Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is Orbitarion? A tick-based space strategy MMO where you control a planet, build fleets, and compete against thousands of other players for galactic dominance. Every 30 minutes the game engine ticks — resolving battles, delivering resources, and advancing construction. Between ticks, you plan.
Is it free to play? Yes, completely. All game mechanics, ship classes, and research branches are available to free players. Premium is an optional subscription that removes ads and adds cosmetic and quality-of-life features — with zero gameplay advantage.
What platforms is Orbitarion available on? Android and iOS. A web version is planned.
Is there a pay-to-win element? No. This is a hard line. Premium subscribers have no gameplay advantage over free players. Seasons are won through strategy, activity, and diplomacy.
Gameplay
How often do ticks happen? Every 30 minutes. Between ticks you plan your moves — queue ships, start research, send fleets. When the tick fires, everything resolves simultaneously across the entire universe.
How long is a season? At least four weeks. Beyond that, no one knows for certain. Seasons end when the time is right — the uncertainty is intentional. See Seasons for more.
What happens when a season ends? Winners are announced across three categories: best planet, best galaxy, and best alliance. Stats are archived, and the universe resets. Everyone starts the next season on equal footing. Alliance memberships persist between seasons.
Can I join mid-season? Yes. Late joiners are placed in a galaxy with an open slot and receive the same full protection window (96 ticks / 48 hours) as everyone else. There is no penalty for joining late.
What are orbitals? Orbitals are resource-producing platforms orbiting your planet. Each one generates Titanium, Silicon, or Uranium per tick. More orbitals means more income — and makes you a more attractive target. See Orbitals & Scanning for the full picture.
What are the three resources? Titanium (ships, buildings, orbital initiation), Silicon (scanning, research, ships), and Uranium (fleet fuel, late-game ships). Every orbital produces one of the three.
How do I get more orbitals? Two ways: scan for them (costs Silicon, requires research), or steal them from other planets through combat. Scanning gets harder as you grow — combat becomes more efficient in the mid and late game.
What is protection? The first 96 ticks after you join a season, your planet cannot be attacked. Use this window to build your economy, research your first ships, and scan for orbitals.
Combat
Can I be attacked? Not during your protection period. After that, yes — but score-based rules prevent much larger players from targeting much smaller ones. No planet with more than 5× your score can attack you.
What happens when I'm attacked? The battle resolves at the next tick. All your ships on the planet automatically defend. Afterward, check your Private News feed for a full battle log — every round, every loss, every orbital stolen.
Can I stop an incoming attack? You cannot stop an enemy fleet once it has landed. Before it arrives, you can evacuate your own fleet to deny the attacker a clean kill — your ships survive, but you may lose orbitals.
Can alliance members attack each other? No.
What is EMP? The Aetherians use EMP weapons that freeze enemy ships instead of destroying them. Frozen ships cannot fire for that combat round. EMP alone doesn't win fights — you need kill ships to finish off what's been disabled.
What are Orbital Pods? Orbital Pods are capture ships that steal orbitals from defeated planets after a won battle. They have zero combat ability and must be escorted. The Sytherian Cartel doesn't use them — they raid resource stockpiles instead.
Races
How many races are there? Four: United Earth Command (tank), Odonari Hive (stealth), The Aetherians (EMP/control), and Sytherian Cartel (raid). Each has a unique combat identity, ship roster, and racial bonuses.
Can I change my race? Not during a season. You choose your race when you sign up for each season. You can pick a different race next season.
Which race is best for beginners? United Earth Command. Their ships are straightforward, their bonuses are simple (+20% construction speed, +10% armor), and they're hard to destroy — which gives new players time to learn without being wiped out.
Alliances
How do I join an alliance? Through the alliance screen in the app, or by connecting with players on the Orbitarion Discord server. Many alliances recruit actively at the start of each season.
Do alliances reset between seasons? No. Alliance membership persists across seasons. Your planet resets — your alliance doesn't.
Where do alliances communicate? On Discord. There is no in-game chat. Join the Orbitarion Discord to find an alliance or coordinate with your current one.
Premium
What does Premium include? No ads, full season history and detailed statistics, cosmetic upgrades (planet skins, profile decorations), and extended notification control. See the Premium page for the full breakdown.
Does Premium give any gameplay advantage? No. Zero. Premium players and free players compete on identical terms.
How much does Premium cost? 49 kr per month. Available as a monthly subscription through the App Store or Google Play. Cancel any time.
How do I cancel Premium? Manage your subscription through your App Store or Google Play account settings.
Account
Can I change my planet name? You choose a new planet name each season when you sign up. You cannot change it mid-season.
How do I delete my account? In the app: go to Settings → Profile, scroll to the bottom, and tap Delete My Account. See the Delete Account page for full details.
I'm having a problem not covered here. Visit the Support page or reach out on Discord.