RimWorld 1.7 moves the game from Unity to the Waylith Engine, an in-house engine from Ludeon Studios, and the studio says performance improves by 2 to 4 times in its tests. You can try it now on Steam’s unstable beta branch, while the main branch stays on version 1.6. Your 1.6 saves load on 1.7, and 1.7 saves work if you go back to 1.6. However, Ludeon has not announced a date for 1.7 to reach the main branch, and it adds no new gameplay content.
Summary: RimWorld 1.7
- Announced: October 12, 2026, by Ludeon Studios.
- Engine: Unity is out, and the in-house Waylith Engine is in.
- Speed: 2 to 4 times faster in Ludeon’s tests, and 2.2 times in a late-game colony.
- Mod loading: a 1,500-mod pack dropped from 14 minutes to 6 minutes.
- Beta access: Steam, Properties, Betas tab, “unstable” branch.
- Saves: work in both directions between 1.6 and 1.7.
- Main branch date: not announced.
What RimWorld 1.7 and the Waylith Engine Are
Update 1.7 is an engine swap, not a content update. Ludeon built the Waylith Engine itself, and RimWorld is the first game to run on it. According to the official announcement, the game looks and plays exactly the same as before.
Because nothing about the gameplay changes, you will not find new events, factions or items here. Instead, the update targets speed. Ludeon says startup, game load time with big mod lists, map generation, world generation and ticks per second all improve.
The studio also teased a bigger plan. At the end of the post, Ludeon says RimWorld is not the only game on Waylith and that it is working on something new. No details exist yet, so treat that as a tease and nothing more.
RimWorld 1.7 Performance Boost: The Numbers
Ludeon shared a few figures from its own testing. Remember that these are the studio’s results, and the post says your results may vary with your PC and mod list.
| Test | Result on 1.7 |
|---|---|
| General performance | 2 to 4 times faster |
| Late-game stress test colony | 2.2 times better performance |
| 1,500-mod pack load time | 6 minutes, down from 14 minutes |
The post describes the late-game test as a way to picture a colony with 40 colonists, 200 ducks and more than 100 mods running smoothly. That example matters more than the headline multiplier, because large colonies are where RimWorld slows down the most.
However, a lighter setup may see a smaller gain. If you play a small colony with few mods, you are probably already running well, so the change may feel modest.
How to Join the RimWorld 1.7 Unstable Beta on Steam
Joining takes less than a minute. Follow these steps:
- Open your Steam library.
- Right-click RimWorld and choose Properties.
- Open the Betas tab.
- Choose the branch named unstable.
- Restart Steam if the game does not update automatically.
- When Steam asks, choose Play 1.7 Unstable.
The main branch is unaffected, so anyone who does not opt in stays on 1.6. To return later, go back to the Betas tab and choose the option that opts out of betas. That is standard Steam behavior, and Ludeon’s post does not spell it out.
If you find a bug, Ludeon asks you to report it on the official RimWorld development Discord. The announcement mentions Steam only, so it does not say whether other platforms get a beta.
RimWorld 1.7 and 1.6 Save Game Compatibility
This is the part most players worry about, and the news is good. Ludeon says you do not need to do anything when switching. Your 1.6 saves load on 1.7, and 1.7 saves also work if you go back to 1.6.
Still, a beta is a beta. Therefore, I suggest copying your Saves folder before you test, especially for a long-running colony. That backup is my advice, not Ludeon’s, but it costs you almost nothing.
In addition, keep your play sessions consistent. If you move a colony between versions often, you make it harder to tell which version caused a problem.
Mod Compatibility and Loading Times
Mods are the reason most people play RimWorld, so this section deserves attention. Ludeon says the vast majority of mods work on 1.7 without changes from their authors.
Some mods may show up in yellow as potentially unsupported. This only happens because the version number changed, so a yellow warning does not mean the mod is broken. Meanwhile, authors can clear the warning by testing their mod and publishing a version marked as 1.7-compatible.
