Grand Strategy 4X Dossier · Far future
Stellaris
Stellaris is Paradox's space 4X and grand strategy game, released in May 2016. It blends 4X exploration in the early game with diplomatic and military grand strategy in the late game: you build an empire from almost nothing (ethics, civics, species, forms of government), then grow it over centuries in a procedural galaxy up to the end-game crises. With more than 30 DLCs in ten years, it is the Paradox game with the most content.
State of the game
- Next expansion
- Willpower
- Nov 23, 2026
- Current version
- 4.5 « Cygnus »
- Sep 22, 2026
- Latest expansion
- Nomads
- Jun 15, 2026
Start here
- Guide 01 Stellaris Console Commands & Cheats (2026): Full List Every useful Stellaris console command and cheat in 2026: resources, research, fleets, planets, crises, debug. How to open the console and test safely.
- Top picks 02 Best Stellaris Mods 2026: Total Conversions, Overhauls, QoL The best Stellaris mods for 4.5 Cygnus in November 2026: total conversions, overhauls and QoL, each checked on its Workshop page, with a table and load order.
- Comparison 03 Stellaris vs Endless Space 2: which space 4X to pick in 2026? Full comparison between Stellaris (Paradox, 2016) and Endless Space 2 (Amplitude, 2017). Gameplay, content, DLCs, replay value: we break down both 4X space references to help you choose.
- Guide 04 Stellaris best origins in 2026: which one to pick for your playstyle Which Stellaris origin to pick: Prosperous Unification for beginners, Scion with Federations, then our picks by playstyle, required DLC and traps, checked against version 4.5.
- Guide 05 Stellaris Nomads Strategy Guide: Arkships, Waylines & Origins Which Arkship to pick, how to optimize your Wayline economy, and which origin to start with: the complete Stellaris Nomads strategy guide before June 15.
- Deep dive 06 Stellaris Season 09 in 2026: was the biological, psionic and infernal pass really worth it? 2026 review of the Stellaris Season 09 Expansion Pass: Stargazer, BioGenesis, Shadows of the Shroud, Infernals, Steam reception and buying advice.
Timeline
- 2016 Game release
- 2017 Utopia
- 2018 Apocalypse
- 2018 MegaCorp
- 2020 Federations
- 2021 Nemesis
- 2022 Overlord
- 2023 First Contact
- 2023 Galactic Paragons
- 2023 Astral Planes
- 2024 Machine Age
- 2024 Cosmic Storms
- 2024 Grand Archive
- 2025 Biogenesis
- 2025 Shadows of the Shroud
- 2025 Infernals Species Pack
- 2026 Nomads
- 2026 4.5 « Cygnus »
- 2026 Willpower · upcoming
All dispatches 16
- Stellaris best origins in 2026: which one to pick for your playstyle Guide
- Stellaris Willpower launches November 23: Galactic Halls and Gestalt empires explained News
- Stellaris Willpower: Dev Diary 436 shows how Ideologies can split your empire News
- Stellaris 4.5 Cygnus Is Out: The Pop Overhaul Breaks Your Saves News
- Stellaris Summer Experiments: Vigilance Espionage, Arc Furnace and Nomad Harvesting Rights News
- Stellaris Cygnus Update 4 Fixes Precursors, Commercial Pacts, and Starbases News
- Stellaris 4.5 Cygnus Beta Breaks Saves — Willpower Reveals Why (Q4 2026) News
- Stellaris Nomads Launches Today: Arkships, Patch 4.4 Pegasus and Free Content News
- Stellaris Nomads Strategy Guide: Arkships, Waylines & Origins Guide
- Stellaris Nomads Preview: Play a Homeless Empire with Arkships from June 15, 2026 Preview
- Stellaris 4.3.6 "Cetus": Three Major DLCs Now Free in Base Game News
- Stellaris vs Endless Space 2: which space 4X to pick in 2026? Comparison
- Best Stellaris Mods 2026: Total Conversions, Overhauls, QoL Top picks
- Stellaris Console Commands & Cheats (2026): Full List Guide
- Stellaris: The Shadows of the Shroud DLC News
- Stellaris Season 09 in 2026: was the biological, psionic and infernal pass really worth it? Deep dive
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