Nested Lands Hits Steam Early Access: Can You Survive the Black Death?

February 25, 2026 — The wait for one of the most brutal survival RPGs of the year is over. Nested Lands, the gritty medieval settlement-builder from 1M Bits Horde and META Publishing, has officially launched into Early Access on Steam. Mixing the hardcore survival of Valheim with the deep social management of Medieval Dynasty, it promises a bleak but rewarding journey through a plague-ravaged world.

1. More Than Just Crafting: The Plague System

Unlike traditional survival games where hunger and thirst are your only enemies, Nested Lands introduces a dynamic Plague System. As you build your village, the "Black Death" isn't just a background lore element—it is an active threat that can wipe out your workforce.

• Infection Stages: Villagers can contract the plague, requiring specialized medicine and isolation.
• Moral Dilemmas: Do you exile a skilled smith who is showing symptoms, or risk the entire village to save him?
• Environmental Impact: Certain biomes are "choked" by plague fog, requiring high-tier protective gear to explore.

2. Building a Civilization from Mud

You start as a shipwrecked survivor with nothing but rags. The gameplay loop focuses on recruiting other "peasants" to automate your resource gathering.

• Role Assignment: Assign survivors as woodcutters, farmers, or defenders.
• Social Morale: Your peasants have mental states. Overworking them or failing to provide adequate housing leads to unrest, desertion, or even banditry.
• Co-op Mode: Launching with full 4-player online co-op, allowing you to split management duties with friends.

3. Early Access Roadmap: What’s Coming?

The developers have estimated a 6-month Early Access period. The current roadmap includes:

• The "Expeditions" Update: Sending villagers to distant lands for rare resources.
• Animal Husbandry: Domesticating livestock to secure food sources against the coming winter.
• Story Expansion: New biomes and the conclusion of the "Shipwrecked" narrative arc.

4. System Requirements (2026 PC Standard)