IRON NEST Mods Guide — Best Mods, How to Install & Are There Multiplayer Mods?

IRON NEST has no official Steam Workshop or in-game mod support, but that hasn't stopped a surprisingly active modding community: within weeks of launch, players built a VR mod with co-op and PvP multiplayer, an automated fire-control system (FCS) mod, and a growing catalog on Nexus Mods. This guide covers the best mods and exactly how to install them.

Here's what you'll learn:

• Does IRON NEST support mods officially? (spoiler: no Workshop, yes community mods)
• The must-have mods: VR/Co-op/PvP, IronNestFCS, and more
• Step-by-step installation with MelonLoader (the IL2CPP loader)
• Risks, safety, and what modding does to your saves
• The multiplayer answer: how the community solved "no multiplayer"

Official resources: Steam store page · IGN game page · Official site

Does IRON NEST Support Mods?

Officially: no. There's no Steam Workshop page, no official modding SDK, and no built-in mod manager. Unofficially: yes — and it's thriving. Because the game is built on Unity (IL2CPP), the standard MelonLoader and BepInEx mod loaders work, and modders have been shipping since the June demo. The community hub is Nexus Mods (nexusmods.com/ironnest) with a secondary presence on Thunderstore.

The Best IRON NEST Mods (as of August 2026)

1. VR. Co-op. PvP. (by Blah64) — the community's multiplayer answer

The single most-requested feature, solved by a mod. This overhaul lets you play in VR and adds co-op multiplayer for up to 3 other players in the same nest, or split between 2 nests for PvP — with crossplay supported between VR and flatscreen players.

• Requires BepInEx 6 (IL2CPP) + an OpenXR runtime (SteamVR/Meta/WMR)
• Launch options needed: -force-d3d11 -force-gfx-direct
• Runs in flatscreen without a headset too
• F7 opens the co-op lobby browser (create/refresh/join)
• v2.1: desync fixes, improved browser, basic PvP

This is the mod that answers every "iron nest multiplayer" and "iron nest coop mod" search — see our multiplayer guide for the base game's status.

2. IronNestFCS — automated Fire Control System (by svr2kos2)

A serious engineering project: a MelonLoader mod that automates the entire firing loop. Click a target on the map and it calculates ballistics, buys/loads shells, rotates and elevates the guns, and fires — with a task queue, dual-barrel scheduling, multi-shell support (AP/HCHE/HE/STAR/SMK), and an optional auto-fire toggle.

• GitHub: github.com/svr2kos2/IronNestFCS (MIT, 60+ stars)
• Built on the demo, actively maintained
• Includes a bonus "Custom Recorder" mod to replace the record player's music

Who it's for: players who've beaten the campaign and want the pure tactical-command fantasy, or who want QoL for grinding medals.

3. MelonLoader (IL2CPP) — the base loader

The prerequisite for most IRON NEST mods. Install the MelonLoader nightly with IL2CPP support (available on Nexus mods/2) — most other mods depend on it. BepInEx 6 is the alternative for the VR mod.

4. Other emerging mods

• QoL tweaks (UI, graphics, convenience) appearing on Nexus weekly
• Custom record player audio/visual swaps (part of IronNestFCS)

How to Install IRON NEST Mods (Step by Step)

The general flow (MelonLoader route, per the community guides):

1. Install the loader. Download MelonLoader (IL2CPP, win-x64) from Nexus/Thunderstore. Extract so that version.dll and the MelonLoader\ folder sit directly inside the game folder (SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\IRON NEST Heavy Turret Simulator\ — note: some mods were built against the demo folder; check each mod's instructions for demo vs full game).
2. Create a Mods\ folder in the game directory.
3. Drop mod files into Mods\ (most mods just unpack there; the FCS mod also uses UserLibs\ and UserData\).
4. Launch the game once — MelonLoader builds its support files on first run (wait 1–3 minutes at the menu, then quit).
5. Run the game again — mods load automatically. Check MelonLoader\Logs\ if something fails.

Risks & Safety

• Saves: mods like FCS read/write game state but don't touch your save folder (%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\). Still, back up your saves before installing anything — see our save file guide.
• Updates: patches can break mods (Patch 1.0 shipped days after launch). Expect mods to lag behind game updates.
• Source hygiene: only download from Nexus Mods / Thunderstore / the mod authors' GitHub. Loader DLLs from random sites are malware bait.
• The game is single-player by design — the VR/co-op mod is a community project, not supported by the developers. Expect jank.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does IRON NEST support mods?

No official mod support (no Workshop), but the community mods via MelonLoader/BepInEx work well. Nexus Mods hosts the catalog.

How do I install IRON NEST mods?

Install MelonLoader (IL2CPP) into the game folder, create a Mods\ folder, drop mods in, launch once to initialize, then play. The VR mod uses BepInEx 6 instead — follow its guide.

Is there an IRON NEST multiplayer mod?

Yes — "VR. Co-op. PvP." adds co-op for up to 3 players in the same nest plus 2-nest PvP, with VR/flatscreen crossplay. It's the community's answer to the base game's single-player-only design.

Is there an IRON NEST VR mod?

Yes — the same "VR. Co-op. PvP." mod adds VR via OpenXR (SteamVR/Meta/WMR) and works in flatscreen without a headset.

Does IRON NEST have official mod support?

No official SDK or Workshop. The modding scene runs on community loaders (MelonLoader/BepInEx) and unofficial tools.

Related Guides

• IRON NEST Achievements & Medals Guide — 33 Steam Achievements + Every Gold Medal
• IRON NEST Beginner's Guide — How to Play, Controls & First Missions (2026)
• IRON NEST Best Shells Guide — Every Shell Type Ranked by Mission (2026)
• IRON NEST Controller Support — Full Controller & Keybinding Guide (2026)
• IRON NEST Co-op & Multiplayer — Is It Multiplayer? Mods Explained
• IRON NEST Dead Reckoning — Mission 9 Walkthrough & Tear Shell Strategy