The Species Unknown Stormrock update arrives on October 29, 2026, and it is the biggest update since Early Access began. It adds HGC Stormrock, an entirely new playable map, an in-game Rank progression system and Steam Achievements. To make room for those systems, WanadevStudio is resetting all progression: upgrades, credits and specimen rooms return to zero, and only avatar and shuttle cosmetics stay. As of October 28, 2026, the studio has not published the patch notes, the launch time, the achievement list or the way HGC Stormrock unlocks.
Summary: Species Unknown Stormrock Update
- Release: October 29, 2026, with no launch time announced.
- New map: HGC Stormrock, a playable environment with a different feel from the first map.
- Rank system: each rank brings new challenges and objectives.
- Achievements: Steam Achievements arrive for the first time.
- Reset: upgrades, credits and specimen rooms reset, while avatar and shuttle looks are kept.
- Souvenir: players from the first year unlock an exclusive suit emblem.
- Not published: patch notes, the achievement list and unlock rules for the map.
What Is the Species Unknown Stormrock Update?
Species: Unknown is a co-op survival horror game for one to four players from WanadevStudio. You complete high-risk missions aboard an abandoned ship while an unknown creature hunts you, and you upgrade your gear to face each new threat. The game has been in Steam Early Access for about a year.
The Stormrock update is the biggest content drop so far. The studio says it will introduce a brand-new in-game progression system and, most importantly, an entirely new playable map called HGC Stormrock. Adding them required reworking some underlying systems, which is why progression resets.
The studio’s Steam announcement frames it as a good time to return. It describes a new environment to explore, new objectives to pursue and a whole new progression to build. You can read the post in the official Species: Unknown Steam announcements. The update was delayed once, since the map was first planned for summer 2026 and later moved to October.
Release Date and Time for US Players
WanadevStudio confirmed October 29, 2026 for the Stormrock update. The studio has not announced a launch hour. Its latest post only says that a few days of work remained before opening the doors to HGC Stormrock.
The team is based in France, and its earlier posts use Paris time. If the update follows that habit, this table shows how Paris time converts to US time on October 29, when Paris uses standard time and most of the US still uses daylight time.
| Paris time (CET) | Eastern (EDT) | Central (CDT) | Pacific (PDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 AM | 5:00 AM | 4:00 AM | 2:00 AM |
| 2:00 PM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:00 AM |
| 6:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 9:00 AM |
These are conversions, not announcements. Check the Steam hub or the game’s news button on October 29 for the real hour, and update through Steam before you launch. For another co-op horror game with a seasonal update, see our The Other Side Halloween event guide.
What Resets and What You Keep
The reset is the part players ask about most. The studio explained it in a September 17 post, and it repeats the warning in the update’s announcement. Adding the rank system and achievements means the team needs everyone to start from zero, so you can unlock the new challenges and Steam achievements.
| Item | After the update |
|---|---|
| Upgrades | Reset |
| Credits | Reset |
| Specimen rooms | Reset |
| Avatar cosmetic configuration | Kept |
| Shuttle cosmetic configuration | Kept |
| First-year emblem | Unlocked for players from the first year |
Studio staff describe it as Early Access doing Early Access things. They also say it is a chance to rediscover the game with fresh eyes. A community discussion adds that the team does not want players with maxed gear to take the new map lightly, but that is a player’s explanation, not the studio’s statement.
The exclusive emblem is a thank-you for people who played during the first year. It appears on your suit. The studio has not said how it checks eligibility, so play at least one session before the update if you want to be sure.
HGC Stormrock: What We Know About the New Map
Here is what is confirmed. HGC Stormrock is a new playable map with a completely different vibe, according to the studio’s September post. It brings new situations, new challenges and plenty to discover, and the team calls it a true new environment.
The studio deliberately shows very little. It shared a teaser video and a few glimpses, and it says it does not want to spoil the experience of discovering the map for yourself. A community guide that predates the update expects a snowy planet, but that guess is not an official description.
What is not published:
- The map’s layout, size or sectors
- New creatures or objectives
- Contract types that appear there
- Whether the first map remains playable
Because the first map’s contracts are still listed in the older guides, expect the original ship to stay in the game, but confirm on launch day. Our guide will add map details once players publish verified information.
