PEAK's Mesa update brings a scorching desert biome into the rotation (released August 11, 2025). It all boils (get it, boils?) down to whether you prefer heat stroke or frostbite, except you don't have a choice, it's one or the other. The Mesa biome introduces a heat mechanic, as well as six new survival items, badges, and cosmetics.
Mesa Update Key Features:
- New desert biome with a heat status system
- 6 new items - Balloons, Scout Cannon, Parasol, Sunscreen, Aloe Vera, Dynamite
- Bug Phobia Mode for accessibility (say bye to ticks, say hi to even more Bing Bong!)
- Performance improvements and bug fixes
- Controller navigation support
How to Survive the Mesa Heat System & Other Dangers
It's always the weather that's the issue, and now you'll have to figure out how to survive the new Peak Mesa Heat System and fight the sun. Essentially, your stamina will be draining as you are getting scorched in the sun. The first step to surviving the boiling heat is moving in the shadow. Travelling during night time only would also be extremely efficient, if it weren't for that blasted fog. So what can you do when you can't avoid travelling in the sun?
Well of course, you use items found in luggage to help you out. Familiar items like the Sport Drinks and Energy Drinks will cool you off, but there's some new items added to the game that can also help you out, which you can read out about below.
Due to the heat, you will definitely encounter some Mirages across the desert, just like in real life. If there is not enough shade protection and you're already struggling, I suggest avoiding any Luggage or Capybara ponds that are out of your way.
Heat may be an issue, but wind is too here. Tornadoes and Tumbleweed are common occurrences in the Mesa. Tumbleweed can knock you down and damage you quite a bit. Tornadoes on the other hand will pick you up and spin you around, resulting in either fall damage or damage by Thorn (they love throwing you into Cacti).
If you do get stuck on a Cactus, keep moving away from it to get unstuck, but you aren't safe just yet. Look around your body and try to get all of the Thorns off your body. If you aren't playing solo, you can ask your team to get them off you, as well. You'll know you are thorn-free when the green section is removed from your stamina bar.
How to Use Parasols for Maximum Protection
If you can't come to the shade, well the shade can come to you with Parasols. Use them to create shade even on the move which can protect both you and your teammates. This new items is definitely useful to pick up for the Mesa section to keep you cool, but there's more. You can also use the Parasol to glide down to different areas without taking any damage Mary Poppins style (or Yondu-style).
How to Apply Sunscreen
Sunscreen can't reduce previous burn damage, but it can stop it from happening again. After you find a bottle of Sunscreen in luggage, save it for when you have to traverse in the sunlight. This is a limited use item, so you really have to conserve it for the right moments.
To apply Sunscreen, simply equip the bottle and spray it into the air. Walk through the cloud of sunscreen and you'll be protected for a while.
How to Heal Burn Damage with Aloe Vera
If you want to heal some burn damage and don't have any liquids on you, make sure to grab the Aloe Vera plant. All you have to do is consume it and your stamina will instantly increase. Be careful when picking up the plants near Cacti, or you might get stuck on those thorns.
How to Use Balloons in Mesa
Apart from the Parasol which can help you glide down, the Balloons will help you fly up. You can find either a single balloon or multiple in a luggage, and once you have six, you can combine them and achieve flight. Using Balloons in such a way will give you the Aeronautics Badge in PEAK, along with Astronaut Suit.
Keep in mind that the Balloons will pop and you'll come crashing down. The two things that can slow down your fall are the Parasol and another Balloon, so try to have either one of those, if you are looking to survive.
Apart from the badge, Balloons are super effective when you are stuck on a certain map area and need to go further up (especially if you are running from the fog).
How to Use Dynamite in PEAK
Dynamite can be found sticking in the walls, as well as spawning in luggage (which is incredibly mean). It will set off if you get too close to it. You have time to grab it and throw it in a specific direction, hopefully somewhere helpful. Make sure you do this as quickly as possible to avoid getting blown up.
If your health is in danger already, then I'd avoid Dynamite and head a different direction. However, if you know your run is going to fail, it might be worth it to actually try and use it, especially if there is a Scorpion near by. If you manage to hit it, the Scorpion will become a Cooked Scorpion, a crunchy meal to satiate your hunger.
