<s>
Stellaris	B-Application
is	O
a	O
4X	B-Application
grand	O
strategy	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Paradox	O
Development	O
Studio	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Paradox	O
Interactive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Stellaris	B-Application
,	O
players	O
take	O
control	O
of	O
an	O
interstellar	O
civilization	O
on	O
the	O
galactic	O
stage	O
and	O
are	O
tasked	O
with	O
exploring	O
,	O
colonizing	O
,	O
and	O
managing	O
their	O
region	O
of	O
the	O
galaxy	O
,	O
encountering	O
other	O
civilizations	O
that	O
they	O
can	O
then	O
engage	O
in	O
diplomacy	O
,	O
trade	O
,	O
or	O
warfare	O
with	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
for	O
Windows	O
,	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Linux	B-Application
on	O
May	O
9	O
,	O
2016	O
and	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
as	O
Stellaris	B-Application
:	O
Console	O
Edition	O
on	O
February	O
26	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stellaris	B-Application
is	O
a	O
real-time	O
grand	O
strategy	O
game	O
set	O
in	O
one	O
of	O
several	O
available	O
galaxy	O
types	O
in	O
the	O
distant	O
future	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Depending	O
on	O
several	O
factors	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ethics	O
of	O
the	O
civilization	O
and	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
desires	O
,	O
the	O
ultimate	O
goal	O
of	O
the	O
empire	O
can	O
range	O
from	O
galactic	O
conquest	O
,	O
hoarding	O
of	O
resources	O
and	O
technological	O
supremacy	O
,	O
to	O
peaceful	O
coexistence	O
with	O
or	O
absolute	B-Protocol
destruction	I-Protocol
of	O
all	O
other	O
sentient	O
life	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
ethics	O
,	O
other	O
than	O
the	O
later	O
added	O
Gestalt	B-General_Concept
Consciousness	I-General_Concept
,	O
have	O
normal	O
and	O
fanatic	O
versions	O
which	O
represent	O
the	O
alignment	O
of	O
the	O
empire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ethic	O
named	O
Gestalt	B-General_Concept
Consciousness	I-General_Concept
makes	O
the	O
empire	O
a	O
hive	O
mind	O
or	O
robotic	O
empire	O
,	O
takes	O
up	O
all	O
ethics	O
points	O
and	O
gives	O
new	O
civics	O
only	O
available	O
to	O
hive	O
mind	O
and	O
robotic	O
empires	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Megacorporations	O
,	O
a	O
government	O
type	O
added	O
in	O
the	O
Megacorp	O
DLC	B-Protocol
,	O
are	O
n't	O
restricted	O
ethics-wise	O
like	O
a	O
hive	O
mind	O
is	O
,	O
but	O
they	O
can	O
only	O
choose	O
civics	O
unique	O
to	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
ethics	O
(	O
other	O
than	O
Gestalt	B-General_Concept
Consciousness	I-General_Concept
)	O
and	O
most	O
civics	O
can	O
be	O
changed	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Advancement	O
in	O
Stellaris	B-Application
is	O
achieved	O
through	O
technologies	O
and	O
traditions	O
which	O
progressively	O
scale	O
in	O
cost	O
for	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
achieve	O
,	O
but	O
provide	O
better	O
features	O
for	O
the	O
player	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
continues	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
larger	O
crisis	O
events	O
occur	O
that	O
have	O
galaxy-wide	O
implications	O
—	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
an	O
awakening	O
of	O
dormant	O
sentient	O
AI	B-Application
or	O
an	O
invasion	O
by	O
extra-dimensional	O
or	O
extra-galactic	O
forces	O
,	O
these	O
being	O
either	O
randomly	O
chosen	O
or	O
selected	O
by	O
the	O
player	O
at	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Paradox	O
hoped	O
that	O
this	O
feature	O
would	O
address	O
a	O
common	O
late-game	O
problem	O
in	O
4X	B-Application
style	O
games	O
;	O
whereby	O
one	O
faction	O
is	O
so	O
powerful	O
that	O
their	O
eventual	O
victory	O
is	O
inevitable	O
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
frustrating	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
Nemesis	O
DLC	B-Protocol
,	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
choose	O
to	O
become	O
the	O
crisis	O
