Ore Factory Squad v1.0.4 Patch Notes
Ore Factory Squad v1.0.4 from July 20, 2026: second invite-only lobby security hotfix, authentication and ban system, three bans, Steam data protection.
Overview — Second Security Hotfix
threeW released Ore Factory Squad v1.0.4 on July 20, 2026 — the same day as v1.0.3 — as a follow-up security hotfix after continued reports of private lobby breaches, griefing, and impersonation. This patch adds authentication and a ban system to multiplayer, strengthens Steam user data protection for hidden invite-only rooms, and permanently banned three users for hacking, griefing, and impersonation per official notes.
Lobby codes remained temporarily disabled in v1.0.4 until v1.0.5 restored 10-digit codes with a protected handshake. Squads relying on codes should update to v1.0.5 for the full security rebuild plus restored join methods. Read v1.0.5 patch notes for the current multiplayer state.
This page documents the intermediate security layer between v1.0.3 emergency restrictions and v1.0.5 final rebuild — useful if your squad logs reference builds from July 20 only.
Authentication and Ban System
Multiplayer now includes server-side authentication checks beyond the invite-only restrictions introduced hours earlier in v1.0.3. The ban system lets threeW remove repeat offenders who accessed hidden rooms through external tools or griefed hosted saves.
Three users were banned at announcement for hacking, griefing, and impersonation — a public signal that exploit attempts against invite-only sessions would not be tolerated. Legitimate squads using Steam invites from the pause menu were unaffected.
Hosts should still treat co-op saves as shared campaigns — backup before public sessions even with improved security. Role permissions in v1.0.5 add another layer for public lobbies via the roles and permissions guide.
Watch Video Guide
Steam Data Protection for Hidden Rooms
Extra Steam user data protection was added specifically for invite-only rooms that should not appear in public browse lists. v1.0.3 had hidden invite-only entries from the Server Browser; v1.0.4 hardened the data path so unauthorized clients could not reconstruct hidden lobby metadata.
Invite-only rooms remained joinable only through Steam invites during v1.0.4 — not through lobby codes or casual browse. Friends needed direct invites from the host pause menu per co-op guide join flow.
v1.0.5 later made invite-only rooms visible again in the Server Browser while keeping protected handshakes — a balance between discoverability for friends and security against external access.
What Stayed Disabled Until v1.0.5
Lobby codes stayed off in v1.0.4 after v1.0.3 disabled them as an attack vector. Squads sharing codes in Discord during this window needed to switch to Steam friend invites until the July 25 patch.
Steam friend join status varied across the hotfix sequence — v1.0.5 explicitly re-enabled friend join alongside restored codes. If join failures persisted on July 20 builds, updating straight to v1.0.5 is the recommended fix rather than stopping on v1.0.4.
Compare timeline on v1.0.3 notes for the first emergency response and updates hub for the full July security arc.
Squad Recommendations
If you hosted public lobbies before July 20, switch to invite-only until v1.0.5 and configure custom roles once updated. Public browse without permission limits exposed factories to unauthorized sellers and griefers reported in community channels.
Document your host Steam ID for regular squad members so invites arrive quickly when codes are disabled. Text chat was not yet available in v1.0.4 — voice chat from demo v1.7.0 remained primary; v1.0.5 added text chat as backup.
No gameplay content or Phase 0 features shipped in v1.0.4 — this is a security-only hotfix. Smart Filters, Lunchbox, and roles arrived five days later in v1.0.5.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did v1.0.4 release?
July 20, 2026 — same day as v1.0.3, as the second invite-only security hotfix.
Were lobby codes enabled in v1.0.4?
No — codes remained disabled until v1.0.5 re-enabled 10-digit protected codes.
How many users were banned?
Three users per official notes — for hacking, griefing, and impersonation.
Should I stay on v1.0.4?
Update to v1.0.5 for restored codes, friend join, text chat, and the full lobby security rebuild.
Did v1.0.4 add new factory features?
No — authentication, bans, and Steam data protection only. Phase 0 Part 1 shipped in v1.0.5.