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As of October 16, 2026, RimWorld 1.7 is available on Steam’s unstable beta branch, while the public main branch remains on 1.6 according to Ludeon’s October 12 announcement. Ludeon says 1.6 saves load on 1.7 and 1.7 saves can be opened again on 1.6. It also says the vast majority of mods work on 1.7 without author changes, but that is an aggregate assurance rather than a guarantee for every mod list, load order or save.
If your colony is important, make a manual backup, record your active mod list and decide whether you want the low-risk public branch or the early 1.7 test. A yellow “potentially unsupported” label can be caused only by the version-number change, yet a mod’s current Workshop description and author notes remain the right source for a specific compatibility decision.
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What version is RimWorld on right now?
Ludeon’s October 12, 2026 update announced RimWorld 1.7 and placed it on Steam’s unstable beta branch. The public main branch was still 1.6 at the time of that announcement. This is a dated status, not a permanent rule: once Ludeon promotes 1.7, the branch names and the safest choice for a cautious player will change.
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| Choice | Who it suits | Compatibility trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Public main branch (1.6 in the October 12 announcement) | Players who want the public release and the least beta-related risk | You do not opt into the unstable 1.7 build; the status can change when Ludeon moves releases. |
| Unstable branch (1.7 in the October 12 announcement) | Players who want to test the new engine early or report issues | You gain early access, but each important mod and mod combination still needs checking. |
Historical Steam version-1.5 branch |
Players who deliberately stayed on 1.5 during the previous transition | This was July 2025 guidance for the 1.5-to-1.6 change, not the current 1.6-to-1.7 branch status. |
Will a 1.6 save load on 1.7?
Yes, Ludeon states that 1.6 savegames load on 1.7. It also states that a save made on 1.7 works if you return to 1.6. That two-way statement is specific to the 1.6/1.7 transition and should not be generalized to every historical or future version change.
“Loads” means the game can open the file; it does not promise that every modded system will behave identically. A save may depend on a mod that fails to initialize, changes its data format, or is missing from the active list. Before testing a beta, copy the save outside the normal save folder, keep the original mod order, and use a clearly named test copy. Never let an experimental session overwrite the only copy of a long-running colony.
What to back up
- Your latest save and at least one earlier autosave or manual save.
- A text record or screenshots of the active mod list and its order.
- Any scenario, custom xenotype, ideology or other locally stored content your colony uses.
- A note of the current game branch so you can reproduce the working setup.
Will every mod work on 1.7?
No blanket guarantee exists. Ludeon says the “vast majority of mods work on 1.7 without any changes from the authors.” That is encouraging, but it is not a compatibility database and does not establish that a named mod, a particular version, or a specific load order is safe.
For a mod that matters to your colony, open its current Steam Workshop listing and read the author’s supported-version information, changelog and comments. Check whether dependencies are present and whether the author calls out a required update. A mod can appear broadly compatible while still conflicting with another mod or with a feature used by your save.
Why does a mod say “potentially unsupported” in yellow?
Ludeon explains that some yellow warnings are metadata-only: the game version number changed, so the launcher marks the entry “potentially unsupported” even when the mod’s code has not changed. The warning is therefore a prompt to verify, not proof that the mod is broken.
Do not dismiss every warning automatically. If the mod is central to your colony, check its live listing and author notes, then test a copy of the save. Look for red errors, missing-def messages, objects that fail to load, or a colony that behaves differently after the transition. Those symptoms require troubleshooting even when the yellow label was caused only by metadata.
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How to switch to the unstable 1.7 branch in Steam
The exact labels can change as Steam and Ludeon revise their branches, so compare what you see with the October 12 announcement before proceeding. The general Steam path is:
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Right-click RimWorld and choose Properties.
- Open the Betas tab.
- Use the beta participation menu to select the unstable branch identified for 1.7.
- Close the Properties window and let Steam download the branch files.
- Start RimWorld, confirm the displayed game version on the main menu, and verify that your expected mods are enabled.
- Load the duplicated test save first. Keep the original branch and backup untouched until the test is complete.
If the 1.7 option is absent, do not infer that your installation is damaged. Ludeon may have promoted the build, renamed a branch or closed enrollment. Check the current announcement and Steam’s branch list rather than selecting an unrelated beta.
How to remain on the public 1.6 release
In the cited announcement, simply staying on the public main branch meant remaining on 1.6. Open Properties → Betas and confirm that you have not opted into the unstable 1.7 branch. Steam’s menu may label the public choice as no beta or as the default branch.
Branch status is time-sensitive. If 1.7 later becomes public, the default branch will no longer be 1.6. At that point, use only a branch that Ludeon explicitly provides for 1.6; do not invent a branch name from an old guide. Before changing anything, note the current version shown by Steam and by RimWorld’s main menu.
How RimWorld mod version support is declared
Ludeon’s technical guidance explains why a single Workshop entry can support several game versions. In a mod’s About.xml, the author can list multiple supported versions. The mod can also place version-specific Defs, Assemblies and Patches in directories named for the target version, while other files in the base directory remain shared as described in that guidance.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThis is an authoring mechanism, not evidence that a particular mod has been updated. Players should rely on the mod’s current metadata and documentation. If an entry lists both 1.6 and 1.7, that indicates the author declared support; it does not test every combination of dependencies, DLC, load order and existing save data.
