Name: Stellaris
Brand: Paradox interactive
SKU: 100000692
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.9 (35 reviews)

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An image of the space strategy game Stellaris, showing a space battle with fleets engaged.

Stellaris gameplay image showing a planet with lights, recruitment and army menus visible.

Screenshot of Stellaris, a space strategy game, featuring a planet with rings and a UI with policy settings.

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Stellaris is Paradox Interactive's take on space exploration and conquest. It's a real-time strategy game that follows the 4X (exploration, expand, exploit and exterminate) that define the genre. It's the year 2200 and you are in control the growth, development, and expansion of a galactic civilization. You pick a species, its ethics, and its technologies. Starting with a single planet in your territory and a small fleet of spaceships you aim to expand your territory, explore the vast dynamic space that surrounds you and eventually control the galaxy, either conquering the opposing civilizations or enticing them to join your federation. You can conquer the galaxy on your own or contend with up to 32 players in an epic multiplayer experience where your skill in diplomacy and warfare will determine the outcome. But be ready for the unexpected every time you play, because the galaxy holds many dangers and you will find branching storylines and surprising twists as you explore it.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

: How does the 'Hyperlane' FTL travel mechanic fundamentally shape Stellaris's strategic depth, and what are the implications for fleet maneuverability and empire expansion compared to other sci-fi strategy games?
Hyperlanes restrict fleet movement to predefined pathways between star systems, creating chokepoints and emphasizing strategic positioning. Unlike games with open-ended FTL, this system forces players to anticipate enemy movements along predictable routes, impacting naval warfare, trade route security, and overall empire planning. This promotes defensive fortifications at strategic locations and a greater emphasis on resource control.; Explain the core function and strategic importance of 'Traditions' and 'Ascension Perks' in Stellaris, and how these systems enable players to customize their empire's ethos and capabilities beyond mere technology upgrades.
Traditions and Ascension Perks provide long-term strategic bonuses and thematic specialization for your empire. Traditions offer passive buffs related to areas such as diplomacy, expansion, and economy, while Ascension Perks unlock powerful, unique abilities and pathways to transform your empire, such as becoming a hive mind, a machine intelligence, or achieving transcendence through psionic powers or synthetic evolution.; What role does 'War in Heaven' play in the mid-to-late game, and how does it challenge the player's empire, regardless of their initial ethics and diplomatic stance?
War in Heaven is a late-game crisis where fallen empires awaken and clash, often dragging the player into the conflict. It forces players to choose sides or remain neutral, drastically altering the galactic political landscape and creating large-scale wars with powerful, technologically advanced opponents. The event tests diplomatic skills, military strength, and strategic adaptability.; How does Stellaris use 'Factions' to simulate internal political dynamics within an empire, and how can players manage or exploit these factions to influence their empire's policies and stability?
Factions represent different political ideologies and interest groups within the empire. They generate influence based on their support and can influence your empire's policies, such as government type, ethics, and diplomatic stance. Players can manage factions through policies, edicts, and by addressing their demands to maintain stability and prevent rebellions, or manipulate them to steer their empire in a desired direction.; Describe the significance of 'Events' and 'Archaeology' in Stellaris, and how these mechanics enhance the game's narrative depth and provide players with unique discoveries and challenges.
Events and Archaeology add a layer of narrative and discovery to the game. Events trigger through exploration, contact with other civilizations, and specific in-game actions, presenting players with choices that affect their empire's story. Archaeology lets you excavate sites across the galaxy, uncovering pre-FTL civilizations and ancient mysteries, leading to discoveries, rewards, and potential threats.; Explain how the 'Crisis' mechanic functions in Stellaris, and what types of endgame threats players must contend with, alongside other galactic empires.
Crises are endgame challenges that threaten the entire galaxy, such as the Unbidden (interdimensional invaders), the Prethoryn Swarm (a ravenous, biological scourge), or the Contingency (a galaxy-wide machine uprising). Players must unite or fight alone to defend against these overwhelming threats, requiring strategic cooperation, advanced technology, and significant military power.; How does the 'Federation' system work, and how does it facilitate cooperation and diplomacy among different empires, leading to shared goals and strategic advantages?
Federations allow multiple empires to form alliances with shared goals, such as mutual defense, economic cooperation, or cultural exchange. Members benefit from combined fleets, research bonuses, and access to each other's resources. Federation types offer different bonuses and gameplay styles, influencing internal politics and diplomatic options.; What is the role of 'Ethics' and 'Civics' in shaping an empire's identity and how do these mechanics impact gameplay, diplomacy, and empire development?
Ethics determine an empire's core values, influencing its diplomacy, internal policies, and interactions with other empires. Civics are specialized traits that define an empire's structure and function. Together, they create unique empire personalities that shape gameplay. For instance, a militaristic empire might prioritize conquest and expansion, while a pacifist empire would focus on diplomacy and economic development.; How does the 'First Contact' system in Stellaris work, and what choices must players make when encountering new civilizations, and how do these choices impact future relationships and the course of the game?
First Contact is the initial interaction with a new empire, where players choose how to reveal themselves. Options range from peaceful diplomacy to aggressive military action. The choices affect initial opinions, diplomatic relations, and future interactions. This system forces players to balance caution, curiosity, and self-interest when navigating the galaxy.; Describe the unique strategic implications of managing 'Populations' in Stellaris, including their happiness, job roles, and migration, and how these factors impact empire productivity and stability.
Populations represent the individual citizens of your empire, each with their own needs and desires. Populations have job roles that contribute to the economy. Happiness affects productivity and stability, which can lead to revolts. Migration affects the distribution of pops and, therefore, the availability of workers for specific jobs. Managing populations is vital to a successful empire.

