This time last week, we learned of Endless Space 2 and Endless Legend's new Supremacy and Inferno expansions—both of which land today. This time this week, I'm here to tell you both games are getting a free weekend. 

From now through Sunday at 10am PST / 6pm BST, Endless Space 2 and Endless Legend are free to try (as are Amplitude's other games Dungeon of the Endless and the original Endless Space). More on that features in the trailer above. If you already own all of the developer's games, the free weekend's custom-made website and stretch goals might be of interest. 

Here's Amplitude with the skinny: 

On our free weekend website, we’ll be putting up Stretch Goals that will be unlocked based on the total number of hours played by our community, across all of our games. 

Last year, 240,000 participated in the free weekend, unlocking all six reward tiers in the process. This year, we're back with another Community Challenge!

Simply play Endless Legend, Dungeon of the Endless, or Endless Space 2 and reach 1 million hours of collective playtime to help the community unlock all the rewards, which include a Cravers Prime skin that was only available during Early Access, and as stretch goals, 6 additional fleet skins to unlock. 

Said free weekend website lives this way. 

If you fancy Endless Legend's new Inferno expansion, and Endless Space 2's new Supremacy add-on, here's some fresh in-game footage. First, Inferno: 

And second, Supremacy:

Both expansions are available on Steam, and cost £9.89/$11.69 (ten percent off till August 30) each; or £17.58/$ 20.78 (20 percent off) when purchased together.  

You wait all day for a Fire Ship and/or Dreadnought then two come along at once. Amplitude Studios has unveiled new "major" expansions for both Endless Space 2 and Endless Legend. Both are due on August 2. 

Which is one week from today. Lovely. Let's have some trailers, then we'll talk to the nuts and bolts. First, Endless Legend Inferno.

Second, Endless Space 2 Supremacy.

Working alongside NGD Studios—the folk responsible for the Master of Orion reboot—Amplitude has added the Kapaki, a Lava Biome and Dust Eclipses to Endless Legend via Inferno. Forced to leave their native volcanic homeland, the former are determined to set up shop among the ash, fire and ruin and are billed as a "crafty new faction of tinkers and inventors."

The fiery landscape isn't exactly brimming with life, but is ripe in industry, science, dust and volcanic anomalies—which is where Dust Eclipses come in. 

"In these new events, you’ll notice the skies darken and the atmosphere become thick with Dust," explains publisher Sega. "Now, in normal conditions, this would be a pain, but Auriga is special, and these Dust infusions will create short-lived 'Dust Confluxes' all over the map, bestowing a temporary boon to whichever army reaches them first."

Onto Endless Space 2, and The Hissho mark Supremacy's newest major faction. Having first featured in the original ES, the group's central feature is Keii, "or honor", that powers special abilities and can boost systems and fleets mid-battle. Keii is replenished through combat, which leads Sega to say: "space is about get a little bit rowdier." The Hissho also bring minor faction Illo to fight—machines said to be "hell-bent" on eliminating the weakest species of war.  

Supremacy also brings with it a new ship type for all factions. Here's more on The Behemoths: 

Ever wished for a gigantic ship that was customizable to your specific purposes? Wish no more! These gigantic ships are remnants of the mysterious Endless era, providing significant economic or scientific boosts, and can be customized into “Obliterator”, “Juggernaut”, and “Citadel” specializations. The Hissho start the game with one they’ve just awoken, and the rest of the players can catch up through a cooperative quest. 

Again, both Endless Space 2 Supremacy and Endless Legend Inferno land on August 2. Available on Steam, pre-orders cost £9.89/$11.69 (ten percent off) each, or £17.58/$ 20.78 (20 percent) when purchased together.   

Like the countless Humble Bundles that have come before it, the new Humble Strategy Bundle offers a selection of good games for just $1: In this case, Dungeon of the Endless, the Endless Space Collection, Planetary Annihilation: Titans, and Company of Heroes 2 – Whale and Dolphin Conservation Charity Pattern Pack. That last one requires Company of Heroes 2, but that's okay because it's a full-on charity gig anyway: "All of the associated Relic / Sega revenue will be donated to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation charity," as its Steam page states. 