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What a player can infer from the metadata
- A listed 1.7 version is stronger evidence than a generic yellow warning.
- A missing 1.7 declaration is a reason to read the author’s notes and test cautiously, not automatic proof of failure.
- Version-specific folders allow different code paths, so identical Workshop files do not necessarily mean identical behavior on 1.6 and 1.7.
- Compatibility claims apply to the author’s stated versions; they do not cover an unlisted fork or an obsolete local copy.
A safe update procedure for a modded colony
- Record the baseline. Write down the current game version, branch, DLC, active mods and order. Capture the mod list before Steam downloads another build.
- Make independent backups. Copy the newest save and an older fallback save to a location that the game will not overwrite.
- Separate testing from play. Use the unstable branch only with a duplicated save. Keep the public branch available if your schedule depends on the colony.
- Check high-impact mods first. Prioritize frameworks, libraries, combat overhauls, world-generation tools, custom storytellers and anything that changes save data.
- Launch with the smallest useful test. Start the game, inspect the log and main menu, then load the test copy. Do not begin by committing hours to a new campaign.
- Exercise the systems that matter. Recruit or draft pawns, open inventories, use modded work bills, visit a map edge, trade, save and reload. A menu opening successfully is not a full compatibility test.
- Stop on structural errors. If the log reports missing assemblies or definitions, or if objects vanish, quit without saving over the original and identify the responsible mod or dependency.
- Decide using evidence. Keep the branch only after the test copy survives the actions your colony needs. Otherwise return to the public branch and restore the known-good save.
Troubleshooting common update failures
The game will not start or returns to the desktop
Confirm that Steam finished downloading the selected branch and that the main-menu version matches your expectation. Then disable recently changed mods in a copy and test the base game or a minimal, documented set. A missing dependency, outdated assembly or incompatible framework commonly prevents the menu from loading. Re-enable additions in small groups so the first failure identifies a suspect rather than producing an unreadable pile of errors.
The menu loads, but the save refuses to open
Verify that every mod used by the save is still enabled and that its dependencies are present. Compare the recorded order with the current order. Try the earlier backup on the same branch; if it opens while the newest file does not, the problem may be save-specific rather than a universal branch failure. Do not overwrite the only copy while experimenting.
The save opens but content is missing
Look for red errors and messages about missing Defs, textures, assemblies or packages. A mod may have changed an identifier or may not support the branch despite the general 1.7 compatibility statement. Return to the prior branch with the original backup, consult the author’s current notes and wait for a targeted update if the affected content is essential.
Performance changes after moving to 1.7
Ludeon describes the Waylith Engine as delivering a 2–4× performance improvement in its own tests. It reports a 2.2× improvement in a late-game colony comparison between 1.7 and 1.6 and gives an example in which a 1,500-mod pack loaded in six minutes instead of 14. These are Ludeon’s results, not independent benchmarks; the company cautions that individual results vary by PC and mods. More than two dozen modders helped test 1.7 preparation, which improves confidence in the process but cannot cover every setup.
Measure your own baseline: record load time, map-generation time, simulation speed in a busy colony and memory use before changing branches. A faster engine cannot compensate for a mod that throws repeated errors or for a load order that is no longer valid.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the 1.5-to-1.6 transition teaches
Do not reuse the previous transition’s rules as if they governed 1.6-to-1.7. Ludeon’s July 2025 guidance specifically said unmodded 1.5 saves would load in 1.6 and warned that mods not updated for 1.6 would not work there. It also described a Steam version-1.5 beta branch for players who wanted to remain on 1.5.
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The newer 1.7 announcement is more reassuring: it directly covers saves in both directions and says most mods need no author changes. The difference in wording matters. “Unmodded” in the older advice is narrower than the 1.7 statement, and neither announcement proves safety for every modded save in every future release.
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What changed in point release 1.6.4850?
In a June 8, 2026 post, Ludeon said version 1.6.4850 “should be compatible with all savegames and mods.” The accompanying changelog noted removal of old backward-compatibility code that had caused issues with mods. Treat that assurance as applying to 1.6.4850 specifically, not as a promise covering all later point releases or the 1.7 beta.
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch back from 1.7 to 1.6?
Ludeon says 1.7 saves also work when you go back to 1.6. Use a backup anyway, because a particular mod or experimental change can create problems even when the base-game save format is supported.
Should I trust a yellow unsupported warning?
Treat it as a verification prompt. Ludeon says the version-number change alone can produce the warning, but the mod’s current listing and author documentation determine whether your specific setup is supported.
Is the unstable branch appropriate for a main colony?
Only if you accept testing risk and maintain independent backups. Players who need predictable play should remain on the public branch identified by Steam and Ludeon at the time they update.
Where can I get a definitive compatibility list?
No universal list is established by the official announcement. Compatibility depends on the game branch, mod version, dependencies, load order, DLC and save. Check each mod’s current Workshop metadata and author notes, then test your own copied save.
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