to function. Third-person grenade throw animations have been corrected for consistency. The Floating City boat vendor now stocks modular boat parts and a cheaper DPV. Monuments with multiple no-build zones now display each zone correctly. Road signs now spawn properly at Outpost, Junkyard, and Water Wells monuments.