ESA SHIELD

About this game

Latest news

• Patch Notes·10 Dec 2025Official

  Early Access Patch 0.2.33

  Hello Space Safety Commander,We have a new, small update for you this time, as well as some news. First, the news.We have achieved our original goal of developing a game about space safety and releasing it on mobile phones and computers, which also marks the end of the official project period. Yay!But we also know that we are still in Early Access and that there are still improvements and features that you wish for and that we want to work on. Now, however, we also have to see how we can continue working on it by taking on other projects at the same time. In this context, the already small team has shrunk substantially. We will continue to work on ESA SHIELD, but unfortunately, at a much slower pace than before.Thank you very much for all your feedback and the time you have spent playing our game! We will continue to try to update the game.Here is an overview of the latest changes:🔧 ImprovementsConfusing mission names have been adjusted.General adjustments to values for generating research points, individual components of a spacecraft, etc.Adjusted frequency of system failures during solar storms.Internal code adjustments (for future features, etc.).🐞 Bug FixesFixed the incorrect order when triggering missions.Fixed inconsistent system failure when hit by a CME.Fixed errors in localised texts.
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• Patch Notes·16 Oct 2025Official

  Early Access Patch 0.2.28

  ESA SHIELD Mission UpdateHello Space Safety Commander!We have a new update for you. New content, new improvements, new bug fixes (unfortunately, we also introduced some new bugs...). As we are a small team with very tight deadlines, we cannot always approach development in the best possible way. So be aware that new unexpected behavior or bugs might still occur.That's why your feedback is all the more important. We take everything into account and have implemented some of the issues raised, as well as others. Here is an overview:New Features 🚀Game Over through Space Debris. (Don't keep your old spacecrafts too long in orbit)Open End. You can choose to keep playing after finishing the outro.Achievements.2 New Payloads. Earth Observation and Research ExperimentPort to Mobile Version. Available on Android App Store.New MissionsImprovements 🔧Made earth rotatable from anywhere (no need to click and drag on earth directly anymore)Made game accessible for ulrawide monitors (not perfect but working)Updated various UI Elements (Display order, added elements like WASD to orbit control info, Full Screen Research Tree, new mission badges)Optimized Text for Textbox size.Pop-Ups of Entities (Telescope) close when clicking somewhere else.Pop-Ups show correct states now. (E.g. Active)Adding On Screen Input Options. (Can be found in accessibility settings)Increased Shop Description Space.Added some Easter Eggs.Adding new VFX for Payloads, Space Debris etc.Refined some Mission Objectives.Updated to new Unity Version addressing the recent security vulnerability.Tweaked some values (Removing Budget from Research Mission, Decreasing Spwanrate of CMEs, adjusting weight and stability values for each component)Bug fixes 🐞Fixed the bug that you can place buildings on Water.Fixed the bug that cleanup probes don't always find a targetFixed weird text jumbling in Research ScreenDo you have any more feedback or have you discovered a new bug? Then join our Discord and let us know! Back to the co...
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• Patch Notes·9 Sept 2025Official

  Early Access Patch 0.2.7

  ESA SHIELD Mission UpdateHello Space Safety Commander!The last weeks have been crazy. From our early access release, to Gamescom, to the week when you're just happen to be sick. Thanks to each and all of you who visited our booth, gave us some great feedback in person, as a review, on Discord or discussion, and in generally just played the game.Now that we have recharged our batteries and are feeling fit again, we have a little Patch for you. Mainly minor bug fixes and quality of life improvements, here we have a small list of our additions:Improvements 🔧Grid Hardening protection lines are now visible from further away.Grid Hardening protection range is now visualized.Grid Hardening protection on entities suffering from a system failure will first repair the failure before providing protection.Added keybinds 1, 2, 3, 4 to open the relevant windows.Increased auto-rotate speed when moving a building blueprint to the edge of the Earth.Building blueprints are now colored red when placement is not possible.Building construction is now prohibited within existing buildings.Pop-up windows of buildings (e.g., telescope) no longer block the view of the building.Added button descriptions in building pop-up windows (e.g., Level Up, Shutdown).Additional Research Facilities are now affected by CME hits.Slightly adjusted UI and game background colors.Changed space coverage money rewards from 10% steps to 5% steps.Removed the Tech Tree button from the top UI. Added a new Research button to the side tab to open the Tech Tree.Added buttons for rotating the Earth and zooming. These can be activated in the Accessibility tab in the settings.Improved main menu support for ultrawide monitors (further actions for ultrawide support pending).Bug fixes 🐞Fixed a bug where VFX would not turn off.Fixed a bug where the space coverage sphere was not always activated and generally improved the toggle button.Fixed a bug where Grid Hardening protection lines were only visible from the side (render di...
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• Announcements·19 Aug 2025Official

  Early Access Release - v.0.2.0

  Welcome Space Commander!To accompany the start of the Gamescom with the Opening Night Live and the Steam Event, we are happy to release ESA Shield to Early Access.Your mission is crucial! Protect Earth and infrastructure from real cosmic hazards and threats such as asteroids, solar storms, and space debris. The game is a science-based Planetary Simulator that combines elements of tower defense, rogue-lite, and classic strategy games.What to expect:- Research and implement real-world technologies to monitor space hazards and threats to protect infrastructure on Earth and in space against these dangers. - Build, improve, and customize satellites and ground-based monitoring systems - Make strategic and take risk-based decisions under pressure, to respond to dynamic space events – like solar storms, satellite collision events, and asteroid threats ESA SHIELD is developed as an outreach initiative for the European Space Agency by a collaboration between Steinbeis Transfer GmbH an der Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da) and Technical University of Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt).We want to include you as much as possible in the further development of this game. As this is an outreach initiative with fixed project deadlines, we want to get the most out of the game and need your feedback. So leave us a review, start a discussion, or join our Discord. We are looking forward to your feedback!For us it's time to go back to the Mission Control Room! And the Gamescom! Maybe see you there, we're exhibiting at the Indie Arena Booth Hall 10.2.
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• Patch Notes·24 Jul 2025Official

  Demo Patch 0.1.17. Notes

  SHIELD Mission UpdateHey Earth Defenders!Thank you for your feedback, which we collected on Discord, here on Steam, and at our game exhibition at GDD (German Dev Days).Based on your feedback, we have added a few new features, fixed bugs and generally improved the game. We are still in the prototype stage, so expect a few new bugs or unfinished content. That's why we still need more of your feedback!Here is a brief overview of what's new, what we have improved, and what we have fixed.New Features 🚀New UI designSpace surveillance (visualisation of monitored areas through telescopes, satellites, etc.)Quest systemSpacecraft Creator minigame (assemble satellites, feedback for satellite construction, launch the rocket, etc.)Improvements 🔧Clicking on an interactive object now centres it.Prices for objects have been adjusted.End of service satellites no longer crash directly into Earth.Rotating the orbit (for setting satellites or deflection orbits) simplified.First tutorial texts implemented.New soundsUpdated narrative textsUpdated content in the tech tree; tech tree no longer has anything selected by default when opened.Drag and drop for constructing buildings; ability to cancel construction; show construction button even when zoomed out.The mouse no longer stops at the edge of the screen, but reappears on the other side.Bug fixes 🐞The X button in the shop no longer opens another UI window, but closes it.Building previews are no longer blue in water (blue is the indicator that you can build).Mission text adapts to the text frame.Menu screens no longer overlap. Do you have any more feedback or have you discovered a new bug? Then join our Discord and let us know! Back to the control room for us – see you soon!
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