Satisfactory: Core Values, the game’s first paid expansion, has no release date as of October 13, 2026. Coffee Stain announced it on September 29, and a developer interview reportedly said it will not arrive in 2026. However, nothing confirms a 2027 release. The expansion takes your factory underground and unlocks at HUB Tier 3. Meanwhile, the Steam page lists the same PC specs as the base game: 8 GB of RAM minimum, 16 GB recommended and 20 GB of storage.
Summary: Satisfactory Core Values
- Release date: none yet. A developer interview reportedly said not in 2026, and nothing confirms 2027.
- Price: not announced.
- Platforms: PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- Unlocks at: HUB Tier 3, after the Space Elevator. The expansion needs the base game.
- PC specs: Steam lists 8 GB RAM minimum, 16 GB recommended and 20 GB of storage, the same as the base game.
- Not confirmed: release date, price, final specs and a formal save compatibility statement.
What Core Values is
Coffee Stain revealed Core Values at the Big Break Showcase on September 29, 2026. The studio describes it as a major expansion, and it is the first paid content for Satisfactory. In fact, every update so far, through early access and after 1.0, has cost nothing.
In short, your factory goes down instead of out. Specifically, pioneers drill into the crust of the planet and build an underground factory network with new resources, production lines and buildings. In addition, the announcement promises a new narrative, new biomes, new creatures, and what Coffee Stain calls a friendly-looking feline.
Two official details matter most for planning:
- You can move between the surface and the underground. The studio says that once you unlock the underground, you can travel between the two with ease.
- You can switch between stories. You can jump between the main story and the DLC story at your own pace.
Meanwhile, the studio says the base game will keep receiving regular updates on all platforms while Core Values is in development.
Release date, price and platforms
To start, here is what the studio and its store pages actually confirm as of October 13, 2026:
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Announcement | September 29, 2026, Big Break Showcase |
| Release date | No date yet. The trailer ends with a vague later date |
| Release year | A Big Break interview reportedly said not in 2026. The studio has named no other year |
| Price | Not announced |
| Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PS5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Console timing | A team member reportedly said consoles and PC will launch at the same time |
Some release trackers claim a confirmed 2027 PC date. However, I could not find that in any official source, and the Steam page still shows no date. Therefore, treat 2027 as a possibility, not a promise.
The console listing is also thin. In fact, the Xbox and PlayStation stores did not list the expansion when the wiki last updated on October 8, so the console details come from the studio’s statements instead of store pages.
How you unlock it and what happens to your save
The expansion activates once you reach Tier 3 of HUB research, after you build the Space Elevator. That point comes early in the game, so you do not need to finish the base story before you go underground.
Save compatibility is less settled. According to the Satisfactory wiki, a Coffee Stain team member said in the community Discord that existing saves will work with the expansion, as long as they come from the latest version of the game when Core Values releases. In addition, the same statement says nothing you built under the current map, including anything you placed there by clipping, will interfere with the space the expansion occupies.
That comes from a Discord reply, not from the official announcement, and some outlets say Coffee Stain has not yet explained how the expansion works with current saves. So the safe reading is that the studio hinted at compatibility informally but has not documented it formally yet.
As a practical tip, update your base game and back up your save files before you install any expansion. That is general good practice, not a Core Values requirement.
PC system requirements
First, the Core Values Steam page lists these Windows requirements:
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 or later, 64-bit | Windows 11 or later, 64-bit |
| Processor | i5-3570 3.4 GHz, 4 cores | Ryzen 5 5600X or i5-12400, 6 physical cores minimum |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | GTX 1650, GTX 1050 Ti, RX 470 or RX 570 class | RTX 2070 or RX 5700 class |
| Storage | 20 GB available | 20 GB available |
| Network | Internet required for multiplayer | Internet required for multiplayer |
In fact, these match the base game’s requirements line for line. That suggests the studio carried the figures over from the base game instead of setting new ones for the expansion, so treat them as a starting point that could change before launch.
Meanwhile, three common searches have clear answers:
- 16 GB of RAM: it is the recommended amount on the Steam page, while the minimum is 8 GB.
- SSD: the page does not require one. Instead, it lists 20 GB of available space and does not name a drive type. However, some third-party sites recommend an SSD for load times on large saves. That is their advice, not an official requirement.
- Cave or underground requirements: the page lists none separately.
Because PS5 and Xbox Series X|S have no public spec sheets, console players have nothing to check beyond the platform list.
What is still unknown
| Question | Status |
|---|---|
| Release date | Unannounced |
| Price | Unannounced |
| Size of the underground and how it connects to the surface | Not detailed |
| Final system requirements | Not confirmed, current page matches the base game |
| Formal save compatibility statement | Informal Discord reply only |
| Number of hours of content | Not officially stated |
One outlet mentions 400 to 500 hours of content. However, I could not trace that to an official source, so I left it out of the main text.
Tips and common mistakes
Trusting a 2027 date. A tracker that claims 2027 is confirmed has no backing from the studio. In fact, the official page still shows no date.
Treating the specs as final. They match the base game, so recheck them closer to launch.
Thinking you must finish the game first. However, the expansion unlocks at Tier 3, not at the end.
Starting a new save to wait for it. Because a team member reportedly said existing saves will work, you should not need to restart.
Assuming it is free. Coffee Stain calls Core Values a paid expansion, but it has not given a price.
To check whether your PC is ready, start with our Planet Zoo 2 system requirements guide, which shows how we lay out minimum and recommended specs. In addition, you can browse more in our Specs section. Meanwhile, for another paid expansion on the calendar, see our Dragon’s Dogma 2 Dark Arisen guide, and for a free one, see our Once Human Isles of Abyss guide.
What could change
Release timing, price, platforms and the final requirements can all change. However, everything here is accurate as of October 13, 2026, based on the announcement, the Steam page and the sources I checked. For updates, check the Steam and Epic pages and Coffee Stain’s channels.
Conclusion
Core Values has no release date, no price, and reportedly will not arrive in 2026. Still, we know it sends your factory underground, unlocks at Tier 3 and lists base-game-level PC specs. Save compatibility looks good based on a developer reply, but treat it as informal until Coffee Stain writes it down.
FAQs
Is there a release date for Satisfactory Core Values?
No. As of October 13, 2026, Coffee Stain has not announced one.
Will Core Values come out in 2027?
Nothing confirms it. A developer interview reportedly said not in 2026, but the studio has named no other year.
Do I need to finish the base game first?
No, because it unlocks at HUB Tier 3, after the Space Elevator.
Will my current save work?
A team member reportedly said yes, for saves from the latest game version at release. However, the official announcement does not mention it.
Do I need 16 GB of RAM or an SSD?
Steam lists 8 GB as the minimum and 16 GB as recommended. However, it does not require an SSD.
Is it coming to PS5 and Xbox?
Yes, the platform list includes PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and the studio reportedly said it will launch on all platforms at the same time.
For more updates visit: GAME SPEC