Here is how that looks in practice:
| Situation | What it means |
|---|---|
| Mod shows in yellow | Likely fine, but the author has not marked it 1.7-compatible yet |
| Mod works normally | No action needed |
| Mod acts differently from 1.6 | Report it, because Ludeon asks modders to use the development Discord |
Over two dozen modders tested RimWorld on Waylith before the announcement. As a result, early compatibility should be better than a typical engine change. Even so, test your own load order, because every modpack is different.
Waylith also helps modders in three ways, according to the post. They can use the latest C# language features, write complex mods with less risk to performance, and build big visual changes or custom effects more easily.
RimWorld 1.7 PC System Requirements and Vulkan
Ludeon has not published new minimum specs for 1.7, and its announcement says nothing about Vulkan. As of the latest update, the only hardware warning is this: if your PC is more than 10 years old, 1.7 may not run on it.
If that happens, Ludeon asks you to tell the team on the development Discord, because it may be able to make changes to help.
For reference, third-party trackers list these minimums for the current game, based on the Steam listing for 1.6:
| Component | Minimum (current game) |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7 or newer |
| CPU | Core 2 Duo |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 4000 or another shader model 4.0 card |
| Storage | 1 GB |
Those numbers come from sites like CanIRun and SysRqmts, not from Ludeon’s 1.7 post, so treat them as the baseline until the studio says otherwise.
If you want to compare how another colony-style sim handles hardware, our Planet Zoo 2 system requirements guide shows the full minimum and recommended tiers for a modern management game.
When Will RimWorld 1.7 Reach the Main Branch?
No date exists. The main branch still runs 1.6, and the announcement gives no timeline for 1.7 to replace it. Given that, avoid any article or video that claims an exact day.
Ludeon is clearly using the unstable branch to gather bug reports first. So the date will probably depend on how testing goes, but that is a reasonable guess, not a confirmed plan.
For a comparison with another game that gave a window and not a date, see our Helldivers 2 Update 8.0 breakdown.
Should You Try RimWorld 1.7 Now?
| If you… | Then |
|---|---|
| Run a huge modpack | Try it, because load times show the biggest gain |
| Play a late-game colony with many pawns and animals | Try it, with a backup |
| Run a small modded game that already performs well | Waiting is fine |
| Own a PC older than 10 years | Test carefully, since 1.7 may not run |
| Play for a streamer or a long challenge run | Stay on 1.6 until the main branch updates |
Tips and Common Mistakes
- Back up first. Copy your Saves folder before you switch branches.
- Do not panic over yellow mods. The warning comes from the version number, not from a confirmed fault.
- Test with a short session. Load your colony, run a few days and watch for odd behavior before you commit.
- Report real bugs. Use Ludeon’s development Discord, not the Steam comments.
- Do not expect new content. 1.7 changes the engine, not the gameplay.
- Do not trust claimed release dates. Ludeon has announced none.
Conclusion
RimWorld 1.7 swaps Unity for the Waylith Engine and promises 2 to 4 times better performance, with the biggest wins in big colonies and heavy mod lists. Your saves move both ways and most mods work as they are, so trying the unstable branch carries little risk. Even so, back up your saves and keep your main run on 1.6 until Ludeon brings 1.7 to the main branch. Everything here is accurate as of October 13, 2026, and Ludeon may change details during testing.
FAQs
What is RimWorld 1.7?
It is an update that moves RimWorld from Unity to the Waylith Engine. The gameplay stays the same.
How much faster is RimWorld 1.7?
Ludeon reports 2 to 4 times better performance in its tests. A late-game colony ran 2.2 times faster.
How do I join the RimWorld 1.7 beta?
Open Steam, right-click RimWorld, choose Properties, open Betas and select the unstable branch.
Will my 1.6 saves work in 1.7?
Yes. Ludeon says 1.6 saves load on 1.7, and 1.7 saves also work on 1.6.
Do my mods work in RimWorld 1.7?
Most do. Some show a yellow warning until the author marks them as 1.7-compatible.
Does RimWorld 1.7 need Vulkan?
Ludeon has not mentioned Vulkan. However, it warns that PCs more than 10 years old may not run the update.
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