Nuclear Option Patch Notes 2026: Update 0.33 to 0.34.2 Explained

Shockfront Studios shipped two major Nuclear Option updates since April 2026, both posted on Steam: Update 0.33 on 14 April added the Alkyon AB-4 and dedicated server pausing, and Update 0.34 on 27 July added the VT-7 Vagrant, artillery and ammunition logistics. Patch 0.33.4 on 11 June added vote kicking and new server commands, and 0.34.2 on 12 August is the current patch.

Nuclear Option updates in 2026 at a glance

Dates are when the posts went up on Steam in UTC. Shockfront is based in Australia, so local dates can be a day later.

Update 0.33: Keep Calm and Alkyon (14 April 2026)

New content: the Alkyon AB-4 aircraft, the Argus class frigate (launching the new NL-98 active radar homing missile) and the Cursor class littoral flight deck. New weapons include the GBM-500LR submunition dispensing glide bomb, the Eyeball Mk. II recon missile, a 4x AT-145 launcher and a ventral 20mm rotary turret for the CI-22 Cricket. Vehicle depots and guard towers can now shoot back with small arms.

Graphics: a new GPU rendered foliage system with grass and shrubs that get scorched by large explosions, plus new settings for resolution, LOD distance, shadow distance and anti aliasing.

Networking and servers:

• Improved client performance in big lobbies.
• Compression for mission syncing, which allows bigger missions in multiplayer.
• Dedicated servers now pause when no players are connected.
• A new post mission delay for dedicated servers.

Heads up for mission makers: custom mission loadouts for the Cricket, Brawler, Chicane, Ibis and Tarantula have to be re-assigned in the mission editor because of the new split pylons.

Patch 0.33.4: vote kick and server commands (11 June 2026)

0.33.4 was small in size but important for anyone running a server:

• Vote kicking for players, plus Steam and Discord Rich Presence.
• New server commands: get-server-id, get-mission-rotation, set-mission-rotation and clear-next-mission.
• Workshop support in the dedicated server config, so Workshop missions can sit in the rotation.
• Family shared copies can no longer join if the owner's account is already connected, to stop ban evasion.
• Fixes for time of day not updating on dedicated servers, a disconnect when the server froze for more than a second, and an error in the get-player-list command.

Hotfix 0.33.3 (30 April) had already allowed SteamCMD to download Workshop items, which is what lets a headless server fetch Workshop missions by itself.

Update 0.34: Vagrant, Artillery, Logistics (27 July 2026)

New content: the VT-7 Vagrant flyable aircraft, the Surf class patrol boat, and artillery: the MSV multiple launch rocket system and HLT mobile artillery. A machine gun emplacement and infantry bunker were added, and garrisoned infantry can now use RPGs.

Logistics: surface based missile launchers now take time to reload and use ammunition to do it. Munitions bunkers, dumps, containers and trucks hold a limited amount of ammunition, and munitions trucks have AI that ferries ammo from storage to units that need it. The value of a unit's stored munitions now counts toward its kill reward.

Mission editor: box selection, copy and paste, click and drag editing, a unit browser, snapping, faction skill multipliers and a visual graph editor for objectives and outcomes. The mission format changed so objective and outcome values are stored directly.

Networking: player names are read locally from Steam instead of synced over the network, the vote kick UI shows progress toward the votes needed, and the anticheat for aircraft flying under terrain was improved.

Also new: an FPS limit setting, a Max Pixel Lights setting and a UI theme system for custom HUD and map colours. New roads give vehicles better access to several Heartland areas.

Patches 0.34.1 and 0.34.2 (31 July and 12 August 2026)

0.34.1 fixed the under terrain anticheat wrongly triggering in some tunnels, fixed a disconnect when an aircraft sank after crashing into water, and added PlayerIndex and ServerTag to player names (switchable in settings). It also fixed the rearming map overlay for non local clients, the known issue from 0.34.

0.34.2 fixed a multiplayer money duplication glitch, objective markers wandering in Escalation's "Capture Airstrip", and the VT-7 Vagrant not spawning from the South Boscali general aviation hangar.

What this means for your server

• Update the server after every patch. Players on a new build get "Failed to join: Invalid version" on an old server. Self hosted servers need app_update 3930080 through SteamCMD and a restart.
• Empty servers are cheaper now. Since 0.33 the server pauses with nobody connected, so an idle server uses little CPU.
• Use the new rotation commands. get-mission-rotation, set-mission-rotation and clear-next-mission let you change the rotation live. They are listed in Nuclear Option server commands.
• Workshop missions work headless. Add them to the rotation by item id. See how to set up a mission rotation.
• Decide on vote kick. Players can now vote to kick for the rest of the mission. Turn it off if you moderate yourself.
• Re-check custom missions after 0.33 (pylons) and 0.34 (new mission format and limited ammo storage), since logistics now affect how long launchers can keep firing.
• Expect more CPU per mission. Artillery, munitions trucks and ammo logistics add AI that the server simulates. Big missions on full servers want fast cores, as covered in Nuclear Option server requirements.

Running a Nuclear Option server with us

A Nuclear Option server on GamezServers updates itself on every restart, idles while empty and loads the next mission when the first pilot joins. Vote kick is a panel switch, and the official commands sit behind buttons for chat, kicks, bans, the next mission and the mission timer. Plans start at 7.99 USD a month for 8 players, with 16 players for 9.99 USD.

FAQ

What is the latest Nuclear Option update?

The latest major update is 0.34, released on 27 July 2026, and the latest patch is 0.34.2 from 12 August 2026.

What did Nuclear Option 0.34 add?

The VT-7 Vagrant aircraft, the Surf class patrol boat, MSV and HLT artillery units, limited ammunition with AI munitions trucks, and big mission editor improvements.

Does Nuclear Option have vote kick?

Yes. Vote kicking arrived in patch 0.33.4 on 11 June 2026, and server owners can turn it off in the server config.

Why can't I join a server after an update?

The server is on an older build than your game. The owner needs to update and restart the server, after which both versions match.

Is there an Update 0.35 date?

Shockfront has not posted a release date for 0.35 in its Steam announcements. Treat any date you see elsewhere as unconfirmed until it appears there.