Stellaris: Console Edition First Contact and Galactic Paragons Now Available

Written by Brandon Hofer on November 21, 2024

News: New content is now available for Stellaris console players that should keep them busy for quite a while.

Today, Paradox Interactive launched First Contact and Galactic Paragons for Stellaris: Console Edition on both PlayStation and Xbox consoles. These two additional contents are part of Stellaris: Console Edition’s Expansion Pass Six, available for $29.99/€29.99/£24.99, which also includes the previously released Toxoids Species Pack. First Contact and Galactic Paragons are both available as standalone purchases for €14.99/$14.99/£12.49.

The First Contact Story Pack offers a set of new origins and mechanics that give players the chance to tell stories about their civilizations’ early encounters with visitors from the stars -- ones that may not have come in peace!

Features of the First Contact Story Pack include:

New Origins: Broken Shackles: You didn’t take to the stars; you were taken to the stars as an alien captive! Now, you and your fellow prisoners have overtaken the ship and found yourselves banding together to survive and thrive as a diverse new community. Can you rise to greatness from this humble origin… and will your former captors take notice?

Payback: No one would have believed your world was being watched keenly by intelligences greater than your own - until they actually showed up. But you did not go quietly into the night! Your civilization has repelled a would-be conqueror from space, and with sudden access to their advanced technology, you’re about to discover just what else is out there beyond the stars!

Fear of the Dark: As you’ve explored your home system, you’ve always suspected you weren’t alone in the galaxy… especially when one of your planets suddenly suffered an “incident” a while back. A very large faction of your own people have long advocated against tempting fate out in the dark abyss of the unknown. What path will you choose as you find yourself needing room to grow?

New Pre-FTL Interaction Options: What will your role be when the next member of the galactic community tells their origin story? New mechanics allow for a broader range of interactions with pre-FTL civilizations, depending on their level of technology and their awareness of your presence. Will your arrival be celebrated, or met with violent panic?

Cloaking Technology: Nobody saw this feature coming! Equip your ships with cloaking devices to survey in secret or catch a foe unaware; keep subtle tabs on your pre-FTL neighbors with cloaked observation posts. Just be sure your own scanners and intel are strong… you never know which of your neighbors might be lurking in the shadows!

On the other side, Galactic Paragons and the free update launching with it introduce Stellaris’ Council mechanic, introduces leaders who bring specialized abilities to your empire, and adds tons of additional features. Players gain control over how they invest in and strengthen their leaders to guide their empire and influence the galaxy’s future.

Features of Galactic Paragons include:

Unique Council Roles: Specialized roles and benefits are included in Galactic Paragons to expand upon the new Council Mechanics in Stellaris! Find dozens of unique council roles based on your civics and government types, and unlock additional positions as your empire evolves.

New Dynamic Leaders: Recruit, improve, and follow the leaders of your empire through the ages! You may shape them by picking their traits, selecting their veteran class, and guide them towards their destiny, up until they retire - or perish.

Meet Galactic Heroes: Attract paragons of renown to your council: unique leaders with their own art, events, and stories may join your empire and bring their own benefits to your government. Or, discover four Legendary Paragons with intricate event chains and unique mechanics!

New Traditions, Civics, And More:

A new “Under One Rule” Origin that tells the tale of the leader who founded your empire.

Eight new Civics focused on leadership, from immortalizing the personalities of leaders’ past in digital archives to heavily optimized council selection via corporate charter.

12 new Veteran Classes

Hundreds of new Leader Traits

Two new Tradition Trees, giving players new edicts and improved leaders

New ships, art, and story content

What do you think of this new content? Will you play it? Check out the trailer below.