Stellaris

Stellaris: Nomads launched as the first installment of Season 10 alongside the 4.4.1 “Pegasus” update. It introduced mobile empires built around Arkships and Waylines, while Utopia, Synthetic Dawn, and the Humanoids Species Pack became free base-game content through 4.3.6. Pop Groups Redesign also substantially changed how ethics and factions affected populations.

• Nomads DLC: Stellaris: Nomads added a fundamentally different way to build and manage an empire.
  • Arkships replaced traditional worlds for nomadic empires, with Military, Scientific, and Civilian classes serving as colonies, shipyards, and warships.
  • Wayline Network let players build Waystations and create resource-generating trade routes without claiming systems.
  • Contract System enabled task-driven deals between nomadic and settled empires for resources, influence, and favors.
  • Voidfarers, Heirs of the Khan, The Sacred Path, and Forever Cruise added new nomadic origins, while Champion’s Forge provided a gladiatorial fleet-combat enclave.
  • Stellar Cannon, Wanderlust, new nomadic civics, species traits, and Paragons expanded the supporting systems.
• Free base-game content: 4.3.6 integrated three major older expansions for all players.
  • Utopia added Megastructures, Habitats, Ascension Perks, Hive Minds, and other foundational systems.
  • Synthetic Dawn added Machine Intelligence empires, Machine Rebellions, a Machine Fallen Empire, and Machine portraits.
  • Humanoids Species Pack added humanoid portraits, the Clone Army origin, new civics, and the Humanoid Shipset. Most Galaxy Edition upgrade elements also entered the base game.
• Empire management: Pop Groups Redesign merged ethics and factions into percentage-based population groups, with faster ethics and faction shifts and new management information in the planetary UI. Fleet Doctrine added six policies for controlling automated ship designs, while Joining & Leaving Wars and automatic federation pacts broadened diplomacy.
• Economy and balance: The Resource Abundance Slider let galaxy settings range from Scarce to x5 resources. Operational Reserves were rebalanced around Energy, Minerals, and Arkship tiers, while Consecrate World, strike craft and missile defenses, Wanderlust, and the Forever Cruise situation received further tuning.

Shadows of the Shroud was the period’s biggest addition, completing the Arc of Ascension trilogy with a major remaster of Psionic Ascension. BioGenesis and the Infernals Species Pack also expanded biological customization, while broad economy, fleet, and ascension rebalances changed the shape of late-game play.

• Shadows of the Shroud: Added Shroud delving through Deeds, Accords, Callings, and Covenants; an Ascension Situation; advanced psionic governments; the Endbringers, Mindwardens, and Shroud-Forged Origins; six new civics; new patrons, shipsets, auras, technologies, and events. Proxy Wars also let empires incite conflicts through diplomacy.
• BioGenesis and Infernals: BioGenesis introduced meat ships, improved genetic ascension, and the Wilderness Origin. The Infernals Species Pack added Thermophilic species, Volcanic Worlds and their specialized mechanics, the Galactic Hyperthermia crisis path, the Cosmic Dawn and Red Giant Origins, four civics, infernal portraits, and an Infernal shipset.
• Pop Groups and Workforce: The Core Systems Overhaul rebuilt Pops and Jobs into Pop Groups and Workforce, while Mixed Ethics within a Pop Group allowed groups to hold multiple ethics and factions. Grown Pops were assigned directly to civilian, maintenance, or unemployed-slave roles instead of becoming overspecialized.
• Ascensions, fleets, and economy: The Ascensions and Origins Rebalance strengthened Cybernetics while toning down Psionic and Biological bonuses. Naval Capacity Changes reduced overall fleet sizes and raised higher-tier ship costs and upkeep, while Economic Changes reduced unity generation, job efficiency, planetary ascension strength, and other stacking bonuses.

BioGenesis Expansion landed alongside the 4.0 “Phoenix” update, adding biological empires, living fleets, genetic ascension paths, and the Behemoth Fury crisis path. The period also delivered The Machine Age, Cosmic Storms, and The Grand Archive, giving returning players several major ways to reshape a galaxy.

