After listening to community feedback, reviews, and reactions to its latest title Stellaris, Paradox Interactive has released details on the first updates to its new sci-fi grand strategy game.
A free update, codenamed “Clarke” (yes, as in the author) is due for release by the end of May, and is set to focus on bugfixes and small improvements. I noted in our review that the game contained a number of technical issues such as bugs and slowdown issues, and it is good to see these problems being promptly addressed. Improvements to the sector governance AI are similarly welcome, as improved AI will benefit players and provide more challenging opponents.
“Before we begin the expansion cycle in earnest, we will spend the rest of May and June only focusing on bug fixes and free upgrades to the game. We carefully listen to all your feedback, which has already made us alter our priorities a bit,” said Henrik Fåhraeus, game director for Stellaris.
After the “Clarke” release, Paradox will begin adding more features to the game in free updates, beginning with “Asimov.” While Fåhraeus took pains to point out that the plans for future releases can and will change, it is gratifying to see that a number of the game’s issues (such as not being able to cross neutral territories without going to war, as noted in the review) will be addressed. New features like political map modes, more war goals a-la Europa Universalis IV, and new events will also go a long way towards making the game that much richer.
Unfortunately, the “Asimov” release doesn’t appear to have anything to do with robots, droids, or the positronic brain-powered Synthetics. Its estimated release date is the end of June.
Plans for the third update, codenamed Heinlein, are far less certain. Still, more content to flesh out the mid-game is definitely on Paradox’s radar, which should come as great news not only to fans who have already purchased Stellaris, but also to those who are interested and waiting to see what the future holds. As for the game’s long-term future, Fåhraeus had this to say: “As long as enough players keep buying paid content for the game, we promise to keep improving the game for everyone, almost like an MMO.”
Much like Crusader Kings II and EUIV, Paradox’s business model will be centred around a mixture of major expansions and cosmetic DLC. As with those games, regular updates like “Clarke” will be available for all players.
Stellaris was released on May 9, and is available on Steam. You can read TMC’s review of the game here.
This article originally appeared on TheMittani.com, written by Ryan Vincent.
