Stardock announces new game in Galactic Civilizations franchise

Game publisher Stardock, celebrating its 20th anniversary, has announced a new game: Galactic Civilizations 3. The game has been a long time in development, and will be exclusive to 64-bit PCs. While it doesn’t really have a release date yet, the game is up for pre-order on the game’s official website along with some early access features.

Pre-ordering the Founder’s Edition of the game will set you back by $39.99 (Rs 2,470 approx) and will get you early access to the game. The Founder’s Edition costs $10 less than what the game will cost once it’s out. There is also a Founder’s Elite Edition for $99.99, which gives players all future DLC and expansions for free as they come out, alpha access to the game and their name in the game’s credits along with the right to name a star that will show up in-game.

Some concept art from Galactic Civilizations 3

Galactic Civilizations casts the player as the all-powerful leader of a spacefaring civilisation that must explore, expand and colonise new worlds across the galaxy. Dominating rival alien species through technological, economic, political and military prowess tests players’ cultural, ideological and diplomatic skills as they pursue victory through either peaceful or belligerent means.

According to Stardock, Galactic Civilizations 3 will give players far more detail in the textures, models, and overall look of everything from the planets they colonise to the fleets they command. Unlike earlier games, Galactic Civilizations 3 will feature a hex-based map instead of the original’s square-based one.

New interstellar terrain elements on the hex-based map like black holes and mysterious Precursor relics will change the way players explore the galaxy. The game will also feature a completely overhauled ship builder which puts nearly every element of starship design in players’ hands, while the new resource system aims to create fresh opportunities to explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate.