Raft V1.1.01: Beta

The open ocean is a cruel mistress. For years, survivors of the Raft universe have known that the difference between floating to safety and sinking to a watery grave often comes down to the smallest of updates. Enter Raft v1.1.01 Beta—a patch that has generated significant buzz within the community, not for massive new islands or story chapters, but for its surgical, game-changing quality-of-life improvements and stability overhauls.

For those who have been adrift since the full 1.0 release, the question remains: Is this beta patch worth diving into? Let’s break down every plank, pipe, and seagull egg of Raft v1.1.01 Beta.

Batch Log Append with Pipelining

Fast Log Replication for Idempotent Commands

Follower’s Speculative Execution

Since "Raft v1.1.01 Beta" is likely a minor hotfix between major updates, it does not have a unique "headline" feature like "The Balboa Island Update." It represents the Polish Phase of the game's initial Steam release, ensuring the Plastic Hook and Basic Multiplayer functions worked correctly.

(Note: If you are looking for the major content updates, they came later: v1.05 (The Forest) and eventually v1.0 Full Release (The Final Chapter) in 2022.)

The update report for Raft v1.1.01 (released in March 2026) highlights the official launch of cross-play functionality on the default branch Update Highlights Cross-play Integration

: Players can now survive together across different platforms. Previously, this feature was restricted to the 1.09_precrossplayupdate beta branch. : Addressed an issue where the Rhino Shark

would disappear at Varuna Point and fixed a bug where removing the Rhino Shark trophy would destroy adjacent blocks. Technical Stability

: Resolved a random disappearing engine bug and fixed visual issues for the character Rouhi. Steam Community Recent Beta Branch History Since early 2026, the developers at Redbeet Interactive

have used the beta branch to test several incremental improvements: v1.1.08 (Latest Beta) : Recent testing of stability for upcoming features. : Initial post-crossplay tweaks. How to Access Beta Versions

If you wish to test future "Beta" updates before they hit the main branch: Steam Library and right-click on Properties from the dropdown menu. Restart Steam to trigger the update. Steam Community

While there is no official "v1.1.01 Beta" release for the original (by Redbeet Interactive), the game is currently in a Beta branch cycle

(e.g., v1.1.07 Beta as of late 2025/early 2026) focused on cross-play stability and security fixes. If you are playing on the PC Beta Branch

, here is a deep guide to mastering the latest mechanics and the progression loop required for the current version of the game. 1. The Core Survival Loop Raft v1.1.01 Beta

Early game success depends on managing your three vital bars: Steam Community Thirst Management Simple Purifier

immediately. You must add planks as fuel to boil salt water into fresh water. Hunger Management Fishing Rod to catch raw fish, then cook them on a Simple Grill

. Eating raw fish or beets/potatoes is possible but less efficient. Passive Gathering Collection Nets

as soon as possible. These automatically catch floating debris, freeing you to focus on building and exploring. 2. Research and Technological Progression Advancing beyond basic wood and plastic requires the Research Table Unlocking Blueprints

: Place one of every new material you find (e.g., Clay, Sand, Copper, Seaweed) into the Research Table to unlock advanced recipes. The Smelter from the ocean floor around islands to craft Dry Bricks

. These are essential for the Smelter, which turns metal scraps and copper ore into ingots for mid-tier gear. 3. Story Progression: Setting Up the Receiver

To begin the "Main Story" and find Points of Interest like the Radio Tower , you must build a functional radar system. Placement Requirements must be placed on the second level (or higher) of your raft. Antenna Setup : You need three Antennas placed on the same floor as the receiver.

: Antennas must be 2–10 floor units away from the receiver and at least 3.5 units away from each other. : Insert a Simple Battery

to activate the screen. It drains over time, so only turn it on when you need to check your heading. 4. Advanced "Beta" Tips (v1.1.x)

Navigating the vast, trash-filled ocean of Raft v1.1.01 Beta

(a pivotal update from the game's early development) can be tricky. This guide covers the essentials for thriving on your floating home. 🌊 Surviving the First Hour The Hook is Life:

The game starts with you on a 4x4 square raft. Throw your hook ahead of floating debris to catch plastic, planks, and palm leaves. Don't Thirst: Simple Purifier

. Fill the cup with saltwater, put it in the purifier with some planks, and wait for fresh water. Simple Meals: Simple Grill Fishing Rod

