Summary
v1.8.1 is a stability-focused patch on the public Steam branch. It targets multiplayer handshake reliability, Epic Online Services (EOS) authentication, proximity voice in large lobbies, and Unreal Engine 5 memory usage during map loads.
Confirm line-by-line details against official Steam news.
Patch metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Version | v1.8.1-Shipping |
| Branch | Public (default) |
| Prerequisite | EOS redistributable update may prompt on first launch |
What changed
1. Matchmaking and invites
- Reduced Connecting… timeouts when accepting Steam overlay invites across regions.
- Updated EOS SDK bundle — should lower Authentication Token Error frequency on cold launches.
- Improved proximity voice packet stability in lobbies with 8+ players. See Voice Chat Not Working if mic issues persist.
2. Graphics and loading
- Virtual texturing / derived data cache tweaks — fewer Black Screen on Loading reports on mid-tier GPUs.
- Shader and VRAM allocation adjustments for heavy Workshop stages — retest Crash on Launch steps if you still OOM.
After you update
- Restart Steam until the download completes; confirm v1.8.1 on the main menu.
- Host creates a new lobby (old room names may cache stale EOS sessions).
- Everyone on the same branch — no beta mismatch. Read /fix/version-mismatch if join fails.
- Re-test a trending Workshop map (e.g. Minecraft Lobby).
MecchaGuide verification
Site-wide lastVerified badges bumped to v1.8.1 after smoke-testing invite flow, EOS login, voice in an 8-player lobby, and Workshop map load on the public build.