Survival · City builder · Management
Flotsam: All Guides & Quick Reference
Flotsam is a single-player survival city-builder from Pajama Llama Games, published by Stray Fawn. It entered Early Access on 26 September 2019 and left it with the 1.0 update on 4 December 2025 UTC (5 December in Taiwan and Hong Kong), which added a full main story and ending, four specialists, two new regions, building upgrades and 10 advanced buildings. There is no combat and no multiplayer. Windows PC only; Steam Deck Verified.
- Survival
- City builder
- Ocean
- Resource management
- Single-player
- Indie
- 1.0
China
US $24.99
Official screenshotView all screenshots
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About this game
Survival · City builder · ManagementFlotsam moves survival building onto a flooded world. You start with a central Townheart and a handful of drifters, salvage floating plastic, driftwood and scraps of the old world, and recycle them into platforms, homes, workshops and gardens. The whole town can sail to soaked ruins, factories and forgotten islands, picking up survivors and animals on the way. The 1.0 update added a full main story, four specialists, two new regions and building upgrades.
- 01
Recycle to build
Plastic waste becomes Floaters, which become platforms. Planks, metal plates and dry wood keep power, water and food production running.
- 02
A town that sails
Add sails and thrusters and the whole town moves to a new location. 1.0 upgrades can add 25% movement speed and cut movement energy by 10%.
- 03
Water and food
A Desalinator burns firewood to make fresh water; fish, crops and cooking buildings supply food. Running dry on water ends runs faster than running out of food.
- 04
Drifters and specialists
Every drifter has two story chapters that grant stat bonuses. The Birdkeeper, Chemist, Electrician and Aquaculturist each have a 1.0 questline that unlocks new buildings.
- 05
Pollution and sickness
The old world is toxic. Drifters get sick in polluted zones and ruins, so clean food and cures matter. The 1.0 Air Filter reduces pollution in drifter housing.
- 06
A full story and ending
1.0 added a main questline that can be played from start to finish, with a proper ending. Specialist quests and Radio Signals let you choose which thread to pursue.
Start with these two
Start with these two: the build order, and the fresh-water problem that ends most runs.
Flotsam Beginner Guide: First-Day Water, Food & Buildings (1.0)
A first-day route for Flotsam 1.0: collect floating plastic and wood before it drifts away, recycle Floaters, make planks for power and a Desalinator, then stabilise food with a Scrapsmith, Mooring Point and Fishing Boat.
Flotsam: How to Get Fresh Water (Desalinator, Solar Still & Firewood)
How fresh water works in Flotsam 1.0: build a Desalinator after the Manual Power Generator, keep firewood queued, add a Solar Still for passive water, and fix a water supply that keeps dropping.
Where are you stuck?
Pick the problem closest to yours. Unwritten guides are marked as coming soon.
Pick a goal
Survive the first day, then fix water and food before specialists and exploration.
What 1.0 and 1.0.1 added
Only changes named in the official announcements and patch notes. The experimental weather branch is not part of the default build.
- 1.0.1
A full main story and ending
1.0 added a main questline that runs from start to finish and gives the drifters' journey a proper ending.
- 1.0.1
Four specialists with their own quests
The Chemist, Electrician, Birdkeeper and Aquaculturist are new in 1.0, each with a questline and buildings to unlock.
- 1.0.1
Two new regions
The Industry Region is the most polluted area yet, with Polluted Goop, Electric Eels and hazardous water. Polluted Woods splits the woods into healthy and polluted sections.
- 1.0.1
Building upgrades and 10 advanced buildings
Homes can take an Air Filter to cut pollution; Gas Bags cut a building's weight by 25%, Lubricant cuts movement energy by 10%, and a Torque Thruster adds 25% movement speed.
- 1.0.1
Radio Signals
The new Radio Signals system lets you choose which specialist or questline to pursue first.
- 1.0.1
1.0.1 storage and readability update
1.0.1 added a Huge Storage Yard holding up to 300 resources, copy-paste storage filters, a buildable overview tab and better drifter pathfinding.
Screenshots
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Guide categories
Beginner
4 guidesFlotsam Beginner Guide: First-Day Water, Food & Buildings (1.0)
A first-day route for Flotsam 1.0: collect floating plastic and wood before it drifts away, recycle Floaters, make planks for power and a Desalinator, then stabilise food with a Scrapsmith, Mooring Point and Fishing Boat.
Flotsam: How to Get Food (Fishing Boat, Fish Sticks, Fryer & Farms)
How to fix food in Flotsam 1.0: turn metal scrap into Metal Plates, build a Scrapsmith, Mooring Point and Fishing Boat, cook the catch, then add farms and a Food Truck. Includes why seaweed alone stalls and why drifters stay hungry.
Flotsam: How to Get Fresh Water (Desalinator, Solar Still & Firewood)
How fresh water works in Flotsam 1.0: build a Desalinator after the Manual Power Generator, keep firewood queued, add a Solar Still for passive water, and fix a water supply that keeps dropping.
How to Claim Flotsam Free on Epic: Launcher Download & Account Setup
A step-by-step route for first-time Epic users: create an account, download the official Epic Games Launcher, claim Flotsam for 0, and install it. Includes the CN-region deadline, the errors beginners hit, and the Windows 10 / Mac catch.
General
1 guideFAQ
What kind of game is Flotsam?
A single-player survival city-builder from Pajama Llama Games, published by Stray Fawn. You salvage ocean garbage, recycle it into platforms, homes, workshops and gardens, then sail the whole town through a flooded world. There is no combat and no multiplayer.
Is Flotsam still free on Epic?
The Epic Games Store giveaway window is 5 November 2026, 16:00 UTC to 12 November 2026, 16:00 UTC — 6 November 00:00 to 13 November 00:00 in Taiwan and Hong Kong time. Claimed copies stay in your library; after the window the game returns to full price.
How much does Flotsam cost?
$24.99 / ¥80 on Steam. The Hong Kong store lists HK$109, and the lowest recorded discount is 50% off at $12.49. No TWD price has been published, so this site does not convert one.
Is Flotsam a new 2026 game?
No. It entered Early Access on 26 September 2019 and reached 1.0 on 4 December 2025 UTC (5 December in Taiwan and Hong Kong). The 2026 Epic giveaway is not a new release.
Does Flotsam support Chinese?
Yes. Traditional and Simplified Chinese are both interface languages. Only English has full voice-over, so do not expect Chinese audio.
Is there a Switch, PS5 or Xbox version?
No. Flotsam is Windows PC only, sold on Steam, GOG, Epic and Humble. Steam Deck is Verified, but that is a handheld PC, not a console release.
Does Flotsam have an ending?
Yes. 1.0 added a complete main questline and a proper ending. Specialist quests and Radio Signals are side content, not a requirement to finish. This site has not played through the ending yet and does not publish a step list.
Is weather part of the released game?
Not in the default build. Weather (Freezing Winds, Cold Fog, Heavy Rain, Tropical Rain and Heatwave) is being tested on the Experimental branch as of 1.1.0e04. The stable 1.0.1 build does not have it, so do not plan a first run around experimental weather values.
navgame.org is an unofficial fan guide site and is not affiliated with Pajama Llama Games or Stray Fawn Publishing. This site does not host game files; store links point only to the official Steam and Epic Games Store pages.
Flotsam
¥80