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Console Dev Diary #13 - Expansion Pass Three

Hello Stellaris: Console Edition Fans!

I’m AC, the Community Manager for Stellaris and Stellaris: Console Edition. As you folks likely know, the first part of Expansion Pass 3, the Distant Stars Story Pack, releases on September 15th! This is going to be a little different than our normal dev diaries, I’m going to briefly run through the content included in Expansion Pass 3.

We have also put together a Distant Stars Story Pack Features Trailer that you can watch it here



Distant Stars Story Pack (coming September 15th)


The best part of the Distant Stars Story Pack is the sheer volume of new content that it adds to Stellaris: It increases the number of anomalies roughly 50%. However, should we actually show the events themselves, we wind up spoiling all the new content that we’ve added to the game. This is why we’ve tried to keep our promotional materials as spoiler-free as possible.

1 - l-gate.png



Features:
  • Over 100 new anomalies
  • Over 20 pre-scripted systems and associated event chains
  • New Leviathans
  • New Event Chains
  • Access to the mysterious L-Cluster, and open the L-Gate to gain it’s unique rewards or unleash terrors from the past
2 - tempest.png



As you can see, we give very little away here. On top of the new anomalies and event chains, Distant Stars adds three new Leviathans, two that operate very similarly to the ones added with the Leviathans Story Pack, and one that’s completely unique. As well, Distant Stars adds the L-Cluster and L-Gate mechanics, with a wide range of effects, from being completely empty to something that can upset the balance of even the most powerful empires. In other words, Distant Stars is a content-heavy addition to Stellaris: Console Edition.

3 - scavengerbot.png


MegaCorp Expansion (coming 2021)

The MegaCorp Expansion adds more unique features in the game, allowing you to choose the Corporate authority that comes with a set of civics unique to MegaCorporations. Want to be a Corporation that values Free Trade and Private Contractors? Now you can! Want to be a “bad” MegaCorporation that profits off of the Crime on other worlds? MegaCorp has you covered. Want to be a Spiritualist MegaChurch that builds Temples of Prosperity on other planets? Well... you get the idea.

4 - branchoffices.png



Features:
  • The MegaCorp Authority, which allows building Branch Offices on willing (or unwilling, with the Criminal Heritage Civic) Empire’s planets
  • Construct your own Ecumenopolis, a city that spans an entire planet, and can produce vast amounts of refined resources
  • Caravaneers, intergalactic traders that offer unique techs and abilities.. For a price.
  • More Megastructures! Build a Matter Decompressor, Strategic Coordination Center or Mega Art Installation
  • Galactic Slave Market, buy or sell slaves, or buy your people’s freedom from despicable slavers
  • New Ascension Perks
  • 3 New Advisor Voices, and 4 new Music Tracks
5 - ecumenopolis.png


The MegaCorp Expansion adds new ways to play, new mechanics including Branch Offices and the Slave Market, and new Megastructures, as well as the ability to build your own Ecumenopolis, a planet that is completely covered by a single city, and can create vast amounts of secondary resources for your Empire.


Lithoids Species Pack (coming 2021)


Last but not least, the Lithoid Species Pack really rocks (pun intended)! Lithoid Species are Silicon-based lifeforms that eat minerals instead of food. There are special species traits that let pops of a species produce small amounts of rare resources, there is also a special Terravore trait (yes, they eat planets) for Lithoid Devouring Swarms, as well as Lithoids come with a unique [redacted], available only to Lithoid Species.

6 - lithoidsships.png



Features:
  • 15 New Rock-Inspired Lithoid Portraits and 1 Machine Lithoid Portrait
  • New Lithoids Ship Models
  • Unique Lithoids Mechanics
  • New Lithoids Advisor Voice
7 - lithoids.png



It’s also interesting to note, that the Lithoids Species Pack increases the rock puns in the game by around 170%!
As an added bonus, those of you who own the Apocalypse Expansion will also get new Lithoid Ship models for the Titan and Colossus!

