Satisfactory update 1.1 has arrived with a host of new features and improvements to the popular factory simulation game. Both new players and experienced pioneers have good reason to rejoice – from full controller support to a comprehensive photo mode overhaul and smart adjustments to factory building, the 1.1 update offers something for everyone. Here we bring you a news update on the highlights (with a touch of humor along the way), so you're ready to take on all the new content.

Controller support and easier access for everyone

Sit back on the couch: Satisfactory can now be played with a controller. Coffee Stain Studios has finally added full support for both Xbox and PlayStation DualSense controllers (Satisfactory 1.1 Update Released for Testing), which will especially delight those who prefer to build factories with a gamepad in hand. This means you can easily switch from mouse/keyboard to controller – perfect for when you want to relax and play from your living room. This improvement makes the game more accessible to new players and paves the way for future Satisfactory adventures on other platforms.

Newly added are advanced game settings that let you tailor the experience. One of the most requested additions is the "No Fuel" setting, which allows you to run your machines without fuel or power (Satisfactory 1.1 Update Released for Testing). With this creative setting, you can build and experiment freely without worrying about refueling your generators—a true gift for both new players who want to learn at their own pace and experienced factory builders who want to test out wild megaprojects. (Yes, your dream of eternal free power is now a reality!)

New photo mode for beautiful factory moments

Are you the type who loves to show off your base from every angle? Then you'll enjoy the upgraded photo mode in Satisfactory 1.1. The developers have given the photo mode a huge overhaul with a brand new UI and tons of options (Satisfactory 1.1 Update Released for Testing). You get access to a sea of filters, effects, frames, and color adjustments so you can take the perfect picture of your factory (or yourselves, if you're playing multiplayer). There's even a "dolly mode" for smooth camera movements, which means you can record short movie sequences and pans of your production facility. The camera can also be released and moved around your pioneer, and you can hide your character or have the helmet visor follow the camera (Satisfactory 1.1 Update Released for Testing). In short: everything the aspiring industrial photographer needs to capture those epic moments. So say "cheese!" and take a group photo in front of your mega-factory – now in much higher quality than before.

New buildings: Elevator and extra architecture

Update 1.1 also introduces brand new building options that will delight any engineer. First and foremost, you can now build a staff elevator for your bases. This new elevator provides a comfortable way to move between floors – goodbye to acrobatic jumps on ramps and ladders! The elevator can be extended in height and has programmable stops, so you can easily choose which floor you want to get off at. It almost feels like being the director of your own factory when you whiz up and down at the touch of a button. A small luxury in the hard life of a pioneer, which is both practical and a little on the fun side (who hasn't dreamed of a personal elevator on an alien planet?).

In addition, 1.1 offers a range of new architectural building elements via the AWESOME Shop, allowing you to give your base even more personality. Among the new features are new types of beams and decorative parts:

• New beams: E.g. H-shaped beams, shelf beams, round concrete columns, and decorative "braided" cables (individually or in clusters) that function as beams. These elements allow you to construct more varied and stylish platforms and structures, so your factory can be both robust and beautiful.
• New decorative elements: For example, roller doors (in various materials such as FICSIT style, concrete, or steel), road barriers for corners, simple shelving systems, as well as giant ventilation grilles and industrial fans. With these decorative items, you can make your base look like a real sci-fi factory hall or an advanced laboratory. Now even the most discerning building enthusiast can fulfill their design desires!

Logistics and factory management: smarter belts, pipes, and blueprints

For those who love to optimize their production lines, Satisfactory 1.1 brings a number of logistics improvements and quality-of-life changes that make factory management more streamlined. Here are some of the highlights:

• Automatic blueprint connection: The blueprint system has received a brilliant upgrade, allowing you to select a new "Auto Connect" building mode. When enabled (press R with a blueprint selected), all conveyor belts, pipes, or train tracks in your blueprint will automatically attempt to connect to available inputs and outputs that match. You can even see the connections mark themselves before you place the blueprint, so you know exactly how everything will connect. Say goodbye to tedious manual connection work—your blueprints can now magically attach to existing systems, almost as if the game read your mind. This saves time and makes it even more fun to roll out large prefab factories into the terrain.
• Vertical Splitters and Mergers: Ever wanted to stack conveyors in an ultra-compact way? Now you can! The update introduces vertical splitters and mergers for conveyors, allowing you to split or merge materials in minimal vertical space. Perfect for skyscraper factories or when floor space is tight.
• Priority mergers: A new type of conveyor belt merger lets you prioritize one input over the others. This means you can decide which resource line should be emptied first if multiple lines meet. No more clogged belts—now you have full control over bottlenecks.
• Throughput monitor: How much coal actually runs through your belt per minute? With the new conveyor throughput monitor, you get the answer right on your screen. This smart gadget can be attached to a conveyor belt and counts the number of units per minute, allowing you to accurately read the flow. It requires one minute of measurement to calibrate, but then you have a live update on your production speeds. Statistics nerds, your time has come!
• Holes in walls for conveyor belts: For those aesthetes who don't like belts snaking clumsily through walls, there's good news: a new wall-mounted conveyor belt hole lets you run belts right through walls (yes, even through windows!). This allows for cleaner and more organized base layouts, where logistics can be hidden away behind panels. No more makeshift solutions with half walls—now we can bring order to the chaos.
• New pipe build modes: Inspired by the warm reception of the "straight line" build mode for belts in a previous update, Coffee Stain has now given pipelines similar love. You can build pipes in perfectly straight segments for a clinical look, or choose a new curved pipe mode for elegant bends. This means goodbye to crooked pipes; now even the piping will be straight – or artistically curved – depending on your taste and preference.

