Nomad Drive Saves: Updates, Wipes & Demo Progress
Understand the update wipe warning and what remains uncertain about carrying Demo progress into Early Access.
System-level updates may require a save wipe. That does not mean every update will erase progress, and it does not confirm that a Demo save will carry into Early Access.
On this page
Can updates wipe your save?
Yes, a system-level update may require a save wipe during Early Access. The warning is conditional: it does not say that every update will erase every save.
Keep this in mind when deciding how much progress to build around the current version. A large system change can affect whether an existing run remains usable.
Will Demo progress carry into Early Access?
Demo-to-Early-Access save transfer is not confirmed. Do not plan a Demo run on the assumption that it will continue unchanged in the main game.
The update wipe warning and cross-product save compatibility are different issues. Knowing that updates may wipe saves does not establish whether the Demo and full game share compatible saves.
Should you use an import or export workaround?
There is no established Demo-to-full-game import/export procedure. Avoid treating a claim about cloud saving or copying files as a guarantee of Demo-to-full-game compatibility.
Before moving between products, distinguish the Nomad Drive Demo from the main Nomad Drive Steam entry. Use the Demo page and Early Access schedule to keep the two stages clear.
What does this mean for a new run?
You can use the Demo to learn assembly, fluid transfer and the survival controls. Treat those learned actions separately from any expectation that the same save will survive a version change.