Moving on, paying more than the average price will also unlock the Empire: Total War Collection, Endless Legend – Classic Collection and the Endless Legend – Tempest DLC, and 66 percent off of Total War: Warhammer, which drops the price to $20 until May 24.   

Finally, we get to the $12 price point, which adds Endless Space 2, Tooth and Tail, and the Tooth and Tail soundtrack to the collection. Anyone who spends at least $1 will get ten percent off their first month on a new Humble Monthly subscription, and everyone, even those who spend nothing at all, can claim an exclusive Flag and Camo, 250 Doubloons, and three days of premium account time in the free-to-play World of Warships.   

Funds raised by this Humble Strategy Bundle will go to support WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, which also kind of explains the presence of that Company of Heroes 2 DLC in a bundle that doesn't offer COH2. The bundle will be available until April 24. 

Welcome to our round up of the best 4X games on PC. Ever since the term '4X' was coined for the original Master of Orion, we’ve been Exploring, Expanding, Exploiting, and Exterminating our way through fantasy, history, and the depths of space. The genre has seen something of a renaissance in the last half decade, and while it’s great to have options, there’s also a lot to sort through. 

Not every 4X game is for everyone, so we’ve taken a look at all the major players to enter the stage in recent years and why you might, or might not, want to play them.

Dominions 5

Let's start with an unusual one. Dominions 5 is a 4X game about warring gods and their fantastical armies. You start by designing your deity, which could be a raging dragon or a mystical inanimate rock. Turn by turn you muster armies, recruit wizards to research apocalyptic magic spells, and fend off the attentions of other pretender gods. 

Dominions' visuals are... old school, let's say. You need to dig into the community and get some decent user-made maps but, once you've done that and scanned the manual you'll find a detailed strategy game that generates mad stories. I'm used to controlling spaceships and cavalry in 4X games, only in Dominions can I send an alliance of satyrs, wyverns, elemental spirits and ghosts off to fight some atlanteans. The AI is easily to beat once you have played a few games but the game thrives in multiplayer about other people.

Who's it for: Players happy to get past primitive visuals to unpick a detailed magic system and command dazzling and varied factions.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

A unique blend of 4X and RTS set in space, Rebellion is more fast-paced than most of the games on this list. It’s a standalone expansion, but also the definitive version of Sins currently available—so you don’t need to worry about grabbing the original to have a good time.

Who it’s for: Existing RTS fans who want to branch out into 4X, and players who like to get to the action fast and maintain a challenging pace. This one may be a little chaotic for the turn-based armchair generals of the world.

Fallen Enchantress 

This turn-based fantasy 4X revolves heavily around Hero characters and a faction leader called a sovereign who can go on RPG-style quests and be used in many aspects of empire management, not just limited to combat.

Who it’s for: Classic RPG fans will feel right at home with the quest system, and the customizable fantasy armies are likely to appeal to tabletop miniature painters of the Warhammer and Hordes persuasions.

Endless Space

One of the most intriguing aspects of the universe in which Endless Space (and its sequel) are set is the mythology behind it. Much revolves around the ancient empire known as the Endless, and the quasi-magical Dust they left behind.Who it’s for: A good all-around entry level space 4X that will also challenge experienced players, and holds added appeal for anyone who wants to unravel facets of a mysterious, pre-written story while dominating the galaxy. It’s also available for beans now that ES2 is in Early Access.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 5 

If we could crown a king of 4X, Sid Meier’s Civilization would have little competition for that throne. Taking one of an armload of civilizations from the ancient to the modern age while competing for various victory conditions, this is the series that has championed the genre for years.

Who it’s for: Even with Civ VI out, Civilization V frequently goes on sale for absurdly low prices, so if you’re not sure you’ll like the series and just want to try it out without dropping the full $60 on the new one, by all means take advantage. It’s certainly an excellent, entertaining game in its own right, particularly with the Brave New World expansion. Plus, the mod scene is excellent.