Patch Notes

4.4.2 - 15/06/26 ([Dev Team] stellaris_test updated with 4.4.2 (checksum 38b9))
4.3 - 19/12/25 (Stellaris 4.3 "Cetus" Open Beta Updated (2025-12-18))
4.2.4 - 11/12/25 (Stellaris Patch 4.2.4 released (checksum 7a03))
4.2.3 - 04/12/25 (Stellaris 4.2.3 patch released (checksum f58a))
4.2.2 - 27/11/25 (4.2.2 Hotfix now available)
4.1.7 - 03/11/25 (4.1.7 Patch Released (checksum 6486))
v4.1.7 - 28/10/25 (v4.1.7 Open Beta released! (checksum ad13))
4.1.5 - 08/10/25 (4.1.5 Patch Released (checksum e30c))
4.1.1 - 23/09/25 (Stellaris 4.1.1 hotfix released (checksum e1ca))
4.0.23 - 25/08/25 (Stellaris 4.0.23 Beta now available [checksum d17d])
4.0.22 - 07/08/25 (4.0.22-Wilderness Open Beta 2025-08-07 Update (checksum c3de))
4.0.22 - 08/07/25 (4.0.22-Wilderness Open Beta 2025-07-08 Updated (checksum 26d5))
03/07/25 (Wilderness Open Beta Available | 2025-07-03)
4.0.21 - 17/06/25 (4.0.21 Patch Released (checksum bb43))
4.0.20 - 13/06/25 (4.0.20 Hotfix Released (checksum a73a))
4.0.19 - 12/06/25 (4.0.19 Hotfix Released (checksum 51ef))
4.0.17 - 11/06/25 ([Dev Team] 4.0.17 (checksum b786) & 4.0.18 (checksum fdf3) Released)
4.0.15 - 04/06/25 (4.0.15 Patch (8ae6) & 4.0.16 Open Beta Released)
4.0.14 - 27/05/25 (4.0.14 Patch Released (checksum 1056))
4.0.11 - 20/05/25 (4.0.11 Patch Released (checksum 3f89))
4.0.10 - 15/05/25 (4.0.10 Patch Released (checksum 10cb))
4.0.7 - 13/05/25 (4.0.7, 4.0.8, and 4.0.9 Patches Released (checksum a854))
4.0.7 - 09/05/25 (4.0.7 Steam Open Beta (checksum 9128))
4.0.6 - 09/05/25 (4.0.6 Patch Released (checksum aa83))
4.0.5 - 08/05/25 (4.0.5 Patch Released (checksum 408d))
4.0.4 - 07/05/25 (4.0.4 Patch Released (checksum 6a76))
4.0.3 - 06/05/25 (Stellaris 4.0.3 "Phoenix" Hotfix Released)
3.99.7 - 04/04/25 (Stellaris 3.99.7 'Phoenix' Open Beta Release Notes)
3.99.6 - 01/04/25 (Stellaris 3.99.6 'Phoenix' Open Beta Release Notes)
3.99.5 - 28/03/25 (Stellaris 3.99.5 ‘Phoenix’ Open Beta update)
3.99.4 - 25/03/25 (Stellaris 3.99.4 'Phoenix' Open Beta Release Notes)
3.99.3 - 21/03/25 (Stellaris 3.99.3 ‘Phoenix’ Open Beta update)
3.99.2 - 18/03/25 (Stellaris 3.99.2 'Phoenix' Open Beta Release Notes)
3.99.1 - 14/03/25 (Stellaris 3.99.1 'Phoenix' Open Beta Release Notes)
3.13.2 - 01/10/24 (3.13.2 patch released (checksum d465))
3.13.1 - 24/09/24 (3.13.1 patch released (checksum e6fd))
3.12.5 - 18/06/24 (3.12.5 patch released (checksum 9a6f))
3.12.4 - 31/05/24 ([Dev Team] 3.12.4 Hotfix patch released (checksum f4eb))
3.12.2 - 16/05/24 (Stellaris 3.12.2 "Andromeda" now available!)
3.10.1 - 23/11/23 (3.10.1 "Pyxis" Update Released)
17/11/23 (Astral Planes Ownership Hotfix Released - checksum (462c))
3.9.3 - 17/10/23 (3.9.3 "Caelum" Patch Released)
3.9.2 - 26/09/23 (3.9.2 Patch Released)