• BioGenesis Expansion and 4.0 “Phoenix”: Added biological ships with three growth stages, organ-based components, Food construction costs, and the Mauler, Weaver, Harbinger, and Stinger classes. It also introduced the Purity, Cloning, and Mutation genetic ascension paths; Evolutionary Predators, Wilderness, and Starlit Citadel Origins; seven new civics; the Deep Space Citadel megastructure; the Splintered Hive Fallen Empire; and the Behemoth Fury crisis path.
• The Machine Age: Expanded machine empires with individualist and gestalt machine options, new Origins, machine traits, Cybernetic and Synthetic portraits, new Cybernetics and Machines ship sets, and the Synthetic Queen Cetana end-game crisis. It also remastered the Ascension Paths and added new interactions between Synthetic Ascension’s Virtual and Physical paths.
• 4.0 economic overhaul: Replaced individual-pop economic tracking with Pop Groups and Workforce, introduced the Civilian stratum, and reworked pop growth. Zones replaced Industrial District specialization, Researchers split into Physicists, Biologists, and Engineers, Ecumenopolises became megacities, and the Trade system gained deficits and logistical upkeep.
• Cosmic Storms: Added eight storm types with distinct system effects, aftermath modifiers, a Weather map mode, Storm Chasers Origin, storm-focused civics and technologies, the Galactic Weather Control Ascension Perk, and the adAkkaria Convention of Benevolence and Inetian Traders precursor narratives.
• The Grand Archive: Added specimen collection and display, 151 specimens, the Grand Archive megastructure, the Archivism and Domestication tradition trees, Primal Calling and Treasure Hunters Origins, Cutholoids and Voidworms, fauna capture and breeding, and the Voidworm Plague mid-game crisis.
• Empire management: Added the Empire Focus system, Empire Timeline, searchable Stellaris Databank, selectable precursor pools, improved late-game performance through Pop Groups, and broader AI support for Zones and job allocation.

The Machine Age expansion released on May 7, adding cybernetic and synthetic ascension systems, machine-focused empires, and a new end-game crisis. Astral Planes and Galactic Paragons also delivered major additions, expanding Stellaris’ narrative exploration and leader-management systems.

• The Machine Age: Added Individualistic Machine Empires, three machine ascension paths, Cyberization and Synthesization Situations, and three origins: Cybernetic Creed, Synthetic Fertility, and Arc Welders. It also introduced the Cosmogenesis crisis path, the Cetana, the Synthetic Queen end-game crisis, the Synaptic Lathe, and the Arc Furnace and Dyson Swarm superstructures.
• Astral Planes: Added more than 30 branching Rift Sites, Astral Scars and Rifts, the Astral Thread resource, 10 Astral Actions, eight Relics, the Riftworld Origin, and four civics. The accompanying 3.10 “Pyxis” update added Leader Consolidation, Council Legitimacy, a customizable tabbed Outliner, and the Minister of State council position.
• Leader systems: Galactic Paragons added the Ruling Council, Veteran Classes, dynamic leader traits, unique council roles, and Legendary Leaders. 3.10 “Pyxis” then merged Admirals and Generals into the Commander class, replaced Governors with the Officials class, allowed every leader class to govern planets and sectors, and rebalanced leader capacity and traits.
• Empire-building and multiplayer: 3.9 “Caelum” reworked Habitats around Habitat Central Complexes and Orbitals, while adding the Enmity tradition tree, Worker Cooperative civic, Mechromancy Ascension Perk, and new Plantoid content. Cooperative multiplayer also launched, allowing up to five players to share one empire, alongside a technology-cost slider and expanded Resort Worlds.
• Balance and pacing: Leader-related civics, traditions, Ascension Perks, and hundreds of traits were retuned, while 3.10.4 changes adjusted technology costs, researcher output, naval capacity, Bio-Reactors, Progenitor Hive bonuses, and the Knights of the Toxic God. The technology experiment involving Breakthrough Technologies was later removed.

Stellaris: Overlord delivered the biggest expansion beat, adding deeper subject management alongside new origins, enclaves, and megastructures. Toxoids Species Pack and First Contact Story Pack then broadened empire creation, alien encounters, and narrative-driven play.

