Terra Invicta leaves early access on January 7, 2026, arriving on Steam as a full 1.0 release from the studio behind the famous Long War XCOM mod, Pavonis Interactive. The game combines planetary geopolitics with a later-stage grand strategy romp through more than 300 planets, moons, and asteroids.
Players begin on Earth leading one of seven major factions, each with its own approach to the alien crisis. Some groups echo classic XCOM tactics and focus on coordinated defense, while others seek diplomacy, exile, or profit. That ground-level contest for influence plays like a political strategy title similar to Crusader Kings 3 and Europa Universalis 5. When colonization begins, the game shifts into a space strategy mode that leans into systems-level fleet design and empire building, a bit like Stellaris or Sins of a Solar Empire.
Version 1.0 marks the end of a development run that started in early access in 2022. The release bundles a long list of changes made during that period, notably a full UI overhaul, improved space combat, expanded ship classes and modules, broader tech trees, smarter eGnemy AI, and a proper tutorial to help new commanders get on board.
The game is available on Steam with a 35% launch discount through Monday January 19, 2026, dropping the price to about $25.00 / A322.74 from $39.99 / A334.99. Players can view the Steam store page and purchase the game on its store listing.
For a quick look at the game in action, Pavonis shared a trailer and gameplay footage:
Pavonis already has a post-launch roadmap that includes new scenarios such as Cold War, Foothold (a far-future invasion), and Aftermath (an invasion following a nuclear war on Earth). The studio also plans organization upgrades, environmental and resource mechanics, refugee systems, national policies, and faction-specific scoring to broaden late-game variety. Terra Invicta asks players to manage both the messy politics of Earth and the technical demands of off-world expansion, so expect long campaigns and deep micromanagement for those who like strategy at scale.
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Terra Invicta
Developed by Pavonis Interactive
From the creators of Long War, an alien invasion has fractured humanity into seven ideological factions each with a unique vision for the future. Lead your chosen faction to take control of Earth's nations, expand across the Solar System, and battle enemy fleets in tactical combat.
- Genre: Simulator, Strategy, Tactical, Indie
- Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows)
- Modes: Single player
- Release: 2026-01-05
- Publisher: Hooded Horse
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Age Rating:
PEGI 7 / USK 12 / ESRB E10+ / ACB PG
- IGDB Rating: 60.0/100
