The modding scene for Stranded Deep is constantly changing, as new updates render older mods obsolete. Since Stranded Deep received its end game in 2020, many players have returned to the realistic, survival game to find that it now has more features than ever before.

Fans of Beam Team’s tropical adventure have updated old mods to work on the latest version, as well as creating some new ones. There are also numerous custom maps that switch up the scenery and add unique twists to the gameplay. Some maps help new players learn the ropes, with plentiful resources and no animals. Others push survivalists to their limits, as they hunt for secrets over difficult terrain.

Updated January 11, 2022 by Mark Sammut: Stranded Deep is in a weird position as although the game came out on consoles in 2020, the PC version has been stuck in Early Access since 2015. Beam Team has continued to release updates for the project, dropping version 0.90.11 as recently as January 10, 2022. Although the survival game rarely attracts more than a thousand concurrent players on Steam, Stranded Deep has been pulling stable numbers for the last few years, so it clearly has a dedicated fan base. With a gameplay loop designed to promote replayability, Stranded Deep is a whole lot of fun, and things only improve when mods are taken into account. For those looking to explore some new islands, the article has been expanded to include a few more Stranded Deep map mods.

How to Install Mods

Steam offers the easiest way to add custom maps to Stranded Deep. Simply going to the Steam workshop and clicking the plus icon will allow players to open their game and add the map of their choice.

Players will have to drag their chosen island onto the world map using the cartographer option in Stranded Deep’s main menu, but once this is done, they are free to play.

To find their game files, players will need to right-click on Stranded Deep and go to Properties/ Local Files/ Browse Local Files. This will take them to the folder where they can manually import mods.

Other mods can require different steps, depending on which operating system gamers are using.

9 Farm Palm Trees For Wood And Coconuts

  • Palm Farm mod by Lamacik

While some trees and plants will grow back over time, this is not the case for all of them. As players expand their base, they will likely need to venture further and further away to find more palm trees for wood.

Farming plots are a great way of generating edible fruits, or players can grow yucca trees in them for an endless supply of fibrous leaves. The Palm Farm mod allows players to plant palm trees in these plots. This has many benefits, including regular harvests of coconuts and palm fronds. The wood from felling these trees can also be turned into planks for building basic structures and eventually rafts.

8 A Challenging Map For Skilled Climbers

  • Rodriguez-Manuel Island mod by Deez

It is possible to climb trees in Stranded Deep; however, rock formations can only be traversed with tactical jumps. This can make descending is much harder than ascending. Jumping back down a steep slope can quickly lead to broken knees, which will require a splint to heal.

Veteran climbers will enjoy the Rodriguez-Manuel map for its incredible verticality. With so little flat ground at the bottom of the island, players will need to get to the top of the large rock pillars in order to build a base. Skilled jumpers will be able to enjoy the spectacular views this island has to offer, and may even be able to locate some of the hidden secrets.

7 Longer Days & Bigger Stacks

  • Double Stack Size and Longer Day-Night Cycle mod by Carlitox25

Fans looking to make the game easier rather than harder will find plenty of mods to help them excel. Sadly, many files for making animals non-aggressive are now out of date. However, there are other ways to make Beam Team’s brutal survival game more forgiving.

This mod by Carlitox25 increases how many objects players can hold in a single stack. This will make resource gathering much more efficient, especially in the early game. As well as boosting stack size, this download also lengthens the game’s day-night cycle for extra realism. Players who are struggling will have more time to accomplish their goals and find the necessary materials for their building projects, such as constructing their dream raft.

6 A Tropical Labyrinth Packed With Secrets

  • Poseidon’s Maze mod by HerjaEldgrim

Stranded Deep is a game of exploration as well as survival. There are many exciting things for players to find while journeying through their tropical archipelago. With such sprawling maps, it’s easy to get lost and it can help to leave small markers, such as piles of twigs to indicate where a player has been before.

Poseidon’s Maze is a map where getting lost is half the fun. Players explore a giant natural labyrinth with towering pillars of rock as its walls. There are many secrets to discover, and hours of explorative gameplay to enjoy. Even veteran survivalists may struggle to stay oriented as they try to reach the oasis in the center of the maze.

5 Save Anywhere Without A Shelter

  • Waypoints + Save Anywhere mod by Jan

Players will find many ways to die in Stranded Deep, from ravenous sharks to stepping on poisonous purple starfish. In the base game, players will need to gather fibrous leaves, sticks, and palm fronds in order to build a shelter and save their game

For those who would like to save anywhere on the island, a helpful modder on Steam has created a download to do just that. With unlimited saves, players won’t have to constantly return to base to preserve their progress. Another feature of this mod allows players to add waypoints to mark important objects or locations.

4 The Perfect Map For Treasure Hunters

  • Ancient Legends - CUSTOM MAP map by ManlyManFace

The best custom maps for Stranded Deep include hidden secrets, such as special loot, or pieces of narrative that add a fresh context to the survival game. The Ancient Legends map is a great mod for explorers as it sees the protagonist shipwrecked on a mysterious island filled with hidden areas and secrets to discover.

This map isn’t the hardest to survive on, but it is possibly one of the most difficult to complete as it is packed with loot. Players can find treasures and documents in concealed caves, sinkholes, or the wrecks that litter the shore. Obviously, some of these areas are more hazardous than others. Players should ensure they know how to recover their HP in case they become injured during their exploration.

3 Welcome To The Jungle

  • La Selva mod by SKIROW

An ambitious project, La Selva drops players in a massive jungle-themed map overflowing with detail. A visually amazing mod that will push lower-end machines to their limits, this download is just one of many Stranded Deep maps created by this modder, all of which can be sampled on the author’s YouTube page.

Packed with unique plants and animals, La Selva’s difficulty arises from its sheer size as players will need to thoroughly search the map to find the best loot. For those who feel like they have exhausted everything there is to do in the survival game, this map should help revitalize the experience for them.

2 A Mod For Getting Unstuck

  • Unstuck + Coop Teleport mod by Jan

One issue that can occur when using mods or even during the base game, is that players will find themselves stuck in uneven gaps or between rocks. When this happens, players often need to use cheats to escape the glitch or reload a previous save.

Thankfully, a helpful modder created a way to escape from these situations. This mod will jump the player up and protect them from damage, enabling them to get out of a glitch without losing any precious health. If two friends are playing Stranded Deep co-op, they can also use this mod to teleport to their teammates. This is useful when players have become separated, or if one player is in danger and requires assistance.

1 Home With A View

  • Lost Homestead mod by GrampyNH

Some maps are designed to be sprawling mazes filled with danger around every corner that test the survival instincts of players. Others aim for a more middle-of-the-road experience, not in terms of quality but challenge. Lost Homestead is not especially huge or cutthroat; in fact, it is quite a welcoming place when compared to most other Stranded Deep maps.

This island is relatively rich in resources and comes with a house that is made to be someone’s home away from home. While there are a few threats, the wildlife is more than manageable. Lost Homestead lives up to its name: this map is for those who want somewhere to lay down their head.

Stranded Deep is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.