3.8.4 - 15/06/23 (3.8.4 "Gemini" Now Available!)
3.8.3 - 30/05/23 (Stellaris 3.8.3 "Gemini" Patch Now Available!)
3.8.2 - 11/05/23 (3.8.2 "Gemini" Hotfix Patch Released)
3.7.4 - 30/03/23 (3.7.4 patch released (checksum fc72))
3.7.3 - 21/03/23 (3.7.3 Hotfix Patch Released (Checksum 462f))
3.6.1 - 06/12/22 (3.6.1 "Orion" Patch Released (checksum a6c5))
3.5.3 - 11/10/22 (Stellaris 3.5.3 "Fornax" Update now available!)
3.4.5 - 29/06/22 (3.4.5 Patch Released (checksum a361))
3.4.3 - 19/05/22 (Stellaris Dev Diary #254 - 3.4.3 'Cepheus' Patch Released... What's Next?)
3.3.4 - 17/03/22 (3.3.4 "Libra" Hotfix Released)
3.3.3 - 15/03/22 (3.3.3 "Libra" Patch Released)
3.1.2 - 29/09/21 (3.1.2 Patch Released (Checksum 6df7))
2.5.1 - 04/11/19 (2.5.1 Patch Released)
2.5.1 - 28/10/19 (2.5.1 Beta Patch Released)
2.4.1 - 10/10/19 (2.4.1 (Lee) Hotfix Released)
2.4 - 09/10/19 (Patch 2.4 "Lee" and a new Launcher)
#155 - 26/09/19 (Stellaris Dev Diary #155 - Origins)
2.2.6 - 20/03/19 (2.2.6 patch released!)
2.2.5 - 07/03/19 (2.2.5 patch released, and 2.2.6 beta available)
#141 - 28/02/19 (Dev Diary #141 - Exploring the Future)
2.2.4 - 07/02/19 (2.2.4 patch released, and 2.2.5 beta available)
2.2.3 - 18/01/19 (Stellaris 2.2.3 patch released, and 2.2.4 beta now available)
2.2.2 - 20/12/18 (2.2.2 patch now live [checksum 5b48])
1.8.2 - 11/10/17 (Stellaris 1.8.2 update released [checksum 135b])
1.8 - 21/09/17 (Čapek update (1.8) Released [checksum 3943])
1.6.1 - 16/05/17 (Adams hotfix (1.6.1) released [checksum b38e])
1.6.0 - 09/05/17 (Adams update 1.6.0 Released [checksum 7a87])
1.5.1 - 12/04/17 (Hotfix 1.5.1 is now live!)
1.5 - 06/04/17 (Update 1.5 Banks is now LIVE!)
05/12/16 (Stellaris: Horizon Signal - available now!)
1.4 - 05/12/16 (Update 1.4 Kennedy LIVE now!)
1.3.2 - 10/11/16 (Update 1.3.2 Live now!)
1.3.1 - 27/10/16 (Hotfix Patch 1.3.1 released)
1.3 - 18/10/16 (Patch 1.3 - Heinlein - Changelog)
1.2.5 - 16/08/16 (Patch 1.2.5 Released [checksum 328a])
1.2.1 - 01/07/16 (Hotfix 1.2.1 Released!)
1.2 - 27/06/16 (Update 1.2 Asimov is now live!)
1.1 - 01/06/16 (Update 1.1 Clarke is now live!)
1.0.3 - 18/05/16 (Hotfix 1.0.3 Released [checksum 48f6])
1.0.2 - 12/05/16 (Hotfix 1.0.2 Released [Checksum Fc5e])
1.0.1 - 11/05/16 (Hotfix 1.0.1 Released [checksum 4d15])

View previous patches

Comments on Stellaris

Altmerys

07-Jun-2026, 2:47 pm on dlcompare.fr

the game is really very good, quite easy to get to grips with (for a paradox game) although the technology and politics system is quite hard to understand; the game lets you explore a variety of SF-inspired species and create your own galactic empire. In conclusion, if you're looking for a high-strategy game and have a lot of time on your hands, I'd recommend it.

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