Europa Universalis IV 

While most of the other games on this list put you in a randomly-generated world or galaxy, EU4 is built on an extremely in-depth recreation of Earth between the years of 1444 and 1821. You can lead any nation on the planet, from France to the Comanche, through centuries of colonization, exploration, and technological discovery.

Who it's for: Considering it’s the highest review score I’ve ever given out, it’s almost easier who to ask who it’s not for. The complexity of the simulation and sprawl of interlocking systems for trade, war, and diplomacy might intimidate newcomers to 4X and grand strategy, but EU4’s interface and tooltips do an excellent job of helping you wade into the shallow end and get a feel for the water.

Eador: Masters of the Broken World 

Taking the role of a demigod battling others of your ilk for control of the shards (all that’s left of the eponymous broken world), Eador is another 4X game that’s hard to categorize. It features 4X, RPG, and board game-like, tactical turn-based elements.

Who it’s for: Eador’s greatest strength might just be how different its setup is compared to most other 4X games. The breaking of the game world into shards, which each behave like a smaller version of a strategic map in a game like Total War or Crusader Kings, means you’ll enjoy it if you’re looking for something a bit different than the standard map conquest or flipping largely static planets in a vast expanse of space to your color.

Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth

Taking the Civilization formula into space, Beyond Earth casts you as the head of one of the first human colonies on an alien planet. You guide its development and compete with other colonial concerns using mechanics that will feel highly familiar if you’ve played Civ 5.Who it’s for: Beyond Earth is, in my opinion, a bit of a misstep in the Civ series, lacking elements that drive its siblings to success. While it has some cool things going for it, like a nonlinear tech system that allows you to evolve your futuristic technology in a number of distinct directions, it ultimately feels like a high budget Civ 5 mod that didn’t hold my interest for more than a couple dozen hours.

Endless Legend

Similar to its sci-fi counterpart Endless Space, the unfolding fantasy epic of Endless Legend takes place in a richly realized world with character and backstory to spare. Civilizations are highly customizable, and each presents distinct opportunities.

Who it’s for: We awarded Endless Legend a Commendation for Design in 2014. It has its foundation in the time-tested elements that make 4X what it is, but is unafraid to build on and remix them in ways that will especially interest long-time players who might be suffering from genre fatigue. Beyond that, anyone just wanting to explore a rich and interesting new fantasy setting won’t be at all disappointed.

Warlock II: The Exiled

Warlock is pretty close to what I’d imagine a well-done fantasy overhaul of Civilization might look like. It makes good use of neutral factions on the map to be more than just an early-game annoyance.

Who it’s for: Due to its relative simplicity and adherence to genre norms, this is a fairly welcoming first step for those wanting to branch out into fantasy 4X from other subgenres. It also has a sharper sense of humor than its more dour, grandiose counterparts like Endless Legend and Fallen Enchantress.

Distant Worlds: Universe

Allowing you to discover the stars in a pausable, real-time galaxy, Distant Worlds features one of the more robust models of a civilian economy (which can run on auto-pilot while you handle the political stuff) I’ve seen in a 4X game.

Who it’s for: Aside from just being an overall well-designed 4X, Distant Worlds will have a special appeal for those who like to focus on exploration. This is because it really succeeds where so many other sci-fi games have failed: it makes space feel really, really big.

Star Ruler 2

Similar to Sins of a Solar Empire, Star Ruler 2 is a bit of a 4X/RTS hybrid. It boasts quite in-depth systems for diplomacy and planetary development.

Who it’s for: This one skews toward the higher end of the complexity scale, and the sheer amount of fine control you have over its systems might be intimidating to newcomers. If you’re looking for gigantic, animated space battles, however, it may be worth your time to wrap your head around it.

Galactic Civilizations III 

Galactic Civilizations has cemented itself as the other 'blockbuster' contender in the 4X space, and GalCiv III is the most polished and extravagant entry to date.Who it’s for: If you’re sick of cookie-cutter victory conditions, one of the most positive changes GalCiv 3 made to the series’ formula was turning victory into a set of objectives you can pick and choose from. So even two different runs going for the same victory condition might look different.

