Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core Update 3: What's New and Why Your Clearance Level Dropped

Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core got its third major Early Access update on 4 November, and Ghost Ship Games says it ended up "a lot bigger" than planned. It adds a fourth boss, a new gun, a reroll system and protection against host crashes, and it reworks how Intel Clearance works, which left some players a level or two lower than before. Here's what changed and what to do if your Clearance dropped.

When did Rogue Core Update 3 come out?

Update 3 went live on Steam on Wednesday 4 November. A hotfix followed the same day and a first patch on 5 November. Rogue Core is in Early Access on PC only, and the Steam page still lists it at $29.99.

Why did my Clearance Level go down?

Because the Intel Clearance line was rebuilt. Update 3 adds new levels and new intel tasks, and changes intel rewards and requirements. Ghost Ship's patch notes say existing saves are migrated automatically and your Clearance Level "may have changed by a level or two" depending on where you were.

For some players it went further: the studio's hotfix says a bug migrated some saves two Clearance Levels lower than intended. Ghost Ship says it can't correct those saves without risking worse problems, so the hotfix only stops it happening again.

How do I get my Clearance Level back?

Ghost Ship gives two options:

• Keep playing: if you've reclaimed two or three facilities since updating, the studio says you're probably close to where you would have been.
• Roll back your save: in Options, then Saves, revert to an earlier savegame. The migration then runs again and gives you the correct level. The catch: you lose any XP, Merits and cosmetics earned since that save.

What's new in Update 3?

• Balgorath: the fourth Gatekeeper, fought at the new Depth 4 sites. Ghost Ship calls it a bullet hell-style boss whose projectiles also act as shields that block your shots.
• Rift-enhanced bosses: marked facilities on each Depth end with a vote on an Enhancement that changes the Gatekeeper fight.
• Enemies drop Expenite: the Update 2 mission modifier is now the default. You can still mine Expenite veins, though there are slightly fewer of them.
• Rerolls: Flux Quartz, a new mineral on cave walls, powers the Refractor Terminal in the elevator, which rerolls Expenite upgrades and Artifacts or converts to a small health boost.
• Ventura Model 57: a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun with a tight spread for close and medium range.
• XQ-2 Quantum Warp Field: a traversal tool that places two linked teleporters.
• Corespawn Bloater: a slow, tanky enemy that bursts on death.
• Priority Targets: one mission on the map always gives a 10% Reclaimer Points bonus.
• New elevator objectives: instead of always defending the drive unit, you may have to collect missing gears or destroy Blister Growths.
• More variety: two new Alterations (Expenite Harvest and Instability) and Prowess, a Bio-Booster deck any class can use.

What happens if the host crashes?

You no longer lose the run. The rest of the team regroups under a new host and restarts the current stage; if that isn't possible, you can carry on solo or claim the rewards earned so far.

Did I lose my cosmetics?

No. The cosmetic sheet was rebuilt with a new layout, and Ghost Ship says there was no way to carry unlocks over, so all the Scrip you spent has been refunded up to the new sheet's maximum. You'll need to unlock items again, but most now unlock for every class at once. A new Trophy Wall in the Mission Terminal also rewards Gatekeeper wins with armour paintjobs and permanent stat boosts.

When will Rogue Core leave Early Access?

There's no date. The Steam page says Ghost Ship expects 18 to 24 months in Early Access from the May 2026 launch, and that the price will go up a bit at the 1.0 release.

In the main game, Ghost Ship is aiming for Deep Rock Galactic Season 7 in December.