Hardspace: Shipbreaker: Complete Guide

A working shipbreaker's guide to Hardspace: Shipbreaker: how to plan a salvage, which bin every part goes in, how to handle decompression, fuel, electricity and reactors, how to spend on upgrades, and how to actually pay down that 1.25 billion credit debt.

Researched September 2026 — current as of patch 1.3.0.1263554 (March 2026 branding update; the game is now self-published by Blackbird Interactive). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

• Do the tutorial properly. It teaches cutting, grappling and bins, and every later ship builds on it.
• Every shift costs money. Equipment, oxygen and other daily costs are charged against your earnings, so a slow, sloppy shift can lose money.
• Scan first, cut second. Your scanner shows hazards, cut points and what each part is worth. Never cut blind.
• Know the three bins: the Barge takes intact valuable components, the Processor takes structural metal, and the Furnace takes burnable and other material. Each is marked on the salvage bay.
• Depressurise before you open anything. Opening a pressurised ship the wrong way causes explosive decompression, which can throw you and wreck parts.
• Treat fuel lines, electrical systems and reactors with respect. They're the difference between a profitable shift and a crater.
• Salvage the big-ticket items intact. Reactors, thrusters, electronics and similar components are worth far more to the Barge than as scrap.
• Refill oxygen and thruster fuel early and keep an eye on your suit gauges; running dry mid-cut is how shifts go wrong.
• Upgrades change everything. Early upgrades to your tools, suit and oxygen make every later ship faster and safer.
• Work in chunks, not tiny pieces. Big sections pushed into the right bin are faster than hundreds of small cuts.

The Setup

You work for LYNX, cutting apart derelict ships in zero-g for salvage. You start with a debt of over 1.25 billion credits. Salvage earns credits that pay down that debt, while daily costs eat into your profits. The campaign follows your crew and the push for a union, with characters like Lou Steiner, foreman Joseph Weaver and administrator Hal Rhodes. It ends after three acts.

Game modes

Mode | What it is

Career (campaign) | The story mode across three acts, with shift timers, certifications and the debt

Open Shift / Free Play | Relaxed salvaging with the shift time limit removed

Competitive (timed challenges) | Race the clock for maximum salvage value (weekly challenges were added in August 2020 during Early Access)

Your Tools

Tool | What it does | Tips

Grapple | Grabs and pulls/pushes objects; also places tethers | Use it to throw pieces towards bins in one smooth motion

Tethers | Anchor objects together or pull them toward a point | Tether heavy panels to the bin to drift them in hands-free

Splitsaw (cutter) | Laser cutter with a precise mode and a wider split mode | Cut on marked cut points to free parts cleanly

Demo Charges | Explosives to break structure at designated points | Unlocked through progression; great for splitting hulls

Scanner | Shows hazards, object values, cut points and destinations | Scan the whole ship before the first cut

Tools wear down and can be repaired; you'll unlock more tool capacity and features with upgrades.

Salvage Destinations

Destination | What goes there | Mistake to avoid

Barge | Intact components: reactors, thrusters, computers, fuel tanks, and other modules | Don't damage them while cutting them free

Processor | Structural metal, hull and frame pieces | Cut pieces small enough to fit

Furnace | Burnable material and other fixtures and scrap | Don't burn Barge items; you lose their value

If you're ever unsure, the scanner tells you the correct destination.

Hazards

Pressure and decompression

• Pressurised ships explode outward if you breach the hull or open the wrong door.
• Depressurise first: find ways to vent air in a controlled way (for example, doors, vents and the scanner's pressure readouts), from a safe position.
• Stand clear of doors when you open them the first time.

Fuel

• Fuel lines and tanks can ignite if cut or damaged. The "It's Heating up!" achievement is earned by taking fire damage for a reason.
• Drain or disconnect fuel systems before cutting near them, and send fuel tanks to the Barge intact.

Electricity

• Live electrical systems shock you ("Truly Shocking!" achievement). Disable power first.
• Cutting power in the right order makes the rest of the ship much safer.

Coolant and cold

• Coolant systems cause cold damage ("Breaking the Ice" achievement). Treat them like fuel: disconnect before cutting.

Reactors

• Reactors are among the most valuable parts in the ship, and the most dangerous.
• Salvaging one successfully unlocks the "Critical Thinker" achievement.
• Follow the ship's specific reactor procedure: disconnect support systems first, don't cut into the reactor, move it slowly, and get it into the Barge before any timers run out.

