v1.18.0 — Planets 2.0

v1.18.0 is the largest planet update in Big Bang Smugglers history, paired with cinematic travel moments, new combat systems, and improvements across trade, navigation, and corporation management.

Planets 2.0 — Claim, Build, and Defend Your Worlds

Planet development is fundamentally richer in v1.18.0.

The planet economy is now config-driven with up to 2.5× production output, so a well-developed world produces far more than before.

Planets can now be taken by force. The new siege combat module lets you assault rival planets and capture them for your own. On defense, build a Barracks to produce fighters and garrison your planet, then cap it with the Citadel — a high-tier capstone structure that boosts both production and defensive strength.

Planet inventory views let you see exactly what each of your worlds holds at a glance. You can now also give your planets custom names.

Port Attacks

Ports can now be destroyed in combat and will respawn over time after they fall. Controlling a sector now carries real consequences — a dominant corp can knock out rival supply lines, but the window doesn’t last forever.

Cinematics

Cut-scenes have arrived. Cinematic moments now play for galactic travel and major milestones, bringing more story and spectacle to your journey across the galaxy.

Cloaking Device

A new ship system lets you slip off the grid entirely. Cloaked ships disappear from StarNav, with counterplay available for captains who have invested in scanner upgrades.

Fighter, Torpedo, and Shield Upgrade Tiers

New upgrade tiers for fighters, torpedoes, and shields give you more room to specialize your combat loadout before reaching the ship tier ceiling.

Port Trade Pressure

Heavy trading in a single commodity now degrades its price over time and recovers as demand rebuilds. Smarter, more varied trade routes pay off — running the same cargo loop indefinitely is no longer the optimal play.

Corporations & Social

Corporation leaders can now review and approve join requests directly in the app. Player announcements let you broadcast messages to keep your crew and rivals informed. A refreshed, unified player tag now appears consistently across the game.

Navigation & Quality of Life

Warp controls have moved to the Navigation screen where they belong. Season processing now uses a shared reset flow with lifetime stats that persist across seasons.