• Overlord expansion: Added Holdings for subject worlds, Vassal Specializations such as Bulwark, Prospectorium, and Scholarium, and the Orbital Ring, Quantum Catapult, and Hyper Relay megastructures. Imperial Fiefdom, Teachers of the Shroud, Slingshot to the Stars, Subterranean, and Progenitor Hive also expanded the Origin roster, while Shroudwalker, Salvager, and Mercenary Enclaves offered new diplomatic and economic interactions.
• Toxoids Species Pack: Introduced the Overtuned and Knights of the Toxic God Origins, the Knights’ quest system, Toxic Baths, Scavengers, and Relentless Industrialists Civics, plus new traits, portraits, a toxic shipset, and the Detox Ascension Perk.
• First Contact Story Pack: Added the Broken Shackles, Payback, and Fear of the Dark Origins, Cloaking Technology, and expanded Pre-FTL Civilization interactions through Awareness, observation events, diplomacy, espionage, and new Galactic Community resolutions. Minamar Specialized Industries served as a new antagonist tied especially to Payback.
• Cooperative PvE and PvP: Introduced modes that allowed up to five players to control the same empire, with shared event responses and a dedicated multiplayer flow for cooperative and competitive games.
• Ascension Paths and fleet combat: Restructured Ascension Paths, split Cybernetic and Synthetic progression, and expanded Psionic and Genetic traditions. The Frigate ship size and torpedo changes supported more specialized fleets, while combat rebalancing adjusted disengagement, Strike Craft, Flak Batteries, Point Defense, missiles, and large weapons; Orbital Bombardment also gained stronger ground-combat and planetary-control effects.

Aquatics Species Pack launched on November 22, 2021, and added aquatic species, origins, civics, portraits, and a themed ship set. The 3.3 Libra update later delivered a sweeping Unity and empire-management rework, while the AI Initiative substantially improved computer-controlled economies and fleets.

• Aquatics Species Pack: Added the Aquatic species trait, 15 aquatic portraits, a robotic portrait, the Anglers civic, the Ocean Paradise and Here Be Dragons origins, the Hydrocentric Ascension Perk, an aquatic ship set, a new advisor voice, and new name lists.
• 3.3 Libra: Reworked Unity by removing the Edicts Cap, shifting several Influence costs to Unity, making leaders and most megastructures cost Unity, and removing ways to increase Administrative Capacity. It also introduced Planetary Ascension Tiers, which let players spend Unity to improve core worlds.
• Empire-building additions:
  • Mercantile, Unyielding, and Subterfuge became selectable Tradition Trees, with Unyielding and Subterfuge tied to their respective expansions.
  • The Clone Army origin added Clone Soldiers and Ancient Clone Vats, while Necrophage Hive Minds gained access to the Necrophage playstyle.
  • Plantoids and Humanoids received new traits, civics, origins, and other content, while Shattered Ring and Void Dwellers received balance adjustments.
• AI Initiative: Improved planet specialization, economic subplans, job creation, technology choices, alloy spending, colonization, special-pop management, and fleet coordination. Later changes added war-preparation behavior and encouraged the AI to merge fleets into full-strength formations.
• Nakama multiplayer: Replaced the internal PDXMP backend with Nakama, enabling cross-store PC multiplayer through launcher and Steam launch options. Modders also received expanded scripting tools in 3.3, including script values, complex trigger modifiers, stronger variable support, and improved overwrite behavior.

Nemesis Expansion arrived with Stellaris 3.0.1, adding espionage, the Intel system, Spy Networks, the Custodian path, the Galactic Imperium, and the option to Become the Crisis. The Necroids Species Pack also launched with its death-themed empire tools, while a major economic and population overhaul reshaped planetary management across the game.

