Updates & Platforms
Lightyear Frontier 1.0: Version Timeline
Current version: 1.0, released 4 November 2026, facts checked 13 November 2026. 1.0 ends Early Access and adds Sandswept Highlands and Hollow Marsh (about 40% more world), milestones 13–14, a story ending, Automation Pipes, a mech rework, four new crops, Seed Stacking, Planning Mode and new decorations. Old saves still work. Each entry below belongs to the version it names.
Scope: This page records versions rather than absolute answers. Each entry belongs to the build it describes; facts replaced by a later version are marked superseded instead of rewritten in place. The developer has announced at least one more large update but has not published its content or date, so nothing here should be read as final.
On this page
Current version
Only this block changes when the game updates. The entries below are appended, not rewritten.
- Version: 1.0
- Released: 4 November 2026
- Facts checked: 13 November 2026
- Next update: announced, no content or date published
Timeline, newest first
1.0 — 4 November 2026 (facts checked 13 November 2026). Ends Early Access and is the build every current answer on this site refers to.
- Two new areas: Sandswept Highlands and Hollow Marsh, about 40% more world, unlocked from the start.
- Story ending plus colony and neighbour missions; milestones 13–14 extend progression past the Early Access cap.
- Automation Pipes replace Automators, with three-recipe queues and storage filters, unlocking at Milestone 4.
- Mech rework: dedicated slots, preset upgrade paths, no Power cost, Skyblazer, Seed Minigun, Hover Thrusters.
- Farming adds four crops plus Seed Stacking and a rotation HUD; building adds Planning Mode, new decorations and two Coziness buffs.
- Quality of life: seamless day transitions, ten times larger storage, Resource Scanner and named map stamps.
Before 1.0 (Early Access)
The Early Access build ran from 2024 to 1.0 and is what IGN and RPS reviewed. Intermediate patch notes are not reproduced here: no dated changelog covering every patch was available, and inventing a version list would be worse than leaving the gap visible.
Pre-1.0 answers on this site are labelled with the version they came from. If a guide still describes an Early Access system, treat it as history rather than current behaviour.
What 1.0 superseded
These answers were correct before 4 November 2026 and are no longer current. The old wording is kept as a label, not as advice.
- Automator production lines → superseded by Automation Pipes (1.0).
- Power costs on mech tools → removed in 1.0.
- Milestone cap at 12 → raised to 13–14 in 1.0.
- Forced day-transition screen → removed in 1.0.
- Eight-crop table → incomplete: 1.0 adds four crops whose names are unpublished.
- Early Access story without an ending → superseded by the 1.0 ending.
Version-scoped values
These values belong to 1.0 and need re-checking after the next update. The version label exists so a later patch can mark them superseded instead of silently changing them.
- Crops: eight from the Early Access table plus four added in 1.0, names unpublished (1.0).
- Automation unlock: Milestone 4 (1.0).
- Storage: ten times the Early Access capacity (1.0).
- Price: $29.99 / €29.99 / £23.49 standard, checked 13 November 2026 (1.0).
- Saves: old saves remain usable; a new save is recommended, not required (1.0).
How to use this page
If you are on a later version, treat every entry above your build as history and read the current-version block first. This page does not promise a final state and is not marked complete; it is a log that gets appended.
For system-level guidance rather than history, use the automation, mech upgrade and crops pages, which state the version their advice applies to.
Questions
Common questions
What are the two new 1.0 areas?
Sandswept Highlands and Hollow Marsh. The official FAQ says they add roughly 40% more world and are unlocked from the start.
Does 1.0 finish the story?
Yes. The main story has an ending, plus colony and neighbour missions. The farm remains playable after the ending.
Can I use my old save in 1.0?
Yes. Old saves remain, and existing owners do not need to rebuy. The official FAQ recommends a new save for a smoother flow, but it is optional.
What replaced the Automator?
Automation Pipes. They pull from Storage, feed crafting or other Storage, support three-recipe queues and storage filters, and unlock at Milestone 4.
How many new crops are in 1.0?
Four. The official notes confirm the number but do not publish their names, growth times or seed sources; the accessible wiki still lists the older eight-crop table.
Sources
What this page is based on
- Official 1.0 launch notes ↗Story ending, milestones, automation, mech, farming, building, difficulty and future update.
- Official 1.0 FAQ ↗New areas, 40% world, save compatibility and price.
- Official 1.0 building article ↗Planning Mode, Coziness buffs, decorations and roof check.
- GamingBolt – 1.0 review ↗1.0 performance, repetition, automation timing and outpost limit observations.
- Reddit – 1.0 launch discussion ↗Subjective long-time-player criticism; a limited community sample.
Facts checked