Stellaris

Stellaris takes Paradox’s historical formula and blasts it to the stars where you’ll manage military, political, and economic aspects of your space empire.Who it’s for: Fans of historical grand strategy will feel at home in Stellaris, but for those used to more traditional 4X, it takes some getting used to. There’s a much heavier focus on politics, with elements like your form of government and the will of your citizens playing a large role.

Master of Orion

The most recent in the lauded Master of Orion series doesn’t do much we haven’t seen before, but it plays the old hits well and wraps them in stratospheric production value and some big name sci-fi voice talent.Who it’s for: Despite being so new, MoO is bog standard 4X. Not much has changed here since its 1996 predecessor other than the graphics. That does make it a nice starting point for total newbies, but the real draw is hearing John de Lancie lament the war that's brewing between his empire and yours.

Endless Space 2

Endless Space 2 builds on some of the best ideas of its predecessor, this time crafting more unique story content for each of the distinct interstellar empires.Who it’s for: It shouldn’t surprise you at this point in the list that connoisseurs of interactive storytelling should jump for anything that says 'Endless' on it. Endless Space 2 is also arguably a better starting point for newcomers than the first one, as it’s made lots of improvements to your ability to access important, contextual information.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

Civilization VI emerges from its chrysalis to reveal the most transformative and fresh take on the series in its storied history. Also, it has Sean Bean.

Who it’s for: Just about anyone who enjoys turn-based strategy. It presents lots of new challenges and opportunities even for the most weathered series veterans, but also remains among the most inviting 4X games for first-timers.

Historically, the sea has played rather a big part in Earth's territorial squabbling, so it's nice to see that naval warfare will arrive in fantasy 4X Endless Legend next week. That's the aptly named Tempest expansion that Joe Donnelly already told you about, but that we now have a date and price for. October 14 is the date, and $12.99 / 9,99 / 12,99 is the price. You can preorder it from tomorrow for 25% off, and if you're wondering what's included, well, developer Amplitude has you covered there too.

The biggie is naval warfare, as previously mentioned, meaning "you will be able to battle on the seas using a brand new set of ships unlocked through research. All seaborne units can instigate and reinforce sea battles. Exotic mechanics and tile effects spice up this new type of battle! Ships are also able to bombard cities to damage their fortifications".

The Endless sea (not to be confused with its Sunless variant) is home to ancient relics that, once claimed, will give you power over the elements themselves. There's also a powerful sea beastie to watch out for, along with the ability to build sea fortresses to give you a proper foothold on the, er, waves.

Tempest's various new features will play a large part in the tactical play of the DLC's major new faction, the Morgawr.

"Unconditional rulers of the seas, these crabby new neighbors are designed to take advantage of the new additions in Tempest. They will struggle to progress inland, but will encroach on the coastline with a vengeance, backed up by powerful and terrifying naval units. Yet you shouldn't feel safe from them even far from the coasts, as they are capable of sowing dissent upon previously pacified land, and compel even your staunchest allies to attack you..."

Here's a new trailer introducing the friendly-looking faction:

Where winter was the focus of Endless Legend s last add-on, developer Amplitude has revealed the seven seas will play host to its next. Tempest marks the 4x fantasy strategy s fourth expansion, bringing with it naval battles, new mechanics and the Morgawr an aquatic-based Major Faction specialising in naval warfare and the manipulation of other creatures.

What that means exactly remains to be seen, however we do know that factions will be able to fight for dominance of the oceans through the control of sea fortresses, so says a post on the Amplitude blog. Although they will have to wrestle these from the grasp of the Fomorians, a new Minor Faction.

A new weather system is tied to seismic activity beneath the waves, where Endless relics provide strategic and luxury resources as well as other bonuses to the empire able to control them. This can only be done by besting their assigned guardians, but, in a bid to thwart your occupation, will ravage the surrounding area with some pretty brutal weather conditions. You've been warned.

The update post continues: New generated ocean regions, including a Sea Fortress, offer strategic locations in the water for players to battle it out. Anywhere from zero to three fortresses are located in each ocean region, so expect more in oceans that are more strategically pivotal, between islands or continents.