With all these improvements, it's even easier (and more fun) to build efficient factories. If you're someone who plays multiplayer and builds giant industries with friends, you'll especially appreciate the extra control and optimization. To manage a huge base together without lag, it is also recommended to run on a dedicated server – for example, via Satisfactory server hosting at PineRiver.dk. A powerful server ensures stable operation around the clock, so you can focus on expanding your factory empire without technical glitches.

Transportation and trains: Hypertube branches and improved railways

Travel time around the map will be shorter – and more fun – with the update's new transport options. The Hypertube network (the fast transport tubes) is getting a big boost: now you can build Hypertube branches and junctions. With a Hypertube Junction piece, you can create a three-way junction on your tube connections. As you speed through the tubes, you can even change direction along the way: press E as you approach a junction and choose which way you want to continue. It feels a bit like changing lanes on a roller coaster at full speed – guaranteed to give you an adrenaline rush the first time you try it! There is also a Hypertube Branch, which lets you split an existing hypertube into two separate routes. The Branch piece is shaped so that it only lets you slide into the side branch from one direction (due to its shape), but it's perfect for connecting new tube networks to your old ones without major reconstruction. All in all, your hypertube system now becomes a lot more flexible and resembles a futuristic metro with multiple stations.

And what about the good old trains? Don't worry, railroad fans will also have something to play with. The train tracks now have buffer stops—physical stops you can place at the end of a railroad. Not only does it look more realistic than a track that ends in nothing, but it also gives your train routes a nice ending (and potentially safer train parking). In addition, the signaling system has been refined: you can now choose to place run and block signals on the left or right side of the track as needed, making it easier to build manageable train networks regardless of direction. At the same time, the railway construction experience itself has been improved "under the hood," making tracks easier to place and build without any problems. Finally, drones (the flying transport units) have had their route planning optimized—they should now navigate more efficiently and avoid unnecessary detours. So whether you're transporting yourself via hypertube, freight via train, or letting the drones do the work, the transportation part of the game has been significantly improved with this update.

Minor improvements and refinements

In addition to the big news, version 1.1 also includes a number of minor improvements that together make Satisfactory even more satisfying:

• Cleaning up Crash Sites: The mysterious crashed capsules scattered around the map (Crash Sites) can now finally be completely cleared up. Once you have retrieved the hard drive from a crash site, you will have the opportunity to dismantle the wreckage and remove all scrap from the area. In return, you will be rewarded with extra resources for your efforts. Your planet will look a little nicer, and you won't have to deal with useless debris spoiling your otherwise beautiful base.
• Fine-tuning buildings: Building enthusiasts will love this. The nudge function (fine-tuning placement) now also allows you to move buildings up and down vertically, not just horizontally. Using Page Up/Page Down, you can adjust the height of, for example, a machine in small increments. Even better: the limit on how far you can nudge has been removed, so you can really achieve millimeter precision without having to stand in the perfect spot. In addition, posts for belts and pipes now have soft collision detection, which means they can now be placed with a slight overlap into other buildings. This makes it easier to build in tight spaces where you previously had to struggle with "too close to another building" errors. A small change that saves time and gray hair!
• Better travel experience: A small but welcome change: your headlamp/flashlight now works even inside a hypertube. Say goodbye to pitch darkness when traveling through long underground tubes at night – you can now see where you're going. At the same time, as mentioned, the artificial intelligence of the drones has been upgraded so that they fly more directly and efficiently between delivery points. Less hovering and more precise delivery of goods – we like that.
• Better visual effects: The graphics have also received some attention. Trees you cut down with your chainsaw will now fall elegantly to the ground with new, realistic animations (sorry, no Matrix-style slow motion – but it still looks cool!). The toxic spore and gas columns in the world have been given a makeover, so their smoke and particles look better than ever. Explosions from your trusty Nobelisk explosives and explosive rebar ammunition have also received a visual boost, making it even more fun to blow things up. Even the glowing Power Slugs around you now shine with updated effects. All in all, small details that make the game more vivid and polished to the eye.

Ready to keep building?

With the Satisfactory 1.1 update, Coffee Stain has given players a package full of new features – from practical aids to long-awaited features and a few cosmetic tweaks. The update is already available in Experimental (Coffee Stain has confirmed that it's not an April Fool's joke despite the release date around April 1), and it will soon be rolled out to all players in the stable version. Whether you're new to the Satisfactory universe or a seasoned factory master, this is the perfect opportunity to jump into the game. There's something for everyone: better building mechanics for the hardcore, more accessibility for new adventurers, and fun gadgets for those in between.

Are you ready to explore all the new features and take your factory to the next level? Then just update the game and get started building, photographing, and optimizing! And if you want to share the experience with friends, why not start your own server? With a dedicated server, your Satisfactory world will run constantly, so you can play anytime.