First Major Update For 'Endless Space 2' Adds New Factions, Gameplay Mechanics

Amplitude Studios’ Endless Space 2 has been in Early Access for nearly two months, and the developer just released its first major update for the game, which includes new factions, quests and other gameplay features.

The United Empire is the fifth major faction to join the game. Amplitude plans to have a total of eight main civilizations in Endless Space 2. Led by the Emperor Maximilien Zelevas, the United Empire is characterized by its industrious and militaristic nature. In order for the Empire to flourish and survive, its citizens must construct ships and other machines as its military force continues to bring more planets and systems under the Empire’s wing.

In addition to the United Empire, the developer added three minor factions in the update: the Z’vali, Pilgrim, and Amoeba. Just like the other existing minor factions, you can assimilate these smaller civilizations into your empire’s fold or use them as an ally in crucial moments.

There are also some changes to the overall gameplay. For example, the turn limit is now extended to 200 turns, which means it will take you longer to win based on your score. Should you deem it necessary, you can also raze your own star systems. Based on the population and improvements destroyed in a razed system, you generate a specific amount of Dust. You trade these Dust points into the now-open Marketplace in exchange for heroes and resources. Also, a fourth era in the technology tree is now available, which allows for more buildings and abilities to use for your space-faring civilization.

This first update is a major milestone in the roadmap for Endless Space 2’s full release. Last month, production director Mathieu Gerard wrote about the plans for the game in Early Access. Prior to the final release update, Amplitude will release three major updates for the game, which includes new factions, technology, gameplay elements and other features. The initial plan was to release a new update every five weeks, but this first update comes almost seven weeks after the launch of the game on Early Access.

It’s unclear whether the studio will return to the five-week cycle for future updates, but the amount of content included in this update suggests that players will be busy for quite some time with all of the new material. For the full list of updates and changes, be sure to check out the full update notes on the studio's wiki site.