with	O
the	O
goal	O
of	O
destroying	O
the	O
galaxy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stellaris	B-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Paradox	O
Development	O
Studios	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Paradox	O
Interactive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
uses	O
the	O
same	O
Clausewitz	B-Application
Engine	I-Application
that	O
the	O
studio	O
has	O
used	O
since	O
Europa	B-Application
Universalis	I-Application
III	I-Application
in	O
2007	O
albeit	O
with	O
some	O
modifications	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
usage	O
of	O
physically	O
based	O
rendering	O
(	O
PBR	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Director	O
Henrik	O
Fahraeus	O
describes	O
his	O
influences	O
as	O
"	O
one	O
third	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
one	O
third	O
Master	B-Application
of	I-Application
Orion	I-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
one	O
third	O
Europa	B-Application
Universalis	I-Application
IV	I-Application
"	O
,	O
to	O
"	O
create	O
a	O
strategy	O
game	O
with	O
particular	O
focus	O
on	O
exploration	O
and	O
expansion	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
also	O
referenced	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
with	O
several	O
character	O
concepts	O
and	O
personalities	O
,	O
including	O
alien	O
races	O
who	O
resemble	O
birds	O
,	O
mushrooms	O
,	O
and	O
gas	O
clouds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stellaris	B-Application
was	O
released	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
on	O
May	O
9	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
major	O
patch	O
arrived	O
on	O
May	O
24	O
,	O
shortly	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
,	O
featuring	O
numerous	O
improvements	O
to	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
an	O
additional	O
playable	O
race	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
2.0	O
patch	O
(	O
Cherryh	O
)	O
,	O
released	O
in	O
February	O
2018	O
,	O
revamps	O
a	O
significant	O
amount	O
of	O
game	O
mechanics	O
,	O
even	O
for	O
players	O
who	O
have	O
not	O
purchased	O
the	O
corresponding	O
"	O
Apocalypse	O
"	O
DLC	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
2.1	O
(	O
Niven	O
)	O
update	O
,	O
released	O
alongside	O
the	O
"	O
Distant	O
Stars	O
"	O
DLC	B-Protocol
in	O
May	O
,	O
revamped	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
play	O
loop	O
and	O
added	O
more	O
quality-of-life	O
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
2.2	O
(	O
Le	O
Guin	O
)	O
update	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
December	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
"	O
Megacorp	O
"	O
DLC	B-Protocol
,	O
and	O
revamped	O
how	O
planets	O
are	O
organized	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
3.0	O
(	O
Dick	O
)	O
update	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
April	O
2021	O
,	O
coinciding	O
with	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
Nemesis	O
"	O
DLC	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
versions	O
of	O
Stellaris	B-Application
were	O
released	O
on	O
February	O
26	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
as	O
Stellaris	B-Application
:	O
Console	O
Edition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
optimized	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	O
X/S	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
25	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
number	O
of	O
DLCs	B-Protocol
have	O
been	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
largest	O
DLCs	B-Protocol
come	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
expansions	O
,	O
which	O
significantly	O
alter	O
the	O
mechanics	O
and	O
features	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Name	O
Type	O
Release	O
Date	O
DescriptionPlantoidsSpecies	O
Pack4	O
August	O
2016Introduces	O
new	O
plant-based	O
species	O
for	O
players	O
and	O
AI	B-Application
empires	O
to	O
choose	O
from	O
,	O
including	O
new	O
artwork	O
and	O
animations	O
for	O
leaders	O
,	O
ships	O
,	O
and	O
