New Dawn at a glance
New Dawn was the first new content update since late 2024. Automaton reports it launched on October 28, 2025, about a year after the previous major update. Gematsu describes it as mainly a quality-of-life update.
It was released by Evil Empire, the studio that took over Brotato's development. The PC release came first, followed by consoles and mobile about a month later. Rogueliker later confirmed it reached PlayStation, Switch and Xbox.
- Version: 1.1.13.0
- Ban system: block up to 8 items per run
- Codex: in-game encyclopedia
- Three new save slots
- New weapon: Vorpal Sword
- Six new items
The Ban system
The Ban system lets you block up to eight items per run. It unlocks once you win a run on Danger 3 or higher. Weapons are not included, so bans only affect items.
Gematsu calls it a much-requested community feature. Banning items that never fit your build makes shops more consistent. It pairs well with the shop tips in our Brotato shop guide.
The Codex
The Codex is a wiki-style menu inside the game. It covers items, weapons and enemies, including how many of each enemy you killed and how often they killed you. The progress menu moved into it as well.
Evil Empire said it planned to expand the Codex based on player feedback. Paws & Claws later added schematics for every Elite attack. It is now the most up-to-date reference for your version of the game.
Vorpal Sword and the six new items
The new weapon, the Vorpal Sword, alternates between thrusting and sweeping attacks. Its special effect lets it one-shot an enemy the first time it hits. Creators quickly nicknamed it an instant-kill blade.
The six new items are Fresh Meat, Fruit Basket, Candy Bag, Ghost Outfit, Will-o'-Wisp and Hourglass. They unlock through new challenges added in the same update. Check the Codex for each item's effect.
New challenges
A first-look video by Dex walked through the new unlock challenges. They include winning a run on Danger 3 or more, winning without locking any items, and collecting 100 fruits at maximum health. Others ask you to burn 30 enemies in a single wave or reach 100% crit.
One challenge asks you to quit to the main menu during the last seconds of a wave after wave two, then resume. Dex found that resuming lets you replay the wave. These challenges are how you unlock the new items and weapon.
Save slots and achievements
New Dawn added three new save slots. You can copy your progress to another profile or reset a save to start fresh. This makes it easy to replay the unlock journey without losing your main save.
There is one catch. If a save has every item, character, weapon and Danger level unlocked through other means, it no longer earns achievements. Play normally to keep achievements active.
Visual and quality-of-life changes
The patch reworked visual effects, including the burning animation and blood particles. Icons were added to character and item descriptions to make them easier to read. Chinese localization was also fixed.
In a first-look video, Dex praised the Codex and said they were glad the new studio had taken over the game. Dex was also curious to see the reworked burning animation. The core loop of waves and shops is unchanged.
Should you play New Dawn's challenges?
Yes, because they unlock the six new items and the Vorpal Sword. Many challenges fit naturally into normal runs, such as winning on Danger 3. Others, like burning 30 enemies in one wave, need a dedicated build.
Use the Codex to track what you have unlocked. A fresh save slot lets you replay unlocks from the start. That turns New Dawn into a reason to revisit the game.
Why New Dawn mattered
New Dawn arrived after roughly a year without a major update. It showed that Brotato would keep growing under Evil Empire. Gematsu noted that the team planned to expand the Codex based on feedback.
The update set up systems that later releases built on. Paws & Claws added Elite schematics to the Codex. All Pain No Gain and Primal Dread continued the steady release schedule.
New Dawn on consoles and mobile
Gematsu reported that consoles and mobile would get New Dawn about a month after PC. Rogueliker later confirmed the update was available on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox. GoNintendo also reported on the Switch version ahead of its release.
The same features came to every platform, including bans, the Codex and save slots. Later updates followed the same PC-first pattern. Primal Dread's console and mobile release is planned for early 2027.
What came after New Dawn
Evil Empire followed with Paws & Claws in February 2026, adding Pets, nine items and the Beast Master character. All Pain No Gain in May 2026 added the Nightmare difficulty, the Wounded character and the Rail Gun. The Primal Dread DLC followed on November 2, 2026.
Each update built on New Dawn's systems, such as adding Elite schematics to the Codex. See Brotato Nightmare and Brotato DLC for those releases. Our Brotato items guide covers the new items.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Brotato New Dawn update release?
On PC in late October 2025, with consoles and mobile following about a month later.
How do I unlock the Ban system?
Win a run on Danger 3 or higher. You can then ban up to eight items per run.
What weapon did New Dawn add?
The Vorpal Sword, which alternates thrusts and sweeps and can one-shot an enemy on its first hit.
What is the Brotato Codex?
An in-game encyclopedia of items, weapons and enemies with kill statistics, added in New Dawn.
What version is New Dawn?
Version 1.1.13.0.