Lethal Company is a co-op horror game where you and up to 3 coworkers are contract employees for The Company, harvesting scrap from abandoned moons to meet a profit quota. Each three-day cycle, you choose a moon, land, explore the facility interior for valuable junk, and try to extract before the monsters kill you. A ship radar operator guides teammates through the facility using cameras and map screens. The game's corporate horror premise — dying is fine as long as you meet quota — creates a darkly funny atmosphere where genuine terror and workplace comedy coexist.
Starting Lethal Company can feel overwhelming. This guide tells you exactly what to focus on during your first hours so you don't waste time on things that don't matter yet.
What Kind of Game Is This?
Lethal Company is a horror game built around quota system and moon selection. The core loop involves mastering these systems to progress through increasingly challenging content.
What to expect: Time investment in learning mechanics, experimentation, and gradual mastery. The game rewards patience and knowledge.
Choosing Your First Build
| Build | Beginner Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Scout | Excellent for beginners | Enter rooms first, check for threats, call out creature locations and scrap positions to the team. |
| Loot Goblin | Good (but demanding) | Grab high-value scrap, sprint to ship, repeat until quota is met or danger is too high. |
| Radar Operator | Good (but demanding) | Monitor facility cameras, guide teammates via walkie-talkie, teleport players in danger. |
| Bait Runner | Excellent for beginners | Attract dangerous creatures away from teammates, use knowledge of creature AI to survive encounters. |
| Ship Manager | Situational | Handle logistics — moon selection, equipment purchases, scrap selling, quota tracking. |
Our recommendation: Start with Loot Goblin. The dedicated scrap carrier who grabs the highest-value items and rushes them to the ship. The Loot Goblin prioritizes valuable two-handed items (Apparatus, Cash Register) despite the danger of being unable to hold a flashlight. Speed and route knowledge maximize scrap extraction.
Avoid Ship Manager as your first pick. Manages the ship's equipment, sells scrap at the company moon, buys supplies, and handles the routing computer.
First Session Step-by-Step
Step 1: Learn quota system
Every 3 days you must meet a profit quota by selling collected scrap at The Company moon. Quotas increase each cycle. Failing to meet quota results in 'termination.' You can sell at exactly the quota amount to keep surplus for the next cycle, or sell everything. Managing quota across multiple moons and deciding when to sell is a core strategic decision.
This is the foundation. Spend your first 15-30 minutes getting comfortable with how quota system works before worrying about anything else.
Step 2: Head to Experimentation
The easiest moon — low creature density, simple facility layout, and basic scrap. Free to visit with no landing fee. Use Experimentation for early quota days when you need safe, guaranteed scrap. Loot value is low but so is risk.
Clear the main content here before moving on. Everything teaches fundamentals you'll need later.
Step 3: Get Your First Upgrade
Look for Zap Gun — it's the most accessible early upgrade. A taser that continuously stuns a creature while you hold the trigger, draining battery. The Zap Gun doesn't kill but keeps a creature locked in place while teammates run past. Essential for Bracken encounters where you need time to escape without maintaining eye contact.
Step 4: Understand moon selection
Multiple moons with increasing difficulty and loot value are available. Cheap moons (Experimentation, Assurance) have lower loot value but fewer threats. Expensive moons (Titan, Rend) cost credits to visit but contain high-value scrap. Moon selection balances risk against quota pressure — behind on quota means risky moon runs.
This is the system most new players overlook. Invest time here early — it pays off throughout the entire game.
Step 5: Push to Assurance
Slightly harder than Experimentation with more creature spawns but better loot. The facility is larger with more rooms and more valuable scrap. Still free to visit. The go-to moon for consistent medium-value runs without risking credits on moon landing fees.
Essential Mechanics Explained
quota system
Every 3 days you must meet a profit quota by selling collected scrap at The Company moon. Quotas increase each cycle. Failing to meet quota results in 'termination.' You can sell at exactly the quota amount to keep surplus for the next cycle, or sell everything. Managing quota across multiple moons and deciding when to sell is a core strategic decision.
moon selection
Multiple moons with increasing difficulty and loot value are available. Cheap moons (Experimentation, Assurance) have lower loot value but fewer threats. Expensive moons (Titan, Rend) cost credits to visit but contain high-value scrap. Moon selection balances risk against quota pressure — behind on quota means risky moon runs.
scrap collection
Scrap items (random junk like bottles, paintings, apparatus) spawn inside facilities and have random credit values. One-handed scrap lets you carry a flashlight; two-handed scrap leaves you defenseless. The loot-to-exit loop creates tension — do you grab one more item or extract safely with what you have?
creature AI
Each creature has unique AI behavior. Bracken stalks from behind and kills on extended eye contact. Coil-Heads freeze when observed but move when you look away. Hoarding Bugs guard their loot pile. Eyeless Dogs hunt by sound. Learning each creature's mechanics determines survival.
ship upgrades
Credits buy ship upgrades: Teleporter (extract one player), Inverse Teleporter (teleport into facility at random), Loud Horn (scare some creatures), and cosmetic items. The Teleporter is the most important upgrade — it rescues trapped or dying players. Loud Horn can save players from certain creature types.
