Paradox Interactive is preparing to release a massive expansion for the space 4X strategy game Stellaris called Biogenesis , which will radically change the approach to gameplay. Content designer Viktor “Iggy” Heggman describes the new content as “unquestionably the most transformative origin ever added to the game.” The expansion introduces an ancient Hivemind empire, fragmented and scattered across the stars of the galaxy.
The Fallen Hivemind is the first new ancient civilization to be introduced to Stellaris since Synthetic Dawn was released in 2017. The once unified entity has split into three main fragments (or personalities): Growth, War, and Control. Despite their differences, these three parts are considered part of a common faction, so hostile actions against one will upset the others. However, by taking control of one part, the player can, like the ancient families of the Roman Empire, advance their consciousness to leadership.
At the start of the game, the trio appear around the central Last Thought system, but no fragment dares to claim it. Like other fallen empires, they watch from the shadows as the universe moves around them, until something piques their curiosity or compels them to act. Perhaps they decide that your expansion is polluting the atmosphere of space, or demand a member of your population as a “living specimen” after discovering desirable traits missing from their genetic pool.
Heggman says the most interesting part of the expansion is Wilderness, one of three new starting options available exclusively to the Hive Mind. This mechanic offers a unique way to play Stellaris, allowing you to explore the galaxy as a living, sentient planet seeking to spread its consciousness across the stars. This entity doesn’t share a single base building or district with traditional empires, and there’s only minimal overlap among its civic aspects.
Choosing the Wilderness origin requires the use of new biological Hivemind ships, replacing the colonization process with the ability to terraform worlds with Biomass and awaken new creatures built in your image. Biomass is a unique resource that is accumulated by growing new populations and spent on developing planets and colonizing new worlds.
The Stellaris Biogenesis expansion is coming to Steam on May 5 , along with a free update to version 4.0.