8- lithoidtitan.png


9 - lithoidcolossus.png



We on the Stellaris Team are so thrilled to roll out more content and expand the Stellaris universe for our console community to enjoy! We couldn’t have imagined that we would have such an enthusiastic and dedicated fanbase on the Console Edition!

We’d just like to remind you that The Galaxy is vast and full of wonders, and our journey has only just begun!

Warm greetings,
AC, Community Manager Stellaris
 
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I presume we will be getting Ancient Relics, the Story Pack that came after MegaCorp at a later date. Probably bundled with Expansion Pass 4.

With MegaCorp you can also make a Church of Happlogy. MegaChurch and Criminal Enterprise Civics can be taken together at Empire creation.
 
Do you expect that console will ever achieve parity with PC?
If we are getting Lithoids I expect we are jumping to 2.5 which puts us pretty close to PC.
 
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It's a bit of a bummer that the console folks are behind in experiencing the Stellaris content. That said, Distant Stars is one of my favourite DLC and Lithoids is the best species pack out there.
 
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I'd say it's a close second behind humanoids
It's a matter of tastes and opinions after all. Personally, I appreciate humanoids for the ship design and the extra advisors, but I find Lithoids a more interesting DLC due to the extra mechanics, vastly different theme, extra traits and the new origin present.
 
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Lithoïd species pack was released alongside with the 2.5 update !?
I'm confused ...
It looks like they are keeping the content of the expansion passes pretty consistent with each one containing a major expansion, a story pack, and a species pack. Ancient Relics didn’t fit that pattern for PC releases.
Ancient Relics and Federation will probably release as part of expansion pass 4, with an unannounced species pack. Unsure if that will be the current dlc they are working on, but probably. An aquatic species pack has been requested a lot, but so has hive/gestalt love.
 
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If we are getting Lithoids I expect we are jumping to 2.5 which puts us pretty close to PC.
we aren't jumping to 2.5

Lithoids came with that patch yes, but the patch wasn't built around them

we're mainly just getting the species portraits, their unique traits and some specialized government changes that can occur with them (ex; Devouring Swarm becomes Terravore)
 
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Yay expansion pass 3. Great news. I knew it! It had to be distant stars, megacorps and lithoids race. You dont need a higher version of the game with lithoids. It is just a culture/race pack.
 
Hello Stellaris: Console Edition Fans!

I’m AC, the Community Manager for Stellaris and Stellaris: Console Edition. As you folks likely know, the first part of Expansion Pass 3, the Distant Stars Story Pack, releases on September 15th! This is going to be a little different than our normal dev diaries, I’m going to briefly run through the content included in Expansion Pass 3.

We have also put together a Distant Stars Story Pack Features Trailer that you can watch it here



Distant Stars Story Pack (coming September 15th)


The best part of the Distant Stars Story Pack is the sheer volume of new content that it adds to Stellaris: It increases the number of anomalies roughly 50%. However, should we actually show the events themselves, we wind up spoiling all the new content that we’ve added to the game. This is why we’ve tried to keep our promotional materials as spoiler-free as possible.

View attachment 624123


Features:
  • Over 100 new anomalies
  • Over 20 pre-scripted systems and associated event chains
  • New Leviathans
  • New Event Chains
  • Access to the mysterious L-Cluster, and open the L-Gate to gain it’s unique rewards or unleash terrors from the past
View attachment 624125


As you can see, we give very little away here. On top of the new anomalies and event chains, Distant Stars adds three new Leviathans, two that operate very similarly to the ones added with the Leviathans Story Pack, and one that’s completely unique. As well, Distant Stars adds the L-Cluster and L-Gate mechanics, with a wide range of effects, from being completely empty to something that can upset the balance of even the most powerful empires. In other words, Distant Stars is a content-heavy addition to Stellaris: Console Edition.

View attachment 624126

MegaCorp Expansion (coming 2021)

The MegaCorp Expansion adds more unique features in the game, allowing you to choose the Corporate authority that comes with a set of civics unique to MegaCorporations. Want to be a Corporation that values Free Trade and Private Contractors? Now you can! Want to be a “bad” MegaCorporation that profits off of the Crime on other worlds? MegaCorp has you covered. Want to be a Spiritualist MegaChurch that builds Temples of Prosperity on other planets? Well... you get the idea.