. Cook your fish before eating; raw fish will actually make you thirstier. Steam Community 🦈 Managing the Shark (Bruce) is your constant companion and primary threat. Defensive Spear: Wooden Spear

immediately. When the shark bites your raft, 3–4 stabs will make it let go. Counter-Attack: The open ocean is a cruel mistress

You can prevent damage by timing a spear thrust just as the shark opens its mouth to charge you. Bait Strategy: Shark Bait

(made from raw fish) to distract it for about 5 minutes while you dive for materials near islands. 🛠️ Crafting and Expansion The Building Hammer:

Use this tool to expand your raft. Avoid building important machines on the edge, as the shark can destroy those squares. Research Table:

This is the heart of progression. Place any new material (like scrap or iron ore) into the table to unlock advanced blueprints. Collection Nets:

Place these in a line or "L" shape on your raft. They automatically catch floating debris, allowing you to focus on building rather than hooking. 🧭 Navigation and Story The Streamer: This simple flag shows you the wind direction. Align your

with the streamer to move faster or stay in the "trash stream". Radio and Receiver: To progress the storyline, you'll eventually need a

. Entering codes found in the world will lead you to story locations like the Radio Station. Steam Community 💡 Pro Tips for v1.1.01 Rain is Free Water:

Rain will automatically water your crop plots, saving you precious fresh water for drinking. Don't Overbuild:

A giant "mansion" raft consumes huge amounts of wood and plastic. Keep it functional until you have consistent resource income. The "Secret" Loot: The rarest item in the game is the Golden Toy Robot

, which can only be found by digging up safes while treasure hunting. Steam Community farm animals like llamas and goats for late-game resources? Full Comprehensive Guide to Raft! - Steam Community 5 Jul 2018 —

The Raft v1.1.01 Beta update represents a pivotal moment for the popular open-world survival game, bridging the gap between the PC and console communities through the introduction of highly anticipated cross-platform capabilities. Released as part of a series of hotfixes and beta branch improvements in early 2026, this version focuses on refining the infrastructure required for seamless multiplayer across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. Key Features of the v1.1.01 Beta

While the core gameplay remains focused on surviving the endless ocean, expanding your raft, and outsmarting the shark, the v1.1.01 update introduces technical overhauls designed for a smoother, more connected experience.

Cross-Play Integration: The primary focus of the 1.1 series is the addition of cross-play. This allows Steam players to opt into a beta branch to host and join games with friends playing on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

In-Game Voice Chat: To facilitate coordination between players on different platforms, the developers introduced an integrated voice chat system. This ensures team communication is possible even without third-party apps like Discord.

Full Controller Support: Anticipating the console launch, the PC version now features full controller support, allowing players to use gamepads with native UI mapping. Fast Log Replication for Idempotent Commands

Save System Fixes: A critical fix in v1.1.01 addressed a bug where players could lose save files if their world name ended with a period. Patch Notes & Technical Adjustments

According to official records from SteamDB and Steam Community, here are the specific changes found in the v1.1.01 hotfix: Change Description Bug Fix

Fixed save/load issues related to world names ending in a period (.). Social UI The Social UI can now be closed using the Escape (ESC) key. Voice Chat

PlayFab voice chat is now disabled by default for new users to prevent privacy issues. Performance

Optimized various code systems overhauled for cross-play compatibility. How to Access the Raft Beta Branch

Since v1.1.01 was initially released as a beta, players on Steam must manually opt-in to access these features before they hit the main branch: Open your Steam Library and right-click on Raft.

Select Properties and navigate to the Betas tab on the left.

Under "Beta Participation," select 'beta' from the dropdown menu.

Restart Steam to allow the game to download the latest update. Survival in the New Era

For returning players, this update doesn't just mean bug fixes; it represents the "new ocean" experience. Whether you're exploring the lore-heavy islands from The Final Chapter or just trying to keep your raft afloat, the v1.1.01 update ensures your community can stay together regardless of the hardware they own.

Are you planning to host a multiplayer world with friends on different platforms, or are you focusing on a solo survival run? Raft - Steam Community

If you are looking for the features introduced during this specific version bracket, they were foundational to the game we know today. The standout feature was:

PrevTerm Mismatch Recovery

Clock Skew Immunity

Network Partitions + Leader Failure Edge