How to Use the Scout Cannon Effectively
The Scout Cannon launches you across significant gaps instantly, making it perfect for emergency escapes. Light a fuse and you'll have a few seconds to jump into a cannon. Even if you miss it, the Cannon can be used multiple times so it's not an issue.
If you have the available space, you should keep the Scout Cannon ready for emergencies. However, keep in mind that it takes up quite a good chunk of your stamina due to its heavy weight. So if you come across it at the start of a level, it might also be a good idea to use it quickly and give yourself a head start. Launching another person in the Cannon will give you the Peak Daredevil Badge as well as the Daredevil helmet.
How Mesa Fits Into Biome Rotation
For the first week of the update in August, Mesa is fully replacing the Alpine biome in PEAK. However, once that's up, Mesa and Alpine will rotate. It will also be randomized, so you won't know whether to expect a cold or a hot environment, making preparation even more challenging.
The week-long Mesa biome period is extremely useful as you can learn the new mechanics, as well as try to earn some achievements.
Essential Mesa Equipment Priority
When it comes to Mesa, Sunscreen should be at the top of your list for items you will carry with you. Parasols are second for both the shade protection as well as glide ability. The rest of the items will be situational, especially considering previous mobility, food and healing items. You'll adjust your equipment to each run, as well as based on whether you're playing the game solo, or in a team.
Mesa vs Alpine Comparison
The main, and very obvious difference between the two available areas is that one is extremely hot while the other is extremely cold. That means when they rotate, it's extremely difficult to prepare, since you'll never know whether you will need heating items for Alpine or cooling items for Mesa. It's best to have a few of both, if possible.
When it comes to Mesa, to avoid burn damage, you'll want to go through shade as much as possible, or pack items like Sunscreen, Water Bottles and Aloe Vera to help you reduce burn damage. Mesa also operates on a day/night system, meaning that during the night you can move freely and without damage. That's why it's recommended to cover as much distance as possible during the night.
Alpine doesn't operate on a day/night cycle and there aren't obvious shade areas where you can hide to survive. The cold area is mostly safe until the harsh winds start to blow. They come randomly, so you have to be prepared at all times to find a hole or a crevice, or have items like Lanterns, Fairy Lights and even Scorchberries to help.
Team vs Solo Play in Mesa
Playing in a team or solo will definitely be very different from area to area, and that is also the case for Mesa. If you are going solo, acquire a few food items, if possible something with multiple uses like the Scout Cookies. A Parasol is the most useful item to avoid the Sun damage, as well as fall damage. For additional help on reducing weight, I'd also get a Balloon or two (specifically if there is a bunch together).
For Teams, it's much easier to prepare, since you can save a lot of items. Food is big to save up on, since it is more readily available in the Tropics, but not so much in the Mesa. Sunscreen is an effective tool here, since it's got multiple uses and can be applied to multiple team members. If you can get a Balloon or two on every person, that will reduce the weight everyone has to carry.
Mesa PEAK Badges - Achievement Guide
Badges and Achievements in PEAK are directly tied to getting cute cosmetics. So if you are looking to
| Badge and Achievement | How to Complete | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Karot Badge Offer The Kiln a worthy sacrifice. | You have to pick up the golden Ancient Bing Bong Idol from the Tomb in the Mesa area, and throw it into the Lava of the Volcano. The Ancient Idol is very heavy, but it does make you invulnerable to effects. | Bing Bong Hat |
| Aeronautics Badge Achieve flight. | Equip six balloons onto a person and they will achieve flight. The balloons will pop after a while, so make sure you have a Parasol to slow down the fall and reduce fall damage. If you don't, a First Aid Kit is a must then. | Astronaut Outfit |
| Astronomy Badge Look a little too closely at the blazing sun | Pick up the Binoculars from the Shores and carry them all the way to Mesa. Look through them at the Sun when you experience burn damage, and you'll get this badge. | Sunglasses |
| Cool Cucumber Badge Climb past the MESA without ever having more than 10% Heat. | You have to avoid all Sun damage in the Mesa section if you want to get this achievement. A Parasol is a must. You can also try to travel mostly at night. Another way to do this is to get into the tomb and grab the Ancient Idol, since that will protect you from any outside effects. | Cowboy Outfit |
