Wild Woods Update 0.6.0 Adds Bushcraft Progression and Full Button Remapping

Wild Woods Update 0.6.0 is now available for the co-op action roguelike on Steam, bringing one of the game's most significant progression additions to date. Publisher Daedalic Entertainment and developer Octofox Games have introduced the Bushcraft system, a permanent advancement layer designed to give every journey through the woods a lasting impact.

Alongside its new meta progression, the update adds button remapping across keyboard, mouse and controller setups, expands cosmetic customization with new cat and wagon skins, adds emotes, and includes animated 3D previews for unlockable items. The patch also makes gameplay balance changes and further adjusts the nighttime wagon-defense experience, a central part of Wild Woods' cooperative loop.

For a game built around repeat expeditions, uncertain runs and the need for a well-coordinated party, permanent progression can substantially change the feeling of returning to the forest. Update 0.6.0 gives players more reasons to gather resources, experiment with builds and plan for the long term rather than treating each outing as entirely isolated from the next.

Bushcraft gives Wild Woods a lasting progression path

The headline feature is Bushcraft, the new progression system that allows players to earn experience while exploring the woods. Instead of all advancement ending when a run does, players can now put the resources they collect toward upgrades that persist beyond an individual expedition.

For useful background on this topic, read Moonfrost Opens Its Frost-Touched Village on Steam Early Access.

That structure places an additional purpose behind the risks of venturing farther into the forest. A difficult run may still be worthwhile if it provides the experience or materials needed for a meaningful permanent improvement. Over time, those investments can help make future journeys more manageable, while still leaving room for the unpredictable situations that define a roguelike-style adventure.

Resources gathered during runs can be spent on permanent attribute upgrades. The announcement does not detail every attribute available or the exact values attached to them, but the intent is clear: players will be able to gradually strengthen aspects of their adventurer through continued play.

More importantly, Bushcraft also includes powerful perks called Ancestral Marks. These are positioned as options that can open up new character builds and playstyles. That wording suggests the system is not solely about increasing numbers or reducing difficulty. It is also meant to support different approaches to a run, potentially giving teams more tools to shape how they tackle exploration, combat and the defense of their wagon.

Build variety is particularly valuable in a cooperative game. When multiple players share the responsibility of navigating dangerous areas, collecting supplies and protecting a vulnerable objective, perks that encourage distinct roles can give each party member a clearer identity. Whether players choose to optimize efficient survival, lean into combat-focused choices or simply pursue combinations that fit their group's habits, the new system should make repeat sessions feel less static.

A stronger reason to keep exploring

Wild Woods centers on cooperative action in a hostile woodland setting, where players need to work together as they push onward with their wagon. Its runs naturally create tension between the appeal of pressing deeper for more rewards and the threat of losing control of an increasingly difficult situation. A permanent progression track fits neatly into that framework because it makes exploration matter both immediately and over the wider course of play.

Before the addition of Bushcraft, the satisfaction of a run was primarily tied to what happened in that session: whether the team survived, how far it traveled and how effectively it handled the dangers in its path. Update 0.6.0 adds another layer. Even when a team is still learning the game's systems or falls short of its immediate goal, its gathered resources can contribute to future progress.

That does not necessarily mean the game's challenge disappears. The update description emphasizes unlockable upgrades and perks, not a complete overhaul of Wild Woods' run-based structure. The forest remains a place where players must make choices together and protect their means of travel. However, having persistent tools to pursue can make the learning process more rewarding and offer experienced players fresh ways to approach familiar situations.

The Ancestral Marks are likely to be the part of the system players watch most closely as they begin experimenting. Permanent attribute increases are easy to understand, but perks can influence decision-making in more interesting ways. If the Marks meaningfully alter how a character contributes to the team, they could encourage groups to revisit strategies that previously felt less practical or to create complementary setups among friends.