• Nemesis Expansion: The expansion introduced Spy Networks, Operations such as Steal Technology and Smear Campaign, and the reworked First Contact system. Players also gained the Custodian role, Galactic Imperium, Emperor mechanics, Crisis Levels, Menacing ships, Star-Eaters, and the Aetherophasic Engine.
• Necroids Species Pack: Necroids added the Necrophage Origin, Death Cult, Corporate Death Cult, Reanimated Armies, and Memorialist Civics, alongside the Necromancer and Death Priest jobs. The pack also included 16 portraits, a new city set, room backdrop, advisor voice, pre-scripted empire, and eerie ship set.
• Economy and population overhaul: Industrial Districts separated Alloy and Consumer Goods production, while building slots became tied to infrastructure rather than population. The updated population-growth system reduced galaxy-wide pop totals, changed resettlement, added Organic Pop Assembly, expanded Ecumenopolis building options, and improved planetary automation.
• Intel and diplomacy: The Intel system limited information according to Government, Military, Diplomatic, Economic, and Technology intel levels, with stale intelligence and Intel Reports adding uncertainty. The Galactic Community also gained Custodian powers, new resolutions, rebellion and loyalty mechanics, and the ability to proclaim the Galactic Imperium.
• Stellaris 3.0.3 Open Beta: The beta revised population growth after player feedback, reduced jobs in buildings and districts, changed higher-tier foundry output, added population-growth configuration sliders, and improved economic AI behavior. Star destruction also received a staged visual effect, including the Aetherophasic Engine’s evolving system effects.

Federations Expansion launched on March 17, 2020, alongside the free 2.6.0 “Verne” update, reshaping diplomacy with deeper federations and Galactic Community politics. Ancient Relics and the Lithoids species pack also expanded exploration and empire-building with archaeology, relics, and mineral-consuming civilizations.

• Federations overhaul: Federation Types gained progression, customizable laws, succession rules, fleet contributions, and distinct perks.
  • Galactic Union reduced cohesion penalties from differing ethics.
  • Research Cooperative, Trade League, Martial Alliance, and Hegemony each supported different economic, technological, military, or authoritarian strategies.
  • Galactic Community added resolutions, diplomatic weight, galactic focuses, voting, a Galactic Council, and Favors that could influence votes and agreements.
• Ancient Relics: Relic Worlds, archaeological sites, Minor Artifacts, and powerful Relics turned exploration into a larger progression system, while the Baol and Zroni precursor civilizations added new investigation chains and rewards.
• Origins and species: The Origins system gave empires distinct starting histories, including Doomsday, Scion, Shattered Ring, Void Dwellers, Lost Colony, and Common Ground. The Lithoids Species Pack added mineral-consuming species, new traits, and the Calamitous Birth Origin.
• New empire systems:
  • Espionage and intel mechanics added information-gathering and covert actions.
  • The Edict Rework introduced Edict Capacity, activation costs, and toggleable Edicts.
  • Orbital Habitats gained Advanced Habitat and Habitat World upgrade tiers.
  • Indentured Assets added a new slavery type.
• Simulation and AI: The transition to 64-bit architecture supported larger galaxies, while late-game performance improved by roughly 15–30%. AI Ministers and military, economic, and end-game crisis AI work also made computer-controlled empires more capable.

Stellaris: MegaCorp was the biggest addition, launching on December 6, 2018 with corporate empires, new economic systems, and major late-game construction options. The release was joined by Distant Stars and the free Planetary Management System Redesign, which reshaped exploration and planetary development.

• MegaCorp expansion: MegaCorp introduced a corporate empire authority built around trade and energy credits.
  • Branch Offices let MegaCorps establish income-generating businesses on other empires’ planets, while Subsidiaries created a new subject relationship.
  • Ecumenopolis turned developed worlds into planet-spanning city planets, and Matter Decompressor, Mega-Art Installation, Interstellar Assembly, and Strategic Coordination Center expanded the megastructure roster.
  • Caravaneers, the Galactic Slave Market, Criminal Heritage, and Gospel of the Masses added new encounters, commerce, and corporate playstyles.
• Distant Stars: The DLC added nearly 50% more anomalies, new unique systems and L-Gates, plus the Voidspawn, Tiyanki Matriarch, and Scavenger Bot Leviathans.
• Trade Value and the Galactic Market: Trade Value and Trade Routes created a civilian economy that required starbase collection and protection from Piracy. The Galactic Market then enabled resource trading with prices that shifted according to supply and demand.
• Planetary Management System Redesign: The overhaul replaced planetary tiles with Districts, Buildings, Deposits, and infrastructure-driven development.
  • Planet Stability, Amenities, and Crime became major planetary measures, while Faction Approval replaced the older faction-happiness model.
  • Devastation gave planetary bombardment lasting consequences, affecting housing, amenities, trade value, and pop growth.
  • Decisions replaced planetary edicts with more flexible planet-level actions.
• AI and strategic systems: The Military AI rework made computer empires more aggressive and capable in war, while Individual Ship Upgrading allowed fleets to upgrade vessels separately. Sector Rework, revised Traditions, and new Ascension Perks also changed empire administration and specialization.