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Not assigning a Radar Operator — all 4 players entering the facility means nobody can monitor cameras, use the teleporter, or guide navigation
Always have one person on the ship.
2. Staring at the Bracken for too long — the instinct to watch a threat is lethal here
Brief glances make it retreat, but 3+ seconds of eye contact triggers an instant kill.
3. Staying in the facility past 6 PM — creature spawn rates increase dramatically after dark, and outdoor creatures become more aggressive
Plan to be back at the ship by 5 PM.
4. Visiting expensive moons without budget — landing on Titan costs 700 credits
If you don't extract enough scrap to cover the landing fee plus quota, you've wasted the trip and fallen further behind.
5. Selling all scrap immediately — keeping a buffer of unsold scrap means if a run goes badly, you can still meet quota from reserves
Only sell what you need to hit the current quota target.
First 5 Hours Checklist
- Understand quota system and moon selection
- Choose Loot Goblin as starting build
- Clear Experimentation main content
- Acquire Zap Gun or equivalent upgrade
- Reach Assurance
- Sell at exactly the quota amount to keep surplus credits for the next cycle. Selling everything wastes potential buffer for harder quota days.
- The Inverse Teleporter saves trapped players by teleporting one random teammate into the facility — useful when someone dies near the entrance with valuable scrap, letting you retrieve it.
Tips for New Players
- Sell at exactly the quota amount to keep surplus credits for the next cycle. Selling everything wastes potential buffer for harder quota days.
- The Inverse Teleporter saves trapped players by teleporting one random teammate into the facility — useful when someone dies near the entrance with valuable scrap, letting you retrieve it.
- Bracken (the flower-headed creature) kills if you stare at it for more than 3 seconds. Glance at it briefly to make it back off, then look away. Never maintain prolonged eye contact.
- Coil-Heads (spring-necked creatures) freeze when any player looks at them but move incredibly fast when unobserved. Keep one player staring while others escape. Never all look away simultaneously.
- March has the best loot-to-danger ratio of any free moon. Run March repeatedly for consistent quota meeting. Switch to Titan only when desperately behind.
- The Radar Operator on the ship is the most important role — they see the map, monitor cameras, and can teleport players in danger. Never leave the ship unmanned during facility runs.
- Eyeless Dogs hunt purely by sound — crouch-walk near them, don't talk on proximity voice, and place boomboxes to distract them. They ignore you completely if you're silent.
- Two-handed scrap items (Apparatus, Cash Register) are the most valuable but leave you unable to hold a flashlight or weapon. Have a teammate escort you when carrying these.
- The ship's horn scares some outdoor creatures temporarily. The Radar Operator should honk when teammates are being chased near the ship.
- Weather conditions affect difficulty — foggy days reduce visibility making outdoor travel dangerous, rainy days make some creatures more active, and eclipses increase indoor creature spawns.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players can play Lethal Company?
Lethal Company supports up to 4 players in online co-op. Most gameplay is designed for 3-4 players, with one typically staying on the ship as Radar Operator. Solo play is possible but extremely difficult and missing the core co-op experience.
What happens if you don't meet quota?
After 3 days, if your sold scrap total doesn't meet the quota, you're 'terminated' (game over). Quotas increase each cycle. You can sell scrap at The Company moon any time during the 3-day period. Excess scrap beyond quota carries over as buffer for the next cycle.
Is Lethal Company still in early access?
The game launched in early access and continues to receive content updates including new moons, creatures, and equipment. The developer (Zeekerss) releases major updates adding significant content. The early access state hasn't prevented it from becoming one of the most popular co-op games.
What is the best moon in Lethal Company?
March is widely considered the best overall moon — free to visit, consistent high-value loot, and manageable creature density. For early quota building, Assurance is safe and free. Titan has the highest value loot but is extremely dangerous and costs 700 credits to visit.
What to Read Next
- Lethal Company Builds — Optimize your build once you've learned the basics
- Lethal Company Walkthrough — Full progression path
- Lethal Company Tips — Advanced strategies for when you're ready
