For those who do not wish to watch, I've organized everything we discuss into this fkn giant wall of text below. Enjoy, my literate fellas
The map and progression
How big is Core Values?
It is substantial, although we expect it to be smaller than the base game. As an illustration, someone who has spent 7,000 hours in Satisfactory might put another 3,000 or 4,000 hours into Core Values. That is a way of describing its scale, not a fixed playtime estimate.
Is Core Values a separate map or an extension of the current map?
Core Values is a massive underground map beneath the base game, reached through a single entry point on the surface. There will be logistics between the two maps, with limits on what you can bring underground. Trucks and trains cannot be driven down, but belts and potentially some fluids can be taken into the underground map.
When and how can we access the DLC? Is it endgame-only?
It is not endgame-only. After purchasing Core Values, you will need to complete Phase 1 in the base game. A triggering event will then announce that the expansion is available and indicate the location on the surface map where you can access the underground layer. We want it to be accessible to a large majority of players without requiring them to finish the base game first.
Does Core Values have separate progression, or is it tied to the Space Elevator?
Its progression is completely separate from the Space Elevator, with its own goals and unlocks. In the base game, the big elevator goes up; in Core Values, the big drill goes down.
So, there's a gigantic drill?
Yes. There will be a gigantic drill in the DLC.
Will there be an endgame loop?
We are still working out the details. We want Core Values to offer interesting choices in the base game too, potentially through synergies between expansion recipes and base-game recipes. Completing Core Values could therefore give you new ways to do things on the surface. We are also looking at ways to improve the endgame in both the base game and the expansion. If we improve the base-game endgame, that would come as a free update further down the line.
Pricing, platforms and release plans
Will Satisfactory still receive free updates now that a paid expansion is in development?
Yes, but Core Values is our current focus. We do not have an explicit timeline for the next free update; the priority is getting the expansion out.
Has a price been decided? Was the $10 joke a hint?
No price has been decided. The $10 comment was a joke about entry to the Big Break event, not an announced DLC price. Our focus is on making the expansion and bringing its content together before deciding what it is worth. (Sorry guys I should really stop trying to be funny)
Will the DLC release on the Epic Games Store?
Yes.
Will the DLC release on PS5 and Xbox Series X and S?
Yes.
Will it release on all platforms at the same time?
Yes.
Is there a release date?
There is no confirmed release date, and Core Values will not release in 2026. We hope to release it within a reasonable timeline.
After version 1.0, we updated FICSMAS and worked on updates 1.1 and 1.2 while also brainstorming ideas for Core Values. Prototyping began in the summer of 2025. The expansion has been in full production for most of 2026, alongside some work on 1.2. We are still early to midway through the work we want to complete. More information will be shared in future videos and livestreams.
*Emmet didn't mention this, but in my talks with our producers, roughly 90% of development time has been spent on Core Values since the release of 1.2.
Gameplay, building and the underground world
Will there be blast mining?
No.
What new mechanics can we expect?
Some mechanics will be revealed later as their gameplay becomes more solid. Thematically, Core Values uses older, more rugged technology than the base game. Rather than the refined technology of computers and supercomputers, the focus is on large chunks of ore, quarrying, spelunking and molten materials, with an underground-foundry feel.
Will there be new ways to transport resources or move the Pioneer underground?
Yes. Resources will have an entirely new logistics system, which we will discuss in more detail later. The Pioneer will also have a new way to get around, designed to suit the enclosed underground environment.
Will there be new foundations or architectural pieces?
Yes. There will also be new building modes/methods that accommodate the more limited space underground.
Will confined spaces create new building challenges?
To a degree, yes. Unlike the surface, where you can build platforms in the sky, the underground gives you a confined space to work within. However, these are not the existing base-game caves. The expansion is a separate area with differently designed caves, different lighting and diverse biomes.
Some cave-design inspiration came from Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Elden Ring, particularly spaces that feel expansive while still being enclosed. Players will have tools to make good use of the available space.
Will we be underground the entire time, or will we see the sky?
