Lethal Company Beginner Guide: Survive Your First Quota (2026)

Last updated: May 10, 2026. This guide covers Lethal Company v50+ on Steam. Whether you are playing solo or with friends, this beginner tutorial walks you through everything you need to survive your first quota and beyond.

What Is Lethal Company?

Lethal Company is a co-op horror game developed by Zeekerss and released on Steam in 2023. It exploded in popularity for its unique blend of tense horror exploration, comedic physics, and teamwork-driven gameplay. You play as a contracted worker for The Company, a mysterious corporate entity that sends you to abandoned, monster-infested moons to collect scrap metal and valuables.

The core premise is simple: land on a moon, collect enough scrap to meet your quota, return alive, and repeat. Fail to meet the quota and you are fired — permanently, deleting your save file.

Game Overview

The Core Game Loop

The game operates on a day-by-day cycle. Each “day” you fly your ship to a moon, scavenge during the daylight hours, and must return to the ship before midnight. Here is the loop broken down:

1. Select a Moon — Use the ship terminal to pick a moon to land on. You start with three free moons available.
2. Gear Up — Buy equipment from the terminal store or use what you have.
3. Scavenge — Leave the ship, explore indoor facilities, and collect scrap.
4. Return by Midnight — Get back to the ship before the clock hits 12:00 AM. Anyone left outside dies.
5. Sell Scrap — Use the terminal to sell your collected scrap to The Company.
6. Meet Quota — If total scrap value meets or exceeds quota, you survive and get a new, higher quota. If not, game over.

First Quota Tutorial

Your first quota is 130 credits. This is very achievable with two or three successful scavenging trips to Experimentation or Assurance, the two easiest moons.

Step 1: Understand the Terminal

The ship has a terminal at the front. Approach it and press E to interact. Type help to see available commands. The most important commands for beginners:

Step 2: Land on Experimentation

Experimentation is the safest moon. It costs nothing to travel to and has the fewest and weakest monsters. Type Experimentation at the terminal, then type confirm to land.

Step 3: Equip Yourself

Before leaving the ship, grab a Flashlight from the wall rack (or buy one from the store for 15 credits if none is available). Each player should have a walkie-talkie for communication — buy one from the store for 12 credits.

Step 4: Use Your Scanner

Press Q (default keybind) to scan. Your scanner reveals:

• The value of scrap items (in credits)
• The name of monsters and their danger level
• The location of the main entrance to the facility
• The ship’s exit door

Scan everything. It is your most important tool.

Step 5: Learn the Map Layout

Facilities have a main entrance and sometimes a fire exit. The interior consists of rooms connected by hallways. Look for:

Step 6: Collect Scrap

Walk up to any scrap item and press E to pick it up. One-handed items let you carry something else in your other hand. Two-handed items require both hands. Bring scrap back to the ship and drop it in the storage area. For a complete database of all scrap items, value ranges, and sell priorities, see our Scrap and Loot Guide.

Step 7: Sell Before Midnight

Back on the ship, use the terminal, type sell followed by the items you want to sell, or type sell all to sell everything that was scanned on the ship. The value goes toward your quota.

Step 8: End the Day

Once everyone is on the ship and the scrap is sold, you can type stop at the terminal to end the day. If your total sold scrap meets the quota, you advance to the next quota cycle.

Basic Survival Rules

1. Never Split Up Alone

Always travel with at least one other person. Solo players who encounter a Bracken or Coil-Head rarely survive. The buddy system saves lives. For optimal team composition and communication, see our Co-op Team Roles Guide.

2. Watch Your Stamina

Running depletes stamina rapidly. When the breathing icon appears in the corner of your screen, stop running briefly to recover. Reserve stamina for emergencies — you do not want to be winded when a Thumper starts chasing you.

3. Listen to Audio Cues

Lethal Company is a game where sound matters more than visuals. Wear headphones. Each monster makes a distinct sound:

4. Close Doors Behind You

Many monsters can open doors. Closing doors slows them down and buys you precious seconds. The ship door is your safest haven — monsters cannot enter the ship.

