What does the Map Player Count Upgrade do in R.E.P.O.?

If you’re heading into the dark, cold, unwelcoming labyrinths of R.E.P.O. with friends, refer to the Map Player Count Upgrade to remind you of your friendship and common goal—to reach the end together.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Map Player Count Upgrade in R.E.P.O.: its cost, function, and whether it’s worth your time.

How to get Map Player Count Upgrade in R.E.P.O.

The Map Player Count is just one of the many upgrades you can get your hands on in R.E.P.O. Appearing exclusively inside the Service Station, this item will set you back anywhere between $9,000 to $12,000, making this the most expensive upgrade, alongside the Extra Jump. The Map Player Count has a rarer spawn chance than other upgrades, meaning you’ll likely pick this up from level three onwards. If you’re specifically looking for this upgrade, you can always reset the Service Station by returning to the Main Menu and selecting your save file. This will rotate the stock and increase the chances of your specific item appearing for purchase.

Remember, just like all other upgrades and healing items, the Map Player Count Upgrade can only be used once per player. You can use the item inside the truck as you’re moving onto the next level. Once used, the upgrade will self-destruct and despawn.

Map Player Count Upgrade use

The Map Player Count Upgrade counts the number of alive players on the map. It tracks their position and alive status better than relying on comms and chat, making it easier to locate their Broken One head if they perish (Broken Ones appear on the map as a red dot). This upgrade allows you to create new strategies and split up as you can keep track of who is still alive via the map (with Tab). The Map Player Count’s importance and strength is determined by the amount of players you have in the lobby. The more players you have, the more vital this upgrade becomes.

This upgrade is best for the reliable teammate whose job is to stay alive every round. While they will collect valuables, they are the backbone of the team, tasked to return to the truck long before the remaining members complete the final extraction point. This is to avoid all members returning to the truck in the dark, where monsters spawn increase, and they patrol the route back to the truck, shown on your map via the white trail of dots. This strategy is essential for later rounds where the monster quantity increases, making it incredibly difficult to exfil without being chased or killed.

This upgrade is entirely useless for solo players, so if you’re heading into the abyss alone, you’re better off spending your money on stamina, sprint speed, strength, or range. These will increase your overall survivability. Equip yourself with weapons, accumulate Energy Crystals, and rely on gadgets like the Feather and Indestructible Drone to help you reach double figure levels.