Synthetic Dawn Story Pack launched with playable Machine Empires, robotic civilizations, new event chains, and the AI-focused The Contingency crisis. The free 1.8 “Čapek” and 2.0 “Cherryh” updates also reshaped core systems, while the Humanoids Species Pack expanded empire customization with new portraits, ships, voices, and music.

• Synthetic Dawn: Machine Empires gained unique gameplay, eight robotic portraits, robomodding, new government forms, pre-sapient policies, and the possibility of oppressed synths forming rebel empires. The Contingency replaced the former AI crisis, while Awakened Fallen Empires gained decadence mechanics.
• Humanoids Species Pack: New humanoid portraits, ship and city graphics, advisor voices, music, and the prescripted Voor Technocracy empire expanded the empire-creation options.
• 2.0 “Cherryh” systems: FTL travel was consolidated around hyperlanes, most edicts moved to the empire level, and major Ascension Perks such as Mastery of Nature, World Shaper, and Interstellar Dominion were redesigned. The 2.0.2 beta also reintroduced forced status quo peace through a 100% war-exhaustion flag and a 24-month timer.
• 1.8 “Čapek” overhaul: Habitability and terraforming were revised, while Machine Empire content added new galaxy setup options, tradition changes, and special interactions with the Prethoryn Scourge. Hive Minds also received revised events and stronger population growth and habitability bonuses.
• Multiplayer system: The new Paradox multiplayer backend improved multiplayer control and stability, with Paradox Accounts adding friend lists and in-game chat. A later rollback returned the official version to 1.6.2 after problems with 1.7.2.
• Crisis balance: The Prethoryn Scourge and Extradimensional fleets became substantially stronger, with crisis and Fallen Empire strength scaling by galaxy size; military stations and frontier outposts also received major damage, shield, and hull boosts.

Stellaris: Utopia was the year's biggest addition, arriving on April 6, 2017 with megastructures, orbital habitats, Ascension Perks, and Hive Minds. It launched alongside the free Banks update, while Leviathans Story Pack added major exploration threats and a galaxy-wide endgame conflict.

• Stellaris: Utopia: Added Ringworlds, Dyson Spheres, Sentry Arrays, Science Nexuses, Orbital Habitats, Hive Mind empires, the Civics system, species Rights and Privileges, and three Ascension paths: Biological, Psionic, and Synthetic. The Shroud, Psionic Armies, advanced Civics, Consumer Goods, Unrest, and pre-FTL Indoctrination also expanded empire management.
• Leviathans Story Pack: Introduced Guardians such as the Infinity Machine, Stellarite, and Space Dragon, alongside Artisan, Curator, and Trader Enclaves. Fallen Empires could awaken and trigger the War in Heaven, creating a new galaxy-scale crisis and the Federation Victory condition.
• Banks 1.5 update: Added Unity and seven Tradition trees—Expansion, Domination, Prosperity, Harmony, Supremacy, Purity, and Exploration—while reworking Factions and Pop Ethics. Collectivist and Individualist became Authoritarian and Egalitarian, and Tradition costs scaled with empire size and internal stability.
• Diplomacy and colonization: Added Tributaries, Joint Declarations of War, Diplomatic Incidents, the Diplomatic Map Mode, and Federation Association Status. The Federations system replaced permanent Alliances, while the Habitability rework introduced Alpine and Savanna worlds and removed technology-gated colonization.
• Fleet Combat Overhaul: Gave Corvettes, Destroyers, Cruisers, and Battleships distinct roles, added Torpedo, Point Defense, Auxiliary, and Extra Large weapon slots, and introduced the Tracking stat. Missile evasion, armor penetration, utility slots, and most weapon damage values were substantially rebalanced.
• Plantoids Species Pack and Horizon Signal: Plantoids Species Pack added 15 portraits, a new cityscape, and ship models, while the Horizon Signal event chain brought a new mystery storyline that could appear in existing saves.