Stellaris: Overlord Expansion Announced

“Will you be a benevolent Overlord? or an oppressive tyrant exploiting your vassals?” These are the kinds of words I associate so strongly with Stellaris. The ultimate galactic ‘paint the map’ strategy game from Paradox Studios. The next content-filled expansion for Stellaris has been announced, but with no release date yet. Hinted at in Dev Diary 245, the expansion will be released alongside the big 3.4 Cepheus update. Bringing a suite of new content, adjustments and new ways to exert your dominance over the galaxy. In fact, as quoted from the release post, the entire theme revolves around the “projection of power.”

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Focusing on the intricacies of intergalactic empire management. Stellaris: Overlord is going to work over vassal mechanics and diplomacy. Providing vassals with powerful new abilities and megastructures. Whereas the previous expansions focused on the politics of Federations, and hostile negotiations. Overlord will explore diplomacy “between empires that are explicitly not equal”.

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Announcement Trailer:

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Vassals can become sizeable parts of your territory in Stellaris, helping to avoid resource sinks and fighting alongside you. Overlord is aiming to add further value to this diplomatic tool, giving it impact for both sides. Which sounds like it could add some intriguing new dynamics between the two powers involved. Prior to this update, turning the many species of the galaxy into your vassals could prove a little boring. It would become complete a victory, while you’re still sitting waiting for the actual victory screen.

 

Alongside these changes, there will also be a number of new origins, including one for Hive empires, and new enclaves. All this and more will be discussed next week in more depth, so look forward to that in the next Dev Diary.

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