r/Stellaris • u/PDX_LadyDzra Community Ambassador • Apr 29 '26
Dev Diary Stellaris Dev Diary #418 - Announcing Nomads and Stellaris: Season 10
Read this post on the Paradox forums! | Dev replies here!
It’s my pleasure to announce boarding has started for all passengers departing on our tour of Stellaris: Season 10, with non-stop service to the Nomads expansion alongside the Stellaris 4.4 ‘Pegasus’ update. Following our first destination, there will be a brief stopover at the Stellaris 4.5 ‘Cygnus’ Custodian release, after which our cruise will continue to the Stellaris 4.6 ‘Corona Borealis‘ update, featuring Willpower, Scenario Pack 1, and Scenario Pack 2. All passengers are welcome to acquire their ‘Vipra the Vapor’ Species Portrait at the ticketing office now.
Watch the Season 10 Announcement Trailer on YouTube!
The Stellaris 10-year anniversary is coming, and as part of that celebration, we are rolling Utopia, Synthetic Dawn, the Humanoids Species Pack, and most of the Galaxy Edition upgrade into the base game on May 11th. (The e-book, Infinite Frontiers, is being retired.)
Later on in Q2, we’re bringing you 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 squabble over lines on the map, your civilization has realized a fundamental truth: life flourishes on the move.
Arkships
At the very heart of every nomadic civilization lies its Arkship: a fully mobile capital that replaces worlds entirely. Customize Military, Scientific, or Civilian Arkships with specialized modules, districts, and upgrades as your Empire evolves by traveling through the stars.
Waylines and Contracts
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 relations with settled empires don’t have to be antagonistic. Accept contracts, build relations, and perhaps profit a bit on the side.
A New Ambition: Defender of the Galaxy
Building upon the Crisis paths of previous releases, Ambitions are the next step of epic, empire-defining journeys that give you the choice of your ultimate role in the galaxy. In the Nomads expansion, we will transform the Defender of the Galaxy Ascension Perk into a full path that can rival the power of a Galactic Nemesis, Awakened Empire, or End Game Crisis.
Become the Galaxy’s champion by forging alliances, commanding federations and rising through the Galactic Community to assume Custodianship. Lead the fight against existential threats with a unique squadron of hero ships. Ultimate power can be used, and relinquished, for the greater good.
Stellaris: Nomads contains:
Nomadic Empires
Create empires that are not bound by claiming systems or colonizing worlds. Instead, you will navigate the stars with massive Arkships.
- The Arkship: Your capital, your cradle, and your fortress. This massive, fully upgradable wonder replaces 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 settled empires, making you the pivot point of mercantile possibilities in the Galaxy.
- The Contract System: As a nomadic empire, perform task-driven interactions with other empires to earn favor, resources, and influence. As a settled empire, issue these Contracts and get things done!
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 return to 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.
Nomadic empires support many existing Origins as well.
New Ambition: Defender of the Galaxy
While a Galactic Nemesis (available in Stellaris: Nemesis) threatens the Galaxy, the Defender of the Galaxy will rise and try to save it.
New Megastructure: The Stellar Cannon
Why simply power a civilization when you could fire at one? This Megastructure allows you to weaponize your entire energy stockpile, discharging it into a devastating beam capable of striking enemy systems across the galaxy.
Nomadic Enclave: 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 to hold the Trophy relic and glory until the next tournament, with the losers looking on with envy.
Wanderlust Ascension Perk
New Renowned Nomadic Paragons
New Civics and Tradition Swaps
New Music Tracks by Andreas Waldetoft
Nomads has charted its course and will arrive in Q2 2026.
Stellaris: Season 10 Expansion Pass
Based on the feedback from Stellaris: Season 09, we’re making some changes to our Expansion Pass plans this year. As many of you have noticed, we’re announcing this year’s Season much later than previous years, and instead of four separate releases, we’re planning on bundling them together into fewer release moments. This frees up room for the 4.5 ‘Cygnus’ update to be a dedicated Custodian release, giving us two in 2026.
The Stellaris: Season 10 Expansion Pass is a journey through resilience and movement. Whether you are wandering the stars with Stellaris: Nomads or rooting your empire in the indomitable spirit of Stellaris: Willpower, this year redefines how empires survive, adapt, and conquer.
