Stellaris: First Contact

Stellaris: First Contact is the eleventh major expansion to the space strategy Stellaris. It was developed by the authors of the original game, the Paradox Development Studio team.

Plot

Stellaris: First Contact focuses on the titular first contacts with pre-FTL civilizations, that is, civilizations which have not yet developed engines able to travel through space faster than the speed of light. The DLC adds three new origins; while Payback and Broken Shackles tell the stories of empires struggling against the oppressive organisation Minamar Specialized Industries, Fear of the Dark is all about the thin line between paranoia and fear.

Mechanics

In addition to the three new origins, Stellaris: First Contact introduces some mechanical changes. The developers have implemented new ethics with low tech requirements, affecting both interactions with other civilizations and our first steps in outer space. The expansion also adds an updated observation system, based on diplomacy, espionage and awareness of various civilizations. The last added feature is a new cloaking technology used to spy on other civilizations and to launch surprise attacks on them.

Technical aspects

Stellaris: First Contact isn't a standalone expansion and thus it requires the base game, Stellaris, to function. The DLC debuted alongside update 3.7, titled Canis Minor.