Ship Classes

As you gain certifications, you'll be cleared for bigger and more complex ships. Class names confirmed by the game's achievements include:

Class | Notes

Mackerel | Small early ships; learn the basics here

Gecko | More complex, with more systems to manage

Javelin | Larger and longer, with more hazards

Atlas | Big late-game ships; plan work in sections

Each class has variants, and ships are procedurally varied, so the same class can present different puzzles. There are "Complete all Salvage Goals" achievements for Gecko, Javelin and Atlas ships.

A Reliable Salvage Routine

• Scan everything. Identify hazards, high-value items and pressure state.
• Safe the ship. Depressurise, cut power, deal with fuel and coolant.
• Pull the valuables. Get intact Barge components out first while the ship is still structurally simple.
• Strip interior fittings. Send them to the Furnace or Processor as appropriate.
• Split the hull. Use cut points and demo charges to break the frame into large chunks.
• Route chunks efficiently. Throw or tether pieces toward the right bin; large pushes beat many small trips.
• Clean up. Small leftover bits add up. Check the salvage goals before ending the shift.

Money and Upgrades

• You earn credits for everything salvaged; the debt is enormous, so think long term.
• Daily costs (equipment, consumables and similar) come out of your earnings; efficient shifts matter.
• Upgrades improve tools (cutter, grapple, demo charges), suit (oxygen, thrusters, health) and scanner. Prioritise:
• Oxygen and thruster capacity (fewer trips to refill).
• Grapple strength and tether count (move bigger pieces).
• Cutter improvements and demo charge capacity (faster breaking).
• Scanner improvements (better information).
• Certifications gate access to bigger ships. Complete work orders to rank up.

Collectibles and Secrets

• Bunny stuffed animal ("Captured Killer of Caerbannog").
• Posters ("Post No Bills").
• Credit Drives ("A drop in the Ocean").
• A hidden data drive ("A Tucked Tale").
• AI nodes can be destroyed ("I ain't afraid of no Ghost").
• The "Fully repay your debt" achievement ("The best thing money can buy") is the ultimate long-term goal.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Cutting before scanning. You'll hit fuel lines, electrical systems and pressure pockets.
• Opening a pressurised ship at the wrong spot. Explosive decompression wrecks parts and your suit.
• Burning valuable components. If it's a Barge item, it doesn't go in the Furnace.
• Tiny cuts everywhere. Slower, and small pieces drift around the bay.
• Running out of oxygen far from the station. Keep track of your suit and refill early.
• Ignoring daily costs. A slow, inefficient shift can lose money.
• Skipping upgrades. Early upgrades pay for themselves fast.

Advanced Tips

• Leave the frame intact while you strip interiors. Structure gives you anchoring and orientation.
• Throw with the grapple. Pull, release with momentum, and let the piece drift to the bin while you work on the next.
• Tether chains can drag an entire hull section into the Processor.
• Reactor procedure: if in doubt, save the reactor for a fresh, fully stocked oxygen tank and a clear path to the Barge.
• Free Play is a great place to learn a new ship class with no pressure before tackling it in Career.
• Watch the salvage goals list for each ship; hitting all goals is how you earn the class achievements.

FAQ

Can you actually pay off the debt? Yes. There's an achievement for fully repaying it. It takes many shifts; efficient salvaging and upgrades are the key.

Where does each part go? Barge for intact components, Processor for structural metal, Furnace for burnable and other material. The scanner always shows the correct destination.

How do I avoid explosive decompression? Scan the pressure, find a safe way to vent the ship, and open doors from the side, not in front.

Is there a relaxed mode? Yes. Free Play/Open Shift removes time pressure.

Who publishes the game now? Blackbird Interactive reacquired the IP from Focus Entertainment in August 2025 and self-publishes it. Patch 1.3.0.1263554 (March 2026) updated the branding and patched the Unity engine version for a security vulnerability. Blackbird says multiple new Hardspace projects are in development.

Is it on consoles? Yes, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions launched in September 2022.

Sources

• Hardspace: Shipbreaker on Steam
• Hardspace: Shipbreaker Steam news (ownership, patch 1.3.0.1263554)
• Hardspace: Shipbreaker Steam achievements
• Hardspace: Shipbreaker on Wikipedia