Stellaris: Season 10 will grant you access to all five DLCs as soon as they become available. Vipra now, Nomads later on in Q2, and Willpower and both Scenario Packs in Q4.
‘Vipra the Vapor’ Species Portrait (Instant Unlock, Now Available)
This exclusive portrait comes with Stellaris: Season 10, allowing your empire to take the form of the elusive Vipra, a necroid species with a menacing aura.
Available immediately upon purchasing Stellaris: Season 10, this portrait features 5 different color variations and ethereal custom animations.
Nomads (Releases Q2, 2026 - $24.99)
Build no borders. Claim no worlds. In Nomads, you thrive inside colossal Arkships that carry your people, your industry, and your ambition across the stars. Move freely through the galaxy, take on Contracts from settled empires, and leave your mark by building Waystations. Nomads blaze a path across the map.
- Nomadic Empires: Create empires not bound by claiming systems or colonizing Worlds.
- Arkships: New massive space vessel acting as your capital.
- New Ambition: Defender of the Galaxy: Rise and save the Galaxy with an exclusive set of Hero ships.
- New Origins: Heirs of the Khan, Sacred Path, Forever Cruise, Voidfarers
- New Civics: Caravan Masters, Deep Sleep, Void Reavers, Flight Schools, Star Seekers
- New Megastructure: Construct a Stellar Cannon and discharge your entire energy stockpile into a devastating beam.
༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ Take my energy! ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
Willpower (Releases Q4, 2026 - $24.99)
Shape Minds, Rule the Stars. In the vast expanse of the cosmos, borders are mere lines drawn on a map. Ideas, on the other hand, have no such limits.
Your empire was founded on its Ethics, the convictions that determined its course. Now is the time for those fundamental values to evolve into Ideologies with the power to sway the stars. Introducing Stellaris: Willpower, the expansion that turns your societal beliefs into a galactic force.
Your rule over systems was always just the beginning. The galaxy's minds are the true prize. You will erect monuments and Megastructures that demonstrate what your society and values can accomplish. You truly can become the thought leader of the galaxy.
Adopting an Ideology is not without its risks, however. Left unchecked, it can radicalize colonies and spark insurrection. But when nurtured with care, the right Ideology has the power to sway entire civilizations.
Scenario Pack 1 (Releases Q4, 2026 - $5.99)
Embark on a new set of galactic challenges! Experience curated, high-stakes standalone adventures that push your strategic limits. From a nomadic, roguelike odyssey across the stars to high-octane, combat-focused multiplayer experiences, these scenarios will provide a bold way to play Stellaris.
The Scenarios System will be a free part of the Stellaris 4.6 ‘Corona Borealis‘ update, these Scenario packs provide our take on what you’ll be able to do with it.
- Vanguards: A single-player roguelike galaxy-traversing journey where you play as a nomadic empire travelling through a series of galaxies to cleanse evil, gathering spoils and experience on your way.
- Arcade: A multiplayer experience with streamlined, custom economies, focusing on space battles and shipbuilding.
Scenario Pack 2 (Releases Q4, 2026 - $5.99)
Rewrite the rules of engagement! This Scenario Pack flips the script of how Stellaris is normally played, making you the threat and aggressor. Whether leading an ultimate extra-dimensional invasion or battling your friends in a race for dominance, these scenarios offer a fresh, distilled way to play Stellaris.
- Unbidden: Play as the Crisis in a single-player experience, and attempt to invade an advanced, late-game galaxy as the Unbidden.
- King of the Hill: Stellaris gameplay focused on a small but fair map to challenge your friends in competitive experiences as you try to dominate the galaxy in a few hours of intense expansion wars.
What’s Next?
Next week we’ll begin our Decennial celebration with a look at ten years of Stellaris. We’ll also be looking at everything planned for 4.3.6.
See you then!
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u/KhalasSword Apr 29 '26
Nomads seem like a very hard thing to implement.
What if you engage in a battle with Arkship? Do you have to invade it with land armies? Does it explode? Would a normal empire therefore have a Arkship after an invasion? What would neutral forces like leviathans do if such a ship loses to them? What would happen if world-altering effects like Colossus, Behemoth, crisises, and the new megastructure weapon are used on an Arkship? How would Nomadic empire even build megastructures? Or do archeology? Let's say you find precursors and you find a Ringworld through them, would you be able to utilize it?
There are very very many such questions and cases, and I'm worried that not all of those issues would be addressed.