The Swarm Has Evolved: A Major Nova Swarm Update

Nova Swarm has had a serious overhaul. I've rebuilt the fleet and the worlds you fight above, made destruction more satisfying, and worked on the opening minutes and performance. I'm proud of how far it's come, and your feedback helped get it here.

Watch the new gameplay trailer on the Steam page. Give it 50 seconds and see the overhaul in motion.

Ready for a closer look?

Curious about what keeps a run interesting after the first few waves? I've added Nova Swarm - A Closer Look, a two-minute tour of ship choices, Tactical Draft upgrades, combat mechanics and the different game modes. You'll also see career unlocks, the Threat Codex, leaderboards and the Run Report, with stats and practical advice to take into your next attempt.

Select the second trailer in the Steam page's video gallery. Have a look around the Hangar, start imagining your build, and see how deep you'd like to push it.

A fleet worth taking into battle

Player ships, enemies and bosses have far more detail and personality, including 227 new enemy hull designs and redesigned support drones. Layered planets and space scenery replace the old backdrops. Bosses break apart into burning hull sections, with reactor bursts, plasma jets and cooling debris. I've also cleaned up warnings and moved distracting announcements away from the fight.

The main menu now puts your chosen Hangar ship on display in an industrial dock, with landing lights and a ship you can drag to inspect. The Hangar, Codex, rank badges and menus have all had attention too.

Pick your firepower. Get into the fight.

• Three ships from your first launch: Sparrow, Pixel Needle and Quasar Fan offer twin-lane, precision and broad three-lane fire. Preview their firing patterns in the Hangar before choosing.
• A faster opening: the normal first sector now has three waves and an earlier boss, getting you to the first reward sooner.
• A stronger first Tactical choice: piercing fire, an extra shot or a permanent support drone lets you start shaping your build straight away.
• Improved performance: combat optimizations and better effect loading reduce stuttering. I've also fixed Hangar and menu resizing issues.

Your ship. Your moment.

Overrun milestones now celebrate your own ship with a metallic crest, animated rings, sparks and a new fanfare. Surviving that far should feel like an occasion.

If Nova Swarm has been sitting on your wishlist, pick your ship and join the fight. Three starter ships are waiting for you. Already flying? Update your game and give your favourite hull another run.

Thank you for playing, for the encouragement, and for being honest about what needed work.

I'm not slowing down. More major improvements and updates are already in the works, and I'm always listening to thoughtful feedback. Your ideas and criticism help me decide what to tackle next.

See you out there,
Eirik — solo developer