How to Unlock HGC Stormrock
The studio has not said how you unlock the new map. Its posts call it an entirely new playable map and do not mention a requirement. Therefore, any guide that lists an unlock rule before October 29 is guessing.
What we can say:
- Update the game on October 29. The map arrives with the major update.
- Start a new save state. The reset puts everyone at the beginning.
- Check the mission or contract menu. A new map has to be selectable somewhere, and that is where you will see it.
- Read the rank screen. The rank system is the studio’s new progression layer, so any gate would most likely appear there, but that is our inference.
We will update this section after the launch.
Rank Progression System
The in-game Rank progression system is the second headline feature. The studio says it offers a different way to progress through Species: Unknown. Each rank introduces new challenges and objectives, which encourages you to approach missions from different angles, experiment with the game’s mechanics and add variety to every run.
Here is what the studio has not said:
| Question | Status |
|---|---|
| How many ranks exist | Not published |
| What each rank unlocks | Not published |
| How you earn rank progress | Not published |
| Whether ranks gate the new map | Not announced |
Because the system is built on challenges, expect it to track what you do in missions. That is a reasonable reading of the studio’s description, not a confirmed rule.
Steam Achievements
Steam Achievements are one of the game’s most requested features. The studio confirmed they are coming with the major update, and it calls them new goals to chase and challenges to complete. The team says the reset exists partly so everyone can unlock them.
The studio has not released the list. That means any achievements list you see before launch is a guess. Once the update is live, the Steam achievements page for the game will show the official list, and it should reveal how many exist and which ones are hidden.
Patch Notes for October 29
No patch notes exist yet. As of October 28, the studio has only published the announcement. The last patch notes were version 0.25.1, which fixed an exploit that let cheaters spawn arbitrary items, and the team said it was still working on other cheating problems.
Expect the full changelog on the Steam hub when the update goes live. Until then, treat the following as confirmed: the new map, the Rank system, Steam Achievements and the reset.
Mods and Public Lobbies
The Stormrock update arrives in a period when the studio restricts mods in public games. Since update 0.25, public lobbies lock if you have mods installed, even if they are disabled. Solo play and private games still work with mods.
The studio explains that unsupported mods create bugs and reveal unfinished work. It plans to reopen public lobbies to modders later, at version 1.0 at the latest, with filters so players can choose whether to join modded games. To join public games again, remove mods, and follow the studio’s Known Issues and Solutions document.
How to Prepare for the Reset
- Play a final session. The first-year emblem is a souvenir for players who played before the reset.
- Spend what you want to spend. Credits and upgrades will reset.
- Record your cosmetics. Avatar and shuttle looks are kept, but a screenshot helps.
- Remove mods if you want public lobbies. The lock applies whether or not they are enabled.
- Gather your squad. The studio says to invite friends who were waiting for the right moment.
Common Mistakes and Clarifications
- Expecting to keep upgrades. Only avatar and shuttle looks stay.
- Trusting an achievements list. None is published.
- Searching for an unlock rule. The studio has not announced one.
- Assuming a launch hour. Only the date is confirmed.
- Leaving mods installed. Public lobbies stay locked.
Conclusion
The Species Unknown Stormrock update lands on October 29, 2026 with HGC Stormrock, a Rank system and Steam Achievements. Your upgrades, credits and specimen rooms reset, while your cosmetics stay. Check the Steam hub for the launch hour and patch notes, and come back as the community documents the new map.
FAQs
When does the Stormrock update release?
It releases on October 29, 2026. WanadevStudio has not announced a launch hour.
What is HGC Stormrock?
It is a new playable map that the studio calls a completely different environment.
Will my progress reset?
Yes. Upgrades, credits and specimen rooms reset. Avatar and shuttle cosmetics are kept.
What is the new Rank system?
It is an in-game progression system where each rank brings new challenges and objectives. The studio has not published the details.
Are Steam Achievements coming?
Yes. They arrive with the Stormrock update, and the list is not published yet.
Can I play public games with mods?
No. Public lobbies are locked if mods are installed, but solo and private games still work.
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