Lo-Fi Games

When you place a captured npc in a cage and leave the area they disappear. This bug has been about for ages.

Are you sure they don't break out? Not sure if NPCs are programmed to pick locked cages, but they should be able to escape just like us players are.

since the game requires optimization
individuals are not static so they do disappear.
when optimization is done we will see how much the Dev can keep the NPC's from despawning.
for now, not much else can do but wait.

Have you tried capturing any of the named NPCs yet, and seeing if they stick?

So far I have captured dust bandits, dust bandit boss, cannibals and cannibal chiefs, they all disappear.

Knowing about this bug, I didn't leave the dust bandit king or the cannibal grand wizard in the cage.

You can find named hungry bandits near what used to be the Empire faction. I'll try capturing one of them once I get to the appropriate tech level, to see if they stick.

Spoiler: Empire faction old location: Follow the west coast, near what looks like an inlet that has long since dried out.