The quickest way to free inventory space in ANOMALITH is to use portals to send collected materials back to base. That way you do not have to carry every resource for the whole dive. The inventory is a grid, and previews report an automatic sorting or packing feature that tidies your items. Sorting and depositing solve different problems, and neither one has been shown to raise your maximum capacity.
Two separate hands-on articles describe these mechanics, so they are well supported. What is not confirmed is the exact size of the bag or whether it can be expanded. This page explains the confirmed tools and offers practical advice for using them. Capacity details will be added once they can be verified in the released game.
How the inventory works
AUTOMATON's demo impressions describe a grid-based inventory. Items take up space on the grid, so the shape and number of things you carry both matter. This is a common design in survival games where loot management is part of the challenge. Running out of room forces you to make decisions about what to keep.
The official website frames this as part of the dive itself. During an expedition you choose what to retrieve and later use dive items at base. Inventory management is therefore not a side system but part of how the game measures a successful run. Every slot you spend on loot is a slot you cannot spend on supplies.
Use portals to send materials home
Portals are the main tool for freeing space mid-dive. AUTOMATON reports that portals offload crafting resources to base. Noisy Pixel's August preview independently describes one-way item transfer to base through portals. With two separate sources describing it, this is one of the best-confirmed inventory mechanics.
The transfer is described as one-way, so treat a deposit as final for that dive. Send materials you want for upgrades, not supplies you may need in the next fight. Depositing regularly also protects your haul if an encounter goes badly. The weapon upgrades guide explains what those materials are used for.
Automatic sorting tidies your grid
Both AUTOMATON and Noisy Pixel mention an automatic sorting or packing feature. It rearranges items on the grid so they fit more efficiently. That can recover space that was wasted by awkward placement. It is a quick fix when you are close to full.
Sorting does not create extra slots. It only uses the existing grid better, so it will not help if your bag is genuinely full. Do not assume that sorting unlocks additional capacity. When sorting is not enough, a portal deposit or dropping low-value items is the real solution.
Sorting versus depositing
It helps to keep the two tools separate in your mind. Sorting changes where items sit, while depositing removes them from the bag entirely. One fixes clutter and the other fixes volume. Using the right one saves time during a dive.
| Situation | Better tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Items are scattered and gaps appear | Automatic sorting | Packs items more tightly on the grid |
| Bag is full of crafting materials | Portal deposit | Sends resources to base for upgrades |
| You need room for supplies | Portal deposit | Keeps the next fight's essentials in the bag |
This table reflects how the two mechanics are described in hands-on coverage. It is practical guidance, not a measured capacity test. Exact menu steps may differ by platform and game version.
What to keep in your bag
Keep enough room for the supplies you need in the next encounter. Ammunition and recovery items are only useful if they are with you when a fight starts. Crafting materials, by contrast, only pay off once they reach base. That makes them the first candidates for a portal deposit.
- Keep supplies you expect to use before the next portal.
- Deposit crafting materials whenever a portal is available.
- Review your bag before leaving a portal behind.
- Sort when gaps appear, but do not rely on sorting to create space.
This approach keeps you ready to fight while protecting the materials that drive progression. It also reduces the time you spend reorganising the grid under pressure. Our beginner guide explains how this fits into the full dive loop.
Mouse support for inventory on PC
The September 29 update added mouse support for inventory and other interface operations. For PC players, that makes moving items around the grid quicker and more intuitive. The same update also added keybinding options and sensitivity changes. Faster inventory handling means less time spent in menus during a dive.
If you tried an early demo and found the inventory awkward, the current version may feel different. The update is documented on the official Steam news page. See the demo guide for other dated changes.
Why inventory matters for progression
Producer Gai Kidokoro has explained that progression comes from equipment rather than conventional character levels. Equipment improves through resources collected during dives. That means every material you bring home contributes directly to getting stronger. Poor inventory management slows your progress more than almost anything else.
A careful dive with regular deposits can be more valuable than a long dive where materials are lost. Plan your route around portal locations where possible. This habit becomes more important on harder difficulties, which our difficulty settings guide covers.
Practise in the demo
The free demo on Steam, PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 includes the inventory and portal systems. It is a good place to build habits before the full release. You can test how quickly the grid fills and how often portals appear on a typical route. Those habits carry over even though your save does not.
The PS5 store page states that demo save data cannot transfer to the full game. Anything you collect in the demo stays in the demo. Use it to learn rather than to stockpile. The demo guide explains what else the demo includes.
Capacity questions still unanswered
Several capacity questions remain unverified. We have not confirmed a maximum slot count, a backpack expansion purchase, its cost, or a stack-limit table. We will not publish numbers until they can be cross-checked. The demo and early previews do not provide this information reliably.
If you find a way to expand your bag in the released game, please tell us through the contact page. A screenshot of the upgrade or menu would help us verify it quickly. We will update this guide as soon as the details are confirmed.
Sources and further reading
- AUTOMATON — demo impressions
- FURYU — ANOMALITH official website
- Noisy Pixel — preview
- Steam — official announcements
- UK Anime Network — producer interview
- PlayStation Store — free PS5 demo