Stellaris: Nomads Expansion Launches Alongside Free 4.4 Pegasus Update

• Stellaris: Nomads is available now on PC as a standalone expansion and as part of the Season 10 Expansion Pass.
• The expansion introduces nomadic empires, Arkships, new origins, contracts, and trade networks.
• The free 4.4 Pegasus update adds warfare improvements, UI changes, performance upgrades, and quality-of-life features.

Paradox Interactive has released Nomads, a new expansion for Stellaris that introduces a fundamentally different style of empire management centred around mobile civilizations rather than traditional colonies. The expansion launched on June 15 for PC alongside the free 4.4 Pegasus update.

Nomads allows players to build empires without claiming territory or colonising planets, instead relying on massive Arkships that serve as mobile capitals. The expansion also introduces new progression systems, origins, and gameplay mechanics designed around exploration, trade, and diplomacy across the galaxy.

Nomads Introduces Mobile Empires and New Ways to Play Stellaris

The headline feature of Nomads is the addition of Nomadic Empires, which are no longer tied to controlling star systems or settling worlds. Instead, players travel the galaxy aboard Arkships that function as their primary habitat, capital, and military stronghold.

These Arkships can be upgraded and customised over time, with players able to specialise them for military, scientific, or civilian purposes through new modules, districts, and upgrades. Supporting these fleets are Wayline Networks, a new system that allows players to establish trade routes through Waystations and collect resources while travelling between systems.

The expansion also introduces a Contract System that enables players to complete tasks for other empires in exchange for resources, influence, and diplomatic favour. According to Paradox, this mechanic is intended to provide additional ways for nomadic civilizations to interact with the wider galaxy beyond traditional conquest and colonisation.

Nomads adds four new origins: Voidfarers, a standard starting point for nomadic civilizations; Heirs of the Khan, which follows the successor to a murdered Khan attempting to reclaim their throne; The Sacred Path, a pilgrimage-focused origin centred around faith and exploration; and Forever Cruise, which tasks players with managing a travelling society divided between wealthy passengers and the crew that supports them.

Stellaris’ 4.4 Pegasus Update

Alongside the paid expansion, Paradox released the free 4.4 Pegasus update for all Stellaris players. The update introduced the ability to join and leave wars already in progress, a feature that significantly changes how players can respond to evolving galactic conflicts.

Pegasus also included updates to the game’s jobs system, expanded job selection tools, a redesigned Situation Log interface, performance improvements, bug fixes, and additional quality-of-life enhancements. These changes are available regardless of whether players purchase the Nomads expansion.

The expansion itself also introduced a range of new late-game content. Highlights include the Defender of the Galaxy ambition, which grants players access to Hero Ships designed to combat major galactic threats, and the Stellar Canon, a new megastructure upgrade capable of firing a galaxy-spanning energy weapon powered by an empire’s energy reserves.

Additional content included Champions Forge Live!, a new gladiatorial fleet combat activity, new Renown Nomadic Paragons, civics, traditions, and other empire customisation options. Nomads is available now as part of the Stellaris Season 10 Expansion Pass or as a standalone purchase for PC.