city	O
scapes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
version	O
3.1	O
,	O
the	O
pack	O
also	O
includes	O
additional	O
species	O
traits	O
and	O
civics	O
available	O
for	O
plantoid	O
and	O
fungoid	O
empires.LeviathansStory	O
Pack20	O
October	O
2016Introduces	O
'	O
Guardians	O
 '	O
,	O
powerful	O
space	O
creatures	O
and	O
entities	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
fought	O
or	O
investigated	O
;	O
independent	O
enclaves	O
;	O
and	O
new	O
mechanics	O
for	O
Fallen	O
Empires	O
to	O
awaken	O
and	O
either	O
reconquer	O
the	O
Galaxy	O
or	O
fight	O
one	O
another	O
in	O
the	O
"	O
War	O
in	O
Heaven	O
"	O
.UtopiaExpansion6	O
April	O
2017Adds	O
megastructures	O
including	O
Ringworlds	O
and	O
Dyson	O
spheres	O
,	O
space	O
habitats	O
,	O
'	O
Ascension	O
Perks	O
 '	O
allowing	O
biological	O
,	O
synthetic	O
,	O
or	O
psionic	O
evolution	O
,	O
hive	O
mind	O
empires	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
new	O
slavery	O
and	O
native	O
indoctrination	O
options.Synthetic	O
DawnStory	O
Pack21	O
September	O
2017Allows	O
playing	O
as	O
(	O
and	O
against	O
)	O
non-organic	O
empires	O
and	O
features	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
play	O
as	O
and	O
encounter	O
machine	O
empires	O
with	O
unique	O
event	O
chains	O
and	O
mechanics	O
while	O
also	O
adding	O
synthetic	O
uprisings	O
and	O
new	O
synthetic	O
portraits.HumanoidsSpecies	O
Pack7	O
December	O
2017Adds	O
new	O
options	O
for	O
human-like	O
player	O
and	O
AI	B-Application
empires	O
,	O
with	O
new	O
leader	O
and	O
ship	O
appearance	O
options	O
,	O
and	O
additional	O
music	O
tracks	O
and	O
VIR	O
voiceover	O
sets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
LithoidsSpecies	O
Pack24	O
October	O
2019Adds	O
new	O
rock-based	O
species	O
for	O
players	O
and	O
AI	B-Application
,	O
with	O
unique	O
mechanics	O
,	O
portraits	O
and	O
voices.FederationsExpansion17	O
March	O
2020Adds	O
five	O
new	O
federation	O
types	O
,	O
additional	O
resolutions	O
for	O
the	O
Galactic	O
Community	O
,	O
new	O
Origins	O
for	O
player	O
empires	O
,	O
new	O
mega-structures	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Juggernaut	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
ship	O
class.NecroidsSpecies	O
Pack29	O
October	O
2020Adds	O
Necroids	O
,	O
an	O
intelligent	O
undead	O
species	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
form	O
empires	O
with	O
them	O
as	O
the	O
primary	O
species.NemesisExpansion15	O
April	O
2021Introduces	O
fog	O
of	O
war	O
and	O
an	O
espionage/intelligence	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
nemesis	O
DLC	B-Protocol
or	O
update	O
3.0	O
also	O
brought	O
many	O
changes	O
to	O
the	O
economy	O
and	O
planet	O
districts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
preview	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
at	O
Rock	O
,	O
Paper	O
,	O
Shotgun	O
,	O
Adam	O
Smith	O
wrote	O
that	O
Stellaris	B-Application
"	O
could	O
be	O
Paradox	O
's	O
finest	O
hour	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
landmark	O
in	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
both	O
4X	B-Application
and	O
grand	O
strategy	O
design	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stellaris	B-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
more	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
also	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
mid-game	O
could	O
be	O
less	O
satisfying	O
,	O
thanks	O
to	O
an	O
overly	O
simple	O
diplomatic	O
system	O
and	O
a	O
somewhat	O
passive	O
AI	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Less	O
than	O
24	O
hours	O
after	O
release	O
,	O
Paradox	O
Interactive	O
announced	O
that	O
Stellaris	B-Application
had	O
sold	O
over	O
200,000	O
units	O
,	O
breaking	O
the	O
revenue	O
record	O
for	O
any	O
of	O
Paradox	O
Interactive	O
's	O
previous	O
titles	O
during	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
period	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
almost	O
matched	O
the	O
sales	O
record	O
currently	O
held	O
by	O
Cities	B-Application
:	I-Application
Skylines	I-Application
.	O
</s>
