Paradox Interactive has announced Stellaris: Astral Planes, a narrative-driven expansion that is set to come to PC later this year. The studio announced the Stellaris DLC with a cinematic trailer that teases some of the events to come.
Paradox says Stellaris: Astral Planes features a number of features that should give sci-fi strategy fans more to chew on. Some additions include new Technologies, Actions, and Relics that can be used to “manipulate space and interact with the galaxy in unexpected ways.” To be more specific, the mid-to-late-game expansion also features more than 30 Astral Rifts with branching storylines to explore, eight new relics, four Civics, and one new Origin. Paradox wants player choice to be one of the DLC’s core offerings, so that means tough decisions that can alter your path for better or worse.
“Thanks to new reality-breaking technologies and systems, in Astral Planes players will explore alternative dimensions and encounter creatures and phenomena in numerous parallel worlds,” a description for Stellaris: Astral Planes says. “They will chart their own path through the unknown in self-contained and fully branching narratives, adding new depth and agency to player choices.”
Related: Paradox Announces Millennia, Its Take on Civilization Series
Paradox released Stellaris in 2016 as a sci-fi adventure that puts strategy on a grand scale. It allows players to create their own galactic empire by sending out ships to search the galaxy and deal with the consequences. It’s received enough updates and expansion packs to keep players busy for more than seven years, with Astral Planes set to deliver a narrative shot in the arm when it eventually launches alongside the upcoming 3.10 Pyxis Update.
Paradox says it has been working on Stellaris: Astral Planes since October 2022. Over the next few weeks, the studio’s Dev Diaries series will feature members of the expansion’s team. Until there is more to share, you can check out the DLC announcement trailer below.
