Stellaris ahead of the space age: new DLC takes unusual direction

Primitive species, but also new starship technology, are the focus of the new Stellaris DLC First Contact.

Stellaris is getting a new DLC that is supposed to further deepen the possibilities in the 4X strategy game. The addon is called First Contact and revolves around primitive civilisations that players can encounter as they expand their own empire.

The new features are found in deeper interactions, both from the point of view of the advanced species and from the point of view of the peoples who are not yet capable of faster-than-light travel. There is also an exciting new spaceship option.

The DLC will be released simultaneously with the free update Stellaris 3.7 Canis Minor

This is what”s in First Contact

To get you in the mood, here”s the new trailer for First Contact, in which an avian species is deemed worthy of inclusion in the illustrious circle of spacefaring peoples:

First Contact contains the following elements according to the (announcement) by Stellaris developer Paradox:

• New options for observing Pre-FTL species:  New game systems revolve around civilization awareness, diplomacy and espionage as well as a civilization s experience before faster-than-light travel
• New Origins: In the new game launch, new backstories with corresponding game mechanics are available with First Contact. Paradox named two challenging origins called Payback and Broken Shackles (focusing on the oppressive regime Minamar Specialized Industries), as well as Fear of the Dark, which is described as a fine line between paranoia and caution . All three are said to focus heavily on storytelling.
• Entry detail improvements: New early tech options are intended to change the early game and how we deal with discovered primitive species.
• New spaceship option: Paradox hinted at ships with a stealth feature. More info on this to follow.

The last point in particular could prove to be more exciting than the almost incidental-sounding mention suggests. Only time will tell which ships will be travelling in cloak in the future.

What is known about the release?

A concrete release date for First Contact has not yet been communicated. However, it usually doesn”t take too long at Paradox. Around three weeks passed between the announcement of the last story DLC Ancient Relics and its release. So we expect First Contact to be released around the beginning of February 2023.

For those interested, a (Steam page) has already gone live where First Contact can be added to your own wishlist.