You're out in the Starlight Strand, your vacuum pack is screaming because it's full of Nectar, and suddenly you spot a Gold Slime. We’ve all been there. It sucks. Honestly, the biggest hurdle in the early hours of Rainbow Island isn't the Tarr or even finding enough food—it’s the fact that your starting inventory space is basically a joke. You need more slots. To get those slots, you need to hunt down Slime Rancher 2 storage cell locations.
These aren't just random items you find lying in the dirt. They are specific upgrades hidden inside Treasure Pods. If you don't find them, you're stuck running back and forth to the Conservatory like a glorified delivery driver.
Most players assume you just buy upgrades at the Fabricator. You do, eventually. But the game locks the "Storage Tank" upgrades behind these blueprints. You can have all the Newbucks and Plorts in the world, but without the physical cell data, you're capped at a measly amount of carrying capacity. Let’s get into where these things actually are because the map in Slime Rancher 2 is way more vertical and confusing than the first game.
The Rainbow Fields Storage Cell
The first one is almost a gift, but if you’re rushing toward the portals to the other islands, you might walk right past it. It’s located in the Rainbow Fields, which is the starting area. You don't need any fancy jetpack upgrades for this one, though having a basic jetpack makes the platforming significantly less annoying.
Head west from the Conservatory. You're looking for an area with a lot of Tabby Slimes near a circular rock formation. There’s a hidden path tucked behind some greenery that leads to a small cave. Inside, you’ll find your first Treasure Pod containing a storage cell. It’s essential for that first jump from three to four tank slots. Without this, trying to manage a ranch with more than two types of slimes is a logistical nightmare.
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Starlight Strand: The Hidden Coastal Pod
Starlight Strand is a headache to navigate. It’s split between the "blue" side and the "pink" side, and the geography is designed to make you lose your sense of direction. The storage cell here is tucked away on the southern end of the map.
You’ll want to head toward the ruins where the Flutter Slimes hang out. Look for the massive stone arches. If you look down toward the water, there’s a series of narrow ledges. You basically have to parkour your way down. It’s risky because if you miss, you’re hitting the Slime Sea and losing everything in your current pack. Honestly, empty your pockets before you try this jump. The Treasure Pod is nestled against the cliff wall, almost completely obscured by giant glowing mushrooms.
Ember Valley: Lava and Ledges
The Ember Valley storage cell is arguably the hardest to get because of the heat. And the Boom Slimes. Mostly the heat. You need to head to the far north, deep into the volcanic region.
There’s a section where lava flows down into the sea, creating a lot of steam. You’ll see a series of geysers. Use these! If you time your jetpack burst with a geyser launch, you can reach a high ridge that overlooks the entire valley. Once you're up there, look for a small cave entrance that looks like a crack in the rock. The pod is inside. It feels rewarding to find, but getting back down without falling into a lava pit is the real challenge.
Why Finding These Early Changes Everything
The game doesn't explicitly tell you how much of a difference these cells make. Each one adds a whole new slot to your Vacpack. In the original Slime Rancher, you just bought these. In the sequel, the developers decided to make us work for it.
Think about the math.
With four slots, you can carry:
- Food for the journey.
- The Slime type you're hunting.
- The Plorts they drop.
- A random resource like Jellystone or Deep Brine.
If you don't find those Slime Rancher 2 storage cell locations, you have to choose between leaving rare resources behind or abandoning your slimes. It’s a bad trade.
Powderfall Bluffs: The Secret Upgrade
If you’ve progressed far enough to unlock the icy biome of Powderfall Bluffs, there’s another cell waiting for you. This area uses a lot of "aurora" bridges that only appear at night.
To find this cell, you need to wait until the sun goes down. Head to the central peaks where the Saber Slimes roam. Look for the glowing translucent bridges. Follow them upward—they lead to a hidden plateau that is completely inaccessible during the day. The Treasure Pod here doesn't just give you a cell; it often feels like the final piece of the puzzle for a maxed-out inventory.
The Fabricator Requirement
Finding the pod is only half the battle. Once you have the blueprint from the Slime Rancher 2 storage cell locations, you have to actually build the thing.
Go to the basement of your Conservatory. The Fabricator will now show the Storage Tank upgrade as "available" rather than "locked." You’re going to need a lot of resources. Usually, it’s a mix of Newbucks, Pink Plorts, and specialized minerals like Jellystone or Silky Sand.
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Pro tip: Don't sell all your Pink Plorts early on. You’ll need dozens of them for these basic equipment upgrades. It’s tempting to cash them in for quick money, but the utility of an extra inventory slot is worth way more than a few hundred Newbucks.
Common Misconceptions About Storage
Some players think you can find storage cells by popping Gordos. You can't. Popping Gordos opens up teleporters or reveals map nodes, but they never drop the cells directly. You must find the blue Treasure Pods.
Also, the cells are not interchangeable with "Tank Boosts." Tank Boosts increase how many items you can hold in a single slot (like going from 20 to 30 items). Storage Cells add an entirely new slot to your bar. You want both, obviously, but the cells are the priority for mid-game exploration.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
If you’re staring at a full inventory right now, here is exactly what you should do:
- Clear your inventory. Put everything in silos or sell it. You don't want to be distracted by shiny things while hunting pods.
- Go to Rainbow Fields first. If you don't have the first cell, you're playing on hard mode for no reason. Check the cliffs behind the first Gordo location.
- Upgrade your Jetpack. Most Slime Rancher 2 storage cell locations require at least the first level of the Air Drive. If you try to get the Ember Valley cell without a jetpack, you're just going to end up frustrated.
- Mark your map. Use the map markers if you find a pod but don't have the right "key" (though storage cells don't require keys, some other pods do).
- Farm Jellystone. You'll need it for the Fabricator once you find the blueprints. Hit the rocks in the Rainbow Fields with your vac-drill as often as possible.
Managing your inventory is the "meta" game of Slime Rancher 2. Once you unlock that fifth and sixth slot, the game opens up. You can stay out longer, explore deeper into the ruins, and actually bring home the rare stuff you find.
Check the southern ledges of Starlight Strand and the high ridges of Ember Valley. Those are the two people miss the most. Get those, hit the Fabricator, and stop leaving loot behind.