Bugsnax: What to Expect from The Island of Bigsnax Update

Back when the PS5 made its debut in November 2020, Bugsnax was one of the surprise hits on Sony’s fledgling console. Brought to life by independent game studio Young Horses, the adventure game quickly captured the imagination of players when it launched as a day one PlayStation Plus title. There was even a catchy theme song to celebrate the event, which all but guaranteed its modern-day cult classic status.

Fast-forward nearly 18 months, and Young Horses is gearing up to put Bugsnax back into the spotlight in a major way. In addition to launching the base game on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox, when April 28 rolls around, The Isle of Bigsnax expansion will also make its debut on every platform that Bugsnax is available on. As its titular moniker infers, the free DLC will be a sizable experience, which means there’s going to be plenty of new content for fans to sink their teeth into.

Bigsnax’s New Map

When The Isle of Bigsnax expansion makes its debut on April 28, the titular island at the heart of its name will be the star attraction of the experience. That’s because Young Horses has already confirmed that the new biome is double the size of anything else that’s already in the game. To sweeten the deal even further, alongside the introduction of additional trophies and achievements, exploring Bugsnax’s new biome will also come complete with extra story-based content. That’s remarkable value, especially when the free nature of the expansion and Bugsnax’s Game Pass debut are kept in mind.

Once players venture over to the island, they’ll come face-to-face with some supersized Bugsnax. As the title of the DLC once again suggests, these newly discovered giants are referred to as Bigsnaks by the characters of the in-game universe. Alongside newcomers like the adorable mac and cheese-inspired Clawbsteroni, a few fan-favorites are also set to return in new guises, such as the Bunger Royale. It’s been promised that each will physically shake up the gameplay loop of Bugsnax for good measure, with new puzzles and gadgets having been created specifically around them.

Bugsnax’s Customization Options

Beyond the Isle of Bigsnax biome and its indigenous wildlife, Young Horses has revealed that players can look forward to exploring new content back on the mainland as well. In the hub-town of Snaxburg, for example, Filbo will finally hand over the keys to the player’s own personal accommodation. According to the studio, this home base was originally designed to be a part of the game when it launched on PlayStation back in 2020, but was left on the cutting room floor.

From what’s been announced by the studio regarding the feature already, players will likely be thankful that Young Horses didn’t abandon its vision entirely. What starts out as a simple wooden hut will seemingly develop over time into a fancy abode with a bit of care and attention. While there won't quite be Animal Crossing levels of customization, enough content will be added to the game via The Isle of Bigsnax so that players can put their own stamp on proceedings.

Over 180 decoration items will be added to Bugsnax on April 28 to facilitate this. Young Horses has stated that these will be tied directly to a new mailbox found outside the player’s home. From time to time, the grumpuses that reside in Snaxburg will send challenge requests to the player for them to complete. Once these have been wrapped up, a follow-up thank-you note will find its way to the mailbox with a reward attached. In addition to the challenges that require players to look at Bugsnax in new ways, various accolade-like milestones can be beaten to earn specific rewards as well.

Bugsnax’s New Hats

To round out The Isle of Bigsnax expansion, Young Horses has also added a new hat customization option to the game. Similarly to Kena: Bridge of Spirits, players will be able to dress their favorite Bugsnax in adorable miniature hats via Gramble’s barn. Like most of the new features that are coming to the game, though, unique mechanics have also been thrown into the mix to gamify the experience. Once players feed the grumpuses enough creatures, for example, there’s a chance that their hats will fall off, leaving them ripe for the picking.