| Daredevil Badge Shoot across the MESA canyon in a Scout Cannon | What the achievement says, you have to shoot yourself across the large Mesa Canyon and get to the other side. You'll get the badge once you land and walk a bit. | Crash Helmet |
| Megaentomology Badge Survive an Antlion attack. | Antlions are new creatures which can be found in sand pits of the Mesa. You have to go into the hole, let the Antlion hit you once, and then climb back out. If you are solo, make sure to tie a rope at the edge. In a team, just have a teammate ready to pull you out. | Face Scar |
| Needlepoint Badge Have a lot of cactuses stuck to you. | This doesn't work with the large cacti, but rather with the small Cactus balls which you can pick up. Collect five of them and stay in a shaded area, where your teammates can throw them at you quickly so that you can get this badge. | Summer Hat |
| Nomad Badge Climb past the MESA | You don't have to do anything special other than survive the Mesa and reach the campfire. If you want the best tips for survival, you can read them all above. | Flap Hat |
| Resourcefulness Badge Give in to your hunger | Can't be achieved solo, since you will need to eat one of your team members (cannibalism is sometimes the answer). Make sure not to eat anything, and once your hunger bar reaches more than half, you should start seeing teammates as baked chickens. If that happens, you can eat that chicken (formerly known as teammate) and you'll get the badge. | Evil Grin |
| Ultimate Badge Catch a Flying Disc from 100m away | A teammate needs to throw you the disc found at the Shore from a 100m away. The easiest way to tell you are the correct distance is for the person throwing to stand at the campfire, while the person catching moves away. The person at the campfire can see the exact distance of teammates from it. | Visor |
What Bug Phobia Mode Changes in Mesa
For those with an understandable fear of the creepy crawlies, the Bug Phobia mode changes their appearance across the game with the Mesa update. You can access it through the Settings Menu under the Accessibility tab. However, keep in mind that this change can only be made in the lobby. If you've already started a run, you won't be able to toggle Bug Phobia mode on.
While their behavior remains the same, you will now instead be getting attacked by cute little Bing Bongs instead of Ticks, for example.
Mesa Performance and Bug Fixes
The Mesa update includes significant performance improvements, as well as fixes and balances, like the fog rising slower in the tropics for example. Additional patches also adjusted the difficulty of the Mesa Update itself, as it was deemed a little too hard. Most of this includes reduced damage from creatures, as well as specific items in the game (looking at you Dynamite).
Specific Bug Fixes in Mesa Update:
- Fixed an issue where MESA-specific items wouldn’t spawn until the end of the MESA.
- Fixed an issue where The Fog would continue to rise in the Caldera onwards.
- Fixed Scout eye-look not working.
- Fixed an issue where 24 Karat badge would not trigger
- Fixed an issue where settings dropdown wouldnt show up in Korean
Fixed an issue where if the hosting player was dead, sometimes the new backpack would de-spawn when lighting the campfire. - Fixed an issue where the Ultimate Badge couldn’t be completed.
PEAK Mesa FAQ
The Tomb can be found in the beginning areas of the Mesa (before the big canyon and climb). The entrance to the Tomb is a huge hole in the ground which you need to go down. It might not spawn in every rotation, which is unfortunate, as you'll have to wait for another day to complete this.
The Orange Guy, also dubbed as the Looker, is just that. He looks at you from a far away, usually behind a rock. Once you approach him, there will be no one there, which is incredibly creepy, especially on solo. Some have joked that this must be the guy who snitches on us to the Scoutmaster once we get too far away from our teammates. So far, he is only watching, but we will have to wait if he does anything more in future updates. It's certainly ominous.
Mesa is the third level of the game, but it won't spawn every time. This map is in rotation with Alpine (the snowy section), so you'll get either one or the other on each run. You can't know which one it is before you actually reach the third level, so try to be at least somewhat prepared for both the hot and the cold.
If you want to get the Bing Bong Beanie, make sure to read How to Get the 24 Karat Badge here on PGG.
Hristina is the Assigning Editor for Pro Game Guides. She has a Master's degree in English Language, Literature and Culture from the University of Belgrade. She's used her love of English to write blogs, anime quizzes, books as well as work as a Content Editor before starting at PGG as a Staff Writer. She lives for the horror genre and you'll often find her playing Dead by Daylight, R.E.P.O. and Marvel Rivals. Hristina's comfort games are Outlast, Last of Us, and Until Dawn, which she has played or watched other people play more than 10 times each. 