Whilst Xbox One owners have only had access to Stellaris: Console Edition since February of 2019, in actual fact it’s been four years since Paradox Interactive first pushed the sci-fi strategy title out to the world. Today, as that anniversary is celebrated, the team are enhancing the game in new ways, providing additional content for those on Xbox One, PC and mobile.
With Stellaris recently having gained its highest monthly player base yet, with an all-time high number of players taking in the galactic adventures in March, and having seen the game recently hit three million units sold, it’s time to celebrate the fact in the only way gamers know how – with new content and goodies.
“We have always put the community first when developing and supporting content for Stellaris,” said Daniel Moregård, Game Director for Stellaris. “It is so rewarding to see this strategy help us earn the continued interest of a large and growing player base after all these years. Being able to reach a new all-time high right now makes the anniversary festivities feel even more momentous.”
Available on Xbox Game Pass, the big console news is the arrival of an update which takes Stellaris: Console Edition from build 1.7, right up to 2.2, with this bringing some game changing differences. With a new look just the start of things, you’ll also discover new sector systems, AI, resource management, anomalies, and hyperlane travel systems. Each of these adds in additional depth customization, and control.
Additionally the Invasion of the Robot Humanoid Catastrophe – Expansion Pass Two has also launched, and this allows access to three new pieces of DLC, with that starting with the Synthetic Dawn story pack which is also available. Those going all-in with the Expansion Pass Two will see the Apocalypse expansion and the Humanoids species pack coming later this year. The pass can be purchased right now for £20.99, or the individual Synthetic Dawn story pack will set you back £8.39 from the Xbox Store.
Further to this, those on PC (Steam) and mobile will discover the following:
- PC – Free as an Alien Bird Species – With constant updates since its launch in 2016, today’s Stellaris is bigger, deeper, and more fun than ever with more players, more stories, and more adventures. Ordinarily retailing for a suggested price of $39.99 USD, the engaging gameplay of Stellaris will be available for free on Steam this weekend.
- PC – New Look, Who Dis – This free anniversary patch is available today and adds strong new visual elements and VFX such as Nebulas, Storms and more. Players can look forward to an updated look to the Stellaris base game to add a little more awe to any shock and awe campaigns.
- Mobile – Happy Cake Day – Stellaris: Galaxy Command is celebrating the Stellaris anniversary, in soft launch countries (Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and Canada) and globally in Open Beta for Android, with an in-game contest where players complete daily tasks in exchange for birthday cakes and rewards! Stay on the lookout for more mobile goodies coming this week.
So is all this enough to drag you back into the Stellaris: Console Edition universe? With the base game available on Xbox Game Pass there really is little reason to not get involved. Let us know what you think though. The comments are down below.
Expansion Pass Two Description:
Explore Stellaris to its fullest with the game-changing features in Expansion Pass Two. Including the Apocalypse expansion, the Synthetic Dawn story pack and the Humanoids species pack, this bundle offers you more ways to expand your space empire and conquer the stars. Includes: Apocalypse Expansion – One of Stellaris’ biggest ever expansions, Apocalypse changes the nature of warfare with a “Colossus” planet-killer weapon, “Titan” capital ships, and defensive orbital installations. Not to mention Marauders, space pirates who will fight with or against you for the right price. Synthetic Dawn Story Pack – Introducing the Machine Empire, Synthetic Dawn lets you play as an entirely robotic species. Event chains tell stories of synthetic civilizations past or the rise of AI across the galaxy. Humanoids Species Pack – This species pack adds new cosmetic options for the most popular phenotype, humanoids. This includes new portraits, hairstyles, music, and a new humanoid ship class.