Lightyear Frontier · 1.0
Lightyear Frontier 1.0: Keep Your Save or Start Fresh?
Keep your save; restarting is optional, according to the developer's FAQ.
01 · Keep existing save
Keep the farm. Reach the new endgame.
Best fit if preserving your work matters most. The FAQ says 1.0 continues from the Automation Update.
Compare continuing02 · Start fresh — optional
Relearn the revised progression.
Best fit if you want the rebalanced experience from the beginning. This is the developer's recommendation, not a requirement.
Review what changed03 · Achievements
No restart needed for eligibility.
The developer confirms new achievements work on old saves. Individual triggers have not been tested here.
04 · Legacy branch — unknown procedure
Do not guess a migration method.
The FAQ says Legacy gets no 1.0 changes. It does not give a verified Legacy-to-1.0 transfer procedure.
Sources checked . Version 1.0 released on November 4 for Steam and Xbox, according to the official launch post. This guide uses developer statements; it does not claim hands-on save migration testing.
Official Steam game card
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Keep Existing Save vs Start Fresh
These choices are editorial guidance based on the official FAQ and launch notes, rather than results from a tested playthrough.
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| Your situation | Keep Existing Save | Start Fresh |
|---|---|---|
| You finished the Automation Update and want the story conclusion. | Strong fit: the FAQ says 1.0 picks up where that update left off, so caught-up players can head into the endgame. | Choose this if replaying the revised early progression matters more than reaching new content quickly. |
| You want to keep a farm you spent time building. | Keeps your existing save in use. Allow time to review the changed automation and mech systems. | Fits only if a fresh progression run is worth rebuilding to you; compatibility does not require it. |
| You left early or want to learn the revised progression from the beginning. | Still supported, but you will be returning partway through systems that have changed. | Best match for the developer's recommendation of a more natural, better-flowing overall experience. |
| Your main concern is the new achievements. | Supported: the developer confirms new achievements work with old saves. | Optional preference, not an achievement requirement. |
What changed enough to affect the decision?
The November 4 release notes explain why a compatible old save may still feel different:
- Progression and deliveries were rebalanced. Existing Milestones were overhauled, and Milestones 13 and 14 were added. A restart lets you follow the revised sequence from its beginning.
- Automation starts earlier and works differently. It begins at Milestone 4; Automation Pipes replace Automators, with resources available directly from Storage. Continuing players should review their setup rather than assume every old arrangement works identically.
- Mech customization has new upgrade paths. Tools and Parts now upgrade along dedicated paths. The developer says Mods carry over and equivalent highest-Tier Parts are supplied, so this redesign does not itself require a reset.
- The main story now has an ending. Sandswept Highlands and Hollow Marsh are added, with new main and neighbor missions. This gives caught-up players a reason to continue rather than replay everything first.
Before you choose
- Check the version and branch you are using. These recommendations concern the 1.0 release. The FAQ says the Legacy branch receives no changes; it does not establish a Legacy-to-1.0 migration procedure.
- Choose your goal. Prioritize keeping an established farm and reaching new endgame content, or prioritize relearning the revised progression. Neither choice is required just to earn the new achievements.
- If continuing, read the automation and mech sections first. Save compatibility is confirmed; an unchanged layout or identical behavior for every old setup is not.
- If restarting, treat it as a preference. A new run follows the developer's experience recommendation. Nothing in that recommendation instructs you to delete your existing save.
Official trailer · YouTube
See the 1.0 launch overview
The publisher-linked launch trailer is a promotional overview, not evidence of save migration or an old-save upgrade test.
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Show the official trailer
Video linked by the publisher's 1.0 press release. Official video by Lightyear Frontier. If the player is unavailable, use the YouTube link above.
Official sources and what remains unverified
- 1.0 Frequently Asked Questions — October 26, 2026: save compatibility, optional restart, achievements, Automation Update continuity and Legacy branch status.
- Lightyear Frontier 1.0 OUT NOW! — November 4, 2026: release confirmation, progression changes and equipment carryover details. Use this newer post for release-day changes.
- Official Steam listing: store and platform reference. The November 4 launch date follows the developer's official 1.0 release announcement linked above.
Not tested: an actual old-save upgrade, individual achievement triggers, platform-specific save handling, cloud conflicts or a later hotfix. No manual file-copy, backup-directory or conversion steps are verified here. Check newer official notes if your installed build differs or a specific save fails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I have to restart Lightyear Frontier for 1.0?
No. The official FAQ says old saves remain playable. Starting fresh is recommended for a more natural progression and balance experience, but it is optional.
Q: Can I earn the new 1.0 achievements on an old save?
Yes. The developer explicitly confirms that the new achievements work with old saves. This is not a reason to restart by itself.
Q: What happens to my mech equipment when I continue?
The November 4 launch post says no reset is required: Mods carry over, and existing players receive Parts equivalent to their current highest Tier. This does not mean the old customization layout stays unchanged.
Q: Does 1.0 change the Legacy branch?
The official FAQ says 1.0 does not update or change the Legacy branch. It does not provide a verified step-by-step Legacy save migration procedure.