Mod support coming to Abiotic Factor as Entropic Break slips to Q1 2027

Deep Field has delayed Abiotic Factor's Entropic Break expansion to Q1 2027. The studio says the expansion needed more time to hit its quality bar, deliver on everything promised, and be something the team can be proud of without cutting corners. The delay has also let Deep Field bring Community Update #5: The Modding Update forward sooner than planned. Official mod support, integrated through mod.io, will activate on or around the update's release.

As the team continued building Entropic Break, Deep Field says it found itself putting one too many limits on its ambitions. The expansion will now arrive in Q1 2027. The Entropic Break team continues full steam ahead, while mod support is being handled by different team members and some external parties. Community Update #5's other content is intentionally light so it doesn't siphon resources from the expansion.

Community Update #5: The Modding Update is both an update and a new chapter for Abiotic Factor. When it drops, the main menu will include an in-game mod browser linked to mod.io for searching and subscribing. Downloads and installation are handled automatically. Mods will be available on PC, Xbox, and PS5, and everyone will have access to them. Mod collections are supported on day one. Joining a modded server will automatically download and enable the necessary mods on your client so you're synced up with everyone else.

The Abiotic Factor Mod Editor will be a separate free download on Windows, released alongside the modding update. You do not need to own Abiotic Factor to access the mod editor.

Modders will be able to:

• Add new items, including gear, food, plants, weapons, and gadgets.
• Add new deployables, from decorations to crafting benches.
• Add new crafting recipes.
• Override existing loot tables from containers or enemies.
• Add new enemies and pets.
• Add new types of weird entities.
• Add new buffs and debuffs.
• Add new custom animations for items, enemies, and scientists.
• Add new customization options.
• Add new traders.
• Add new or override existing skill perks.
• Add new starting traits and PhDs/jobs.
• Add new chemistry items and recipes.
• Add new weather events.
• Add new emotes.

Mods will not be able to add new levels to the GATE Cascade Research Facility or additional portal worlds, nor directly edit existing levels. They can modify data, such as what enemies spawn at existing spawn points. Mods also cannot add entirely new sandbox settings, add new gameplay settings or keybindings, and mod localization is currently not supported.

Deep Field says it would love to see new levels or sectors eventually and is investigating if and when that's possible, but calls it a very complicated process that would require enormous work to reach the quality and usability it wants. The studio will share any headway.

Existing mods are likely to be completely broken when the update launches because of under-the-hood changes. Deep Field says to uninstall your mods when the update rolls around and encourages modders to get familiar with the new tooling. Mods are by default compatible with any existing Abiotic Factor save, but depending on the mod you may want a fresh playthrough. Some mods are not guaranteed to be fully compatible with existing saves, and using caution is the user's responsibility. More information on safeguarding saves will come when the modding update releases.

Deep Field has no plans to limit external mods or stop people from doing hacky science stuff, though it hopes most work can be done with the official tools. It acknowledges advanced modders may want to work around limitations in those tools, and that's fine.

A more advanced modding FAQ and guide will arrive when the update releases. An upcoming Status Report will share further Community Update #5 details, and a new updated roadmap is in the works reflecting these changes and more. Deep Field also shared a look at internal experiments using the mod tools: YouTube.