IRON NEST FAQ

No — version 1.0 launched as a fully single-player experience. That is the short answer, and it is the one most people are actually looking for.

Yes, in two different forms. The developers originally had no plans for multiplayer in Heavy Turret Simulator, then reversed that after sustained community demand. Heavy Turret Simulator is now slated to get its own multiplayer mode in which each player commands their own IRON NEST while operating on the same map. Separately, a standalone co-op game in the same universe is planned for late 2027 or early 2028. No date has been given for the Heavy Turret Simulator mode itself.

Yes, unofficially. Community mods on Nexus add cooperative and competitive play — one lets up to four players share a single nest, or split across two nests for PvP. These are community projects, not developer features: expect them to break after patches, and do not judge the base game by them.

Not yet, but one is in development. The developers added it in response to how many people asked, and have been clear about the order: PC first, then console ports, then VR — worked on "when the time is right" rather than rushed. A community VR mod exists in the meantime.

2026-08-06, version 1.0.

Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store on PC. Console ports are planned for some months after the PC release, with VR after that. There is no native Linux build planned, though the developers note it already appears to run through recent Proton.

The developers set a $19.99 USD standard price, with the game launching at $15.99 under a launch discount. Regional pricing and current promotions vary — the store page is authoritative on what you will actually pay today.

Yes. The demo went up during Steam Next Fest and the developers committed to keeping it permanently available rather than pulling it at launch. It is the honest way to find out whether the map work appeals to you before paying.

Probably. The stated minimums are a 64-bit OS, an Intel Core i5-4460 or AMD FX-8350, 4 GB RAM, Intel UHD or AMD Vega 8 integrated graphics, DirectX 10 and 5 GB of storage — targeting roughly 30 FPS at 720p on low settings. Optimisation for low-spec machines was an explicit goal.

Around 8–12 hours to play every mission once. Beyond that, replayability is meant to come from Challenge Missions, which vary procedurally and are scored on a leaderboard.

Fifteen: fourteen numbered operations plus the finale, White Shells. Some fan sites say seventeen; the game's own achievement list does not support that. See the full list.

All 15 missions →

Four, all branching from the final operation. The rarest is unlocked by 1.2% of owners.

All four endings →

Mechanically grounded, deliberately not a faithful crew simulation. The developers describe it as "nothing is automated: every lever, valve and mechanism has purpose", while noting the controls are simplified so one Operator can run a machine that in reality needs a full crew. The gunnery model is also not real-world accurate — 60° gives maximum range instead of 45°, which they have explained as an early research error they could not afford to unwind.

How the gunnery model works →

Two 800 mm barrels. The developers describe the design as a dramatically up-gunned take on the Bismarck's 380 mm twin turret, scaled up to carry Schwerer-Gustav-class guns — mounted, for reasons one of them describes as a childhood dream, on walking legs. The whole machine is roughly 20 m wide, 30 m tall and 50 m long.

Yes, and the developers say so directly: they are fans of Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant and it inspired the concept. The gameplay diverges substantially — IRON NEST is ground artillery with map plotting and a requisition economy rather than a fixed defence gun.

No, and that is a design decision rather than a budget one. Orders arrive by teleprinter specifically to keep High Command at a distance from you. There is no plan for enemy radio chatter either, for the same reason.

No, and mostly no. There is a front window, but going outside is not part of the game. You learn what you hit through reconnaissance photographs, teleprinter reports, sound, and the newspaper the next morning — not a kill-cam.

Workshop support is under serious consideration with early tooling work started, but there is no date and no guarantee. Mods exist regardless — the active modding scene is on Nexus.

No. In the developers' own words: "But why do you ask, Operator? Are you planning some kind of desertion attempt?"

No. The cat is in the base game for everyone.