Stellaris: Nomads

Build no borders. Claim no Worlds.

The Galaxy is not a trophy to be seized, but a path to be taken. In Stellaris: Nomads, you will survive the void by staying in motion. While the great powers of the Galaxy squabble over lines on the map, your civilization has realized a fundamental truth: life flourishes on the move.

Chart Waylines across the stars, linking your Waystations into living networks of trade, influence, and opportunity. Your strength lies in motion, in presence, in the relationships you build from system to system. Your people do not look up to the stars. They gaze at them through the viewports of Arkships: massive, self-sustaining habitats that serve as your capital.

But even those who call the void home cannot ignore the coming darkness. Will you take up the mantle of Defender of the Galaxy and stand in service to all who share the stars?

Key Features:

• Nomadic Empires: create empires that are not bound by claiming systems or colonizing worlds. Instead, you will navigate the stars with massive Arkships, your main habitats.

• The Arkship: Your capital, your cradle, and your fortress. This massive, fully upgradable wonder will replace traditional Worlds for your empire. Choose between three different options to fully reflect the vision of your government:

  • Military Class: A mobile flagship designed to project power.

  • Scientific Class: A roaming laboratory dedicated to the discovery of the Galaxy’s secrets.

  • Civilian Class: An industrial hub capable of unparalleled resource extraction.

• The Wayline Network: Your trail through the void. By constructing Waystations, you create Waylines - lasting interstellar trade routes that harvest resources you can claim with a simple pass through. These routes benefit both you and static empires, making you the pivot point of mercantile possibilities in the Galaxy.

• The Contract System: perform task-driven interactions with other empires to earn favor, resources, and influence.

New Origins

• Voidfarers: the standard origin for Nomadic Empires. A flexible, streamlined start for you to define your own nomadic journey.

• Heirs of the Khan: Play as the successor of a murdered Khan, as you evade marauder hit-squads through trickery and bribery until you are strong enough to come back and reclaim your throne.

• The Sacred Path: Guide a fleet of pilgrims towards ancestral holy sites in a galactic pilgrimage. Your journey is a spiritual odyssey fueled by faith.

• Forever Cruise: Manage a society split between a pampered elite demanding new entertainment and sightseeing opportunities from their vista lounges, and an overworked crew keeping the dream afloat.

New Ambition: Defender of the Galaxy

Ambitions are Empire-defining journeys that reshape the endgame. While Become the Crisis (available in Stellaris: Nemesis) threatens the Galaxy, the Defender of the Galaxy will rise and try to save it. Command a set of Hero Ships to fight against existential threats and, when the threat is vanquished, make the choice that will mark you as a true hero of legend.

The Stellar Cannon:

Why simply power a civilization when you could fire at one? This late-game Megastructure upgrade allows you to weaponize your entire energy stockpile, discharging it into a devastating beam capable of striking enemy systems across the galaxy.

Champion’s Forge Live!: Experience the Galaxy’s most extreme spectacles with this nomadic enclave! Answer the call and participate in gladiatorial fleet combat all across the galaxy. The winner gets the Trophy relic and glory, the losers only envy.

New Renown Nomadic Paragons

New Civics and traditions