Silica left Steam Early Access on November 3, 2026, more than three years after its initial launch. The PC game from Czech developer Martin “Dram” Melichárek, published through Bohemia Interactive, now includes a single-player story campaign for the Centauri faction, new multiplayer options and substantial changes to its real-time strategy controls.
What makes Silica unusual is the ability to participate in the same conflict from two very different perspectives. A commander manages resource gathering, builds structures and orders troops from an overhead view. Other players can enter the battlefield directly as infantry, drive vehicles or take control of alien creatures. The result combines the planning of a real-time strategy game with the immediacy of a first-person shooter.
A new campaign follows the Centauri war
The largest addition in version 1.0 is the Centauri story campaign, which takes place during a struggle for control of Baltarus. Two human factions, Sol and Centauri, seek the planet's valuable balterium deposits, while the native alien life forms resist their expansion.
The campaign begins with a cinematic introduction and features voiced mission briefings and dialogue. Between missions, a three-dimensional planetary globe shows how the front lines move and which territories have changed hands. Players can save during a mission, with automatic checkpoints providing another way to protect their progress. The update also introduces the Centauri Jet Bike for faster travel across the desert.
More precise commands and easier competitive play
Commanders have new tools for coordinating their armies. They can arrange units into lines, issue more precise attack instructions, reverse vehicles and select multiple units of the same type more quickly. Bohemia Interactive also reports improvements to unit targeting, vehicle movement and general stability.
A new 1v1 matchmaking mode makes it possible to find an opponent without manually searching server lists. Players can choose their faction and exclude unwanted maps before matching. Cooperative strategy remains available with adjustable difficulty, while traditional strategy matches continue to let commanders and front-line players share the battlefield.
Steam Workshop and pricing
Version 1.0 also introduces Steam Workshop integration for community-created scenarios, supported by expanded sandbox editing tools. The studio says player feedback throughout Early Access helped shape many of the improvements.
The full game is listed at €24.99 or $24.99, depending on region. Anyone who bought Silica during Early Access receives the complete version 1.0 update, including its story campaign, without an additional purchase. Bohemia Interactive says development and community feedback will continue after the full release.
Gameplay images © Bohemia Interactive. Official game screenshots accompanying independent editorial coverage.