The entire expansion takes place underground. Different lighting and biomes mean it should not feel like being in a dark cave the whole time.
Does the drilled hole in the teaser mean we can terraform?
No. Core Values will not have terraforming. It would be too far removed from the base game’s gameplay and would introduce major optimisation challenges into an already complex game.
Is the map handcrafted? Is Hannah working on it?
The map is handcrafted. Hannah is not working on the expansion’s map, but is helping with narrative elements. Our two level designers working on Core Values are Ros and Marloes!
The full art team is helping with set dressing and asset creation, including Anna, Josef, Jojje, Luca and Klara. Torsten and Sofi are working on concept pieces for the different biomes. Ville, Ben, Gab and Sacha are contributing across technical art, audio and VFX to make the world feel more alive. There will be multiple underground biomes, not just the one shown in the teaser.
The cat, creatures and atmosphere
Can we pet the cat?
Yes, you can pet the cat. We are also exploring other interactions and how cats might react in a cave, so there may be more to it than petting.
Might the cat sometimes not want to be petted?
Yes. Sometimes cats want their space.
Does the cat have a name?
We have left that up to the community and are looking at the favourite suggestions. Names mentioned in the video include Bat Cat, Cave Cat, Kittyclops and cy-cat. Let us know your suggestions!
Can we turn the cat into fuel?
What's wrong with you?
Will there be a felineophobia mode that replaces cats with spiders?
We can consider it, but the answer for now is “maybe”. No such mode is confirmed.
Will there be more Stingers or other creatures underground?
Yes. There will be more Stingers and other creatures.
Is Core Values taking a horror approach? Will it be scarier than the base game?
No. We are aiming for a relaxed factory-building experience that players can enjoy at their own pace, not a horror experience. The setting and creatures could lend themselves to horror, but we do not want players who dislike those elements to have to face them.
Arachnophobia mode will still work. Creatures can still disrupt your day if passive creatures are not enabled, just as in the base game. The intention is for the expansion to be no scarier than the base game.
Music and soundtrack
Will there be new music?
Yes. The entire expansion will have new music. We are exploring what suits the underground environment, including a more rugged sound or an ’80s-inspired approach using older synths. The exact direction is still being worked on!
Can the original soundtrack play underground, or will it only use the new soundtrack?
At the moment, the underground will use only the underground soundtrack.
Existing saves and technical questions
Could buildings placed beneath the current map clash with the expansion?
Possibly? Some existing creations could clip through expansion content, depending on where they were built. The underground map is quite deep, so most builds are unlikely to reach it. It is also not beneath the Grass Fields or near the central chasm; it is quite far away from those areas.
We consider the chance of clashes fairly slim, but further playtesting and QA will help establish whether it becomes a problem.
\Jason here, adding that this is specifically for our pioneers that have built in places that we did not intend for you to build in. You do you, boo. We'll try and figure it out.*
Will there be a new item limit to account for the underground world?
We do not know yet. This needs to be checked with the technical team.
Will the expansion have new achievements?
We have not decided yet. That decision will come later, and we are interested in hearing the community’s thoughts.
Can we use a pre-existing save to play Core Values?
Yes. On a new save, the expansion’s triggering event happens after completing Phase 1. If your existing save has already passed Phase 1, including a completed game, the event will trigger after you load it with Core Values active. The example given in the video was becoming aware of the expansion around 30 seconds after loading.
Will Core Values break our current saves?
It is not intended to. The expansion is designed to be playable alongside existing saves, with access triggered once Phase 1 has been completed.
Multiplayer and crossplay
Can we play the DLC with friends?
Yes!
Does everyone need to own the DLC to play together?
The current plan is that friends who do not own Core Values can join the DLC in a session hosted by someone who does. They cannot play that content on their own without purchasing the expansion, even if they have a copy of the save. A player who has not bought Core Values will not be able to play a save containing its content independently.
We want multiplayer to remain as inclusive as possible. The dedicated-server side of this is still being worked on.
Will crossplay be available in Core Values?
Who knows? Maybe you'll just have to watch our next video..