No release date or price for now (previous paid updates have cost between 6.99/$9.99 9.99/$12.99), however you can sign up for the closed beta by heading this way. Places are however limited.

Sega has acquired Endless developer Amplitude, hoovering up another strategy great and putting the series alongside the likes of Total War.

We at PCG are big Endless Legend fans the mad variation between factions alone sets it apart from the 4X crowd. With the takeover, Sega will take charge of publishing the inbound Endless Space 2. It'll still go through Early Access though. We're told to expect it later this year.

It seems like only two months and a bit ago that Endless Legend developer Amplitude announced a new expansion, and in a shocking twist, that expansion is out on Thursday April 7. Shifters makes winter a more involved affair, and introduces a new faction, among other stuff. It looks pretty meaty, as detailed on the Ampli-blog here.

Established Endless Legendees will want to read that post for the full lowdown, but here's a snippet revealing how the new winter works:

"With a new resource to collect around the map during winter, the Pearls of Auriga, players have the opportunity to influence the effects of winter, to gain advantages and hinder their enemies. Factions can spend their pearls to acquire blessings on the Altar of Auriga, a new building that can be built in your city. Winters will have a few surprises in store with the possibility of lakes and seas freezing over to allow passage of troops!"

That new faction, the Allayi, has an "intrinsic relationship" with the pearls, which sounds a bit kinky. You can see what the Allayi look like in this trailer, which doesn't feature any game footage, and is therefore probably not worth clicking on:

Amplitude Studios is celebrating its fifth birthday with its second annual Endless Day: a day that lasts from 21 to 25 January, and that offers up rare heroes and achievements to people who play their games during this time, and who fulfil various conditions. That stuff is detailed here, and includes a trio of heroes simply for starting new games of Endless Space, Endless Legend, and Dungeon of the Endless. You can also bag some time-limited achievements, though these will require a mite more effort.

(Amplitude hints here that you might be able to get these things after January 25, perhaps by mucking about with the time settings on your computer.)

During a celebratory livestream, Amplitude also announced a new expansion for Endless Legend titled Shifters. Ampz sez "this expansion will include a new Major Faction called The Allayi. This new civilization will be able to shift during long winters", a fine alternative to sticking the heating on and hugging a hot water bottle, I reckon. Meanwhile, "all factions will also be able to collect a new resource called the Pearls of Auriga , enabling them to unlock new powers through the Altar of Auriga and modify the upcoming winters impact". Good on them.

Here's a picture of them there Shifters (ta, RPS):

One of the upcoming Endless Space 2's new factions has been revealed as well. The Sophons are one of ES2's eight major factions, and they're basically insectoid scientists.

A few months ago Amplitude announced Endless Space 2, but that doesn't mean the developers there (the "Amplidudes and Amplidudettes") aren't working on anything else. In fact, both Endless Legend and Dungeon of the Endless are due to receive updates later this month.

First, on November 19 (this Thursday), Endless Legend will get a free update the team is calling "Forges of Creation", which—as the name suggests—is related to modding. While modding is already available, this update connects it to the Steam Workshop and makes further improvements: "for example by adding compatibility to a popular Map Editor (bring forth your favorite fantasy worlds to Endless Legend!) or the ability to reskin 3D units". The update also makes improvements to the AI, which will carry forward to Amplitude's other games in future.

That's all free, but they'll also release a paid-for content pack called The Lost Tales that includes 20 quests related to Minor Factions. There's also Echoes of Auriga, a pack of seven musical tracks composed by FlyByNo, along with some related items such as the "Harp of Noby Fly".

On November 24, Dungeon of the Endless will also get a free update called "Organic Matters", which contains content that was conceptualised by players in competitions. It includes the Organic Spaceship, three new monsters, a new Rosetta hero, new minor modules, a new ending sequence, and a gamepad interface.

Dungeon of the Endless will also get a mini content pack called The Rescue Team that adds three Rescue Team heroes with "very unique skills", two new monsters, and a new major module. If you want to find out more, Amplitude will talk about the updates on Twitch on this Thursday November 19.