5. Check Corners

Always look up before entering a room (Snare Fleas drop from ceilings). Check behind doors (Brackens love hiding there). Scan corners before committing to a hallway.

6. Manage Inventory Space

You have two hands. Plan what you carry:

Pro tip: Flashlights can be dropped on the ground and remain on. Create “light caches” in safe rooms.

Ship Controls Reference

Knowing the ship interior is critical. The ship serves as your hub and safe zone.

Common Beginner Mistakes

1. Making Too Much Noise

Lethal Company has proximity-based audio that monsters react to. Running everywhere, slamming doors, talking loudly on voice chat, and using the boombox recklessly all attract monsters. Eyeless Dogs are completely blind but have excellent hearing. Walk instead of run when possible, especially outdoors.

2. Wasting Credits Early

It is tempting to buy a Jetpack (700 credits) or Zap Gun (400 credits) immediately. Do not. Early credits are better spent on:

3. Ignoring Weather Warnings

The terminal tells you weather conditions before you land. Beginners should avoid:

4. Not Checking Ceilings

Snare Fleas cling to ceilings and drop onto players passing below. They latch onto your head, slowly suffocating you while you struggle. Always look up when entering a new room. A flashlight scan of the ceiling takes one second and can save your life.

5. Hoarding Scrap Outside the Ship

Dropping scrap outside the ship to “sort it later” is a death sentence. Monsters patrol outdoors, Eyeless Dogs roam, and Forest Keepers appear on certain moons. Bring scrap directly into the ship. The ship is the only safe place on the moon.

6. Forgetting to Close the Ship Door

An open ship door lets monsters inside (though they cannot enter the ship cabin itself, they can camp the doorway). Close the door behind you when entering or leaving. The designated ship operator should manage the door.

7. Running Past Monsters

Panic-running past monsters often triggers their chase AI. Brackens will snap your neck if you stare at them and run — you need to look away and back away slowly. Coil-Heads only move when you are not looking, so staring while backing away is the correct play. Learn each monster’s behavior before you face it at speed.

8. Ignoring the Clock

The day-night cycle is unforgiving. Around 8:00 PM, monster spawns increase and danger escalates. Start heading back to the ship by 10:00 PM at the latest. It is better to return with partial scrap than to die with a full inventory at midnight.

9. Not Using Ship Radar

The ship monitor shows a top-down view of the outdoor area. A player on monitor duty can:

• Track teammate positions
• Spot monsters near the ship
• Guide lost players back
• Warn about approaching enemies

Solo Play Tips

Playing Lethal Company solo is significantly harder but possible. Key differences:

• Monsters focus entirely on you (no splitting aggro)
• You cannot be saved by teammates
• You must manage all roles alone
• The ship door stays wherever you left it (no door control without mods)

When to Advance to Harder Moons

Once your quota exceeds 300 credits, Experimentation and Assurance may not provide enough scrap. That is your signal to try Vow (medium difficulty, free travel) and eventually Offense (medium-hard).

For advanced quota scaling strategies, weather survival tactics, and max-efficiency routing, see our Advanced Strategies Guide.

Conclusion

Lethal Company has a steep learning curve, but mastering the basics outlined in this guide will see you through your first quota and well beyond. Remember: communication, caution, and teamwork are more important than any piece of equipment.

The most successful teams are those that respect the monsters, watch the clock, and always have an exit plan. Stay safe out there, and may your scrap piles be heavy.

Related Guides

• Lethal Company Advanced Strategies Guide
• Lethal Company Co-op Team Roles Guide
• Lethal Company Equipment Guide: Best Items and Loadouts
• Lethal Company Moons Guide: Complete Moon Rankings and Strategies
• Lethal Company Monster Bestiary: Every Entity Explained
• Lethal Company Scrap and Loot Guide: Complete Item Database
• Lethal Company Terminal Commands Guide