Remappable controls arrive for keyboard, mouse and controller players

Update 0.6.0 also adds complete button remapping support for keyboard, mouse and controllers. This is a major quality-of-life addition, especially in a fast-moving co-op game where communication, positioning and quick reactions can all matter during tense encounters.

Players have different preferences for movement, item use and action layouts, and those preferences can be shaped by long-standing habits from other games, individual hardware setups or accessibility needs. Giving players the option to change their bindings lets them set up controls that feel more intuitive rather than requiring them to adapt to a fixed default arrangement.

The inclusion of controller remapping is notable for couch co-op-minded players as well as those who simply prefer gamepad input on PC. Meanwhile, separate support for keyboard and mouse remapping should benefit players seeking more precise control over their personal layout. In a game that asks teams to remain alert while managing a shared wagon, reducing friction in the control scheme can have a direct effect on how comfortable a session feels.

Control customization may not be as flashy as a new progression tree, but it can be one of the most immediately useful elements of a patch. It gives players ownership over the basic interface between them and the game, which is especially important when a single misplaced input can complicate an otherwise coordinated defensive effort.

More cosmetics for cats, wagons and adventurers

Personalization is another focus of the update. New unlockables include skins for cats and wagons, giving players more ways to make their party and its traveling base look distinct. Since the wagon is at the heart of Wild Woods' adventures, cosmetic choices for it can be especially visible throughout a run.

The patch also adds emotes, offering another means for players to express themselves with their companions. In a co-op experience, small social features can help a group communicate personality between encounters or celebrate a close escape after a difficult night. They are not a substitute for strategy, but they can make shared sessions feel more memorable.

Animated 3D previews have been added as well. This should make it easier to examine unlockable cosmetic items before committing to a choice, while also giving the customization menu a more polished presentation. The feature is a practical complement to the broader selection of skins and emotes, ensuring players can get a better look at what they are unlocking.

Cosmetics and progression often work best together in a game designed for regular returns. Bushcraft provides long-term mechanical goals, while the new visual rewards offer a parallel way to display time spent in the woods. Players who enjoy chasing build options can do so, and those who value giving their cat or wagon a particular look have additional rewards to pursue.

Wagon defense receives additional attention

Beyond its new systems and customization items, Update 0.6.0 includes gameplay balancing adjustments and further improvements to the nightly defense of the wagon. Specific numerical changes have not been outlined, so players will need time with the patch to see how the revisions affect the flow of an expedition.

Nighttime defense is an important area for continued iteration. It brings the team's priorities into sharp focus, turning the wagon from a simple vehicle into an objective that must be protected under pressure. Changes to that portion of the game can influence everything from party positioning to how valuable certain upgrades and perk combinations feel.

The timing of these refinements alongside Bushcraft is sensible. As players begin gaining access to permanent attributes and Ancestral Marks, balance needs may shift. New build possibilities can alter the relative strength of tactics that were previously established, so adjustments to the broader game experience can help keep the cooperative challenge engaging.

For returning players, the update offers several reasons to jump back in at once: a new long-term investment system, expanded input options, cosmetics to unlock and adjustments to a key survival sequence. For newcomers, it may be an appealing moment to start, since early adventures can now contribute to progression that follows them across later runs.

Steam discounts run through October 26

Wild Woods is currently discounted by 67% on Steam. The game's Supporter Pack is also 40% off. Both offers are scheduled to remain available until October 26, 2026.

The release of Update 0.6.0 on October 12, 2026 gives players a window to try the refreshed version while the promotional pricing is active. As always with a developing roguelike, the appeal will depend on how players respond to the new systems in practice, particularly the flexibility and impact of the Ancestral Marks.

Still, the direction of the update is straightforward. Wild Woods is adding more persistence to its run-based cooperative structure without moving away from the tense, shared responsibility of traveling through dangerous woods and safeguarding the wagon. Bushcraft gives those repeated expeditions more cumulative value, remapping makes the game easier to tailor to individual players, and the added cosmetics provide more opportunities to make each party feel like its own.