View attachment 624128


Features:
  • The MegaCorp Authority, which allows building Branch Offices on willing (or unwilling, with the Criminal Heritage Civic) Empire’s planets
  • Construct your own Ecumenopolis, a city that spans an entire planet, and can produce vast amounts of refined resources
  • Caravaneers, intergalactic traders that offer unique techs and abilities.. For a price.
  • More Megastructures! Build a Matter Decompressor, Strategic Coordination Center or Mega Art Installation
  • Galactic Slave Market, buy or sell slaves, or buy your people’s freedom from despicable slavers
  • New Ascension Perks
  • 3 New Advisor Voices, and 4 new Music Tracks
View attachment 624129

The MegaCorp Expansion adds new ways to play, new mechanics including Branch Offices and the Slave Market, and new Megastructures, as well as the ability to build your own Ecumenopolis, a planet that is completely covered by a single city, and can create vast amounts of secondary resources for your Empire.


Lithoids Species Pack (coming 2021)


Last but not least, the Lithoid Species Pack really rocks (pun intended)! Lithoid Species are Silicon-based lifeforms that eat minerals instead of food. There are special species traits that let pops of a species produce small amounts of rare resources, there is also a special Terravore trait (yes, they eat planets) for Lithoid Devouring Swarms, as well as Lithoids come with a unique [redacted], available only to Lithoid Species.

View attachment 624131


Features:
  • 15 New Rock-Inspired Lithoid Portraits and 1 Machine Lithoid Portrait
  • New Lithoids Ship Models
  • Unique Lithoids Mechanics
  • New Lithoids Advisor Voice
View attachment 624132


It’s also interesting to note, that the Lithoids Species Pack increases the rock puns in the game by around 170%!
As an added bonus, those of you who own the Apocalypse Expansion will also get new Lithoid Ship models for the Titan and Colossus!

View attachment 624133

View attachment 624134


We on the Stellaris Team are so thrilled to roll out more content and expand the Stellaris universe for our console community to enjoy! We couldn’t have imagined that we would have such an enthusiastic and dedicated fanbase on the Console Edition!

We’d just like to remind you that The Galaxy is vast and full of wonders, and our journey has only just begun!

Warm greetings,
AC, Community Manager Stellaris
im just wondering if the game will make the jump to Xbox series X and if it will receive next gen specific enhancements ? Graphics, scope of the game ? Increase the size of galaxy or fleets on screen ? Take advantage of ray tracing? 4K
 
im just wondering if the game will make the jump to Xbox series X and if it will receive next gen specific enhancements ? Graphics, scope of the game ? Increase the size of galaxy or fleets on screen ? Take advantage of ray tracing? 4K

Players who have previously purchased Stellaris: Console edition will be able to play on next gen consoles through the built-in backwards compatibility provided by the next-gen consoles, so long as they use their same login information and account. Your previous purchases of Stellaris Console Edition will carry over so long as you remain in the same “ecosystem.” Ex: if you bought Stellaris on PS4, you can play it on PS5 but not on Xbox Series X.
 
Do you expect that console will ever achieve parity with PC?

Due to the nature of development (developed on PC, and then ported by Tantalus to Console Edition), it's hard to say whether there will be true version parity. As you know, we recently announced Lithoids, bringing Stellaris: Console Edition one step closer to its PC brethren. We plan to continue to support Stellaris: Console Edition, and while we can’t talk details as of yet, stay tuned for more! :)
 
Due to the nature of development (developed on PC, and then ported by Tantalus to Console Edition), it's hard to say whether there will be true version parity. As you know, we recently announced Lithoids, bringing Stellaris: Console Edition one step closer to its PC brethren. We plan to continue to support Stellaris: Console Edition, and while we can’t talk details as of yet, stay tuned for more! :)

Ahhhh go on. Gis a hint.