New week, new beta! The sixth public beta for the 4.00 update of X4: Foundations is now available to download.

We've fixed an unfortunate gas resource depletion issue that was introduced in beta 5 last week. If you're using a 4.00 beta 5 savegame, we're topping up gas to 50% of the cargo hold on all stations that need gas as a resource, to get your production processes rolling again. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Among other things, beta 6 also includes:

• Several enhancements to the new Coordinated Attack feature.
  
• Fixes and adjustments to the new Terraforming feature.
  
• Better map behaviour when you are under Cover for a mission.
  
• As always, various other improvements and fixes.

You can find the full list in our forum.

Every player who owns X4: Foundations will have the opportunity to download the new beta version 4.00. To ensure that beta participants are aware of the Risks and Rules, we ask that all interested players visit our forum for both rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions on how to participate in the beta. Please follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

Thank you for your support during the beta phase and have fun with X4: Foundations!

This quarter, the X4: Foundations universe will be extended once again! Alongside the second expansion, X4: Cradle of Humanity, we will also be releasing the largest free update to X4 yet. The 4.00 update will not only include many quality-of-life improvements to X4: Foundations, but will also introduce a number of new features. Some of these new features were announced at the start of the beta phase, but we’ll be shedding light on more of them between now and the full public release of the 4.00 update and X4: Cradle of Humanity.

To kick things off, we'll look at three new ways to manage hostilities, i.e. what your ships can and cannot attack. To help us illustrate this, content creator Werit has prepared a video showing you what these new options really mean, how they're used, and what advantages they bring to your X4: Foundations experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCdHVDJECpg
Make sure you visit Werit's channel and subscribe, so as not to miss any of his helpful X4: Foundations videos.

For a short-term attack, you can choose to "mark as hostile" any non-hostile object. This generates a “relation boost”, usually lasting around 10 minutes, during which time this object will be treated as a hostile enemy. This new feature enables you to start a fight against a non-enemy object without having to fire on it manually. The 10 minute relation boost is usually long enough to ensure that a battle starts. The battle itself should then sustain the hostile state long enough for an outcome to be achieved.



For a medium-term attack, you can apply a new "fire authorisation override" setting, either globally or on specific ships. This tells those ships which factions they're allowed to attack – whether or not those factions are actually enemies. This option can be used to start a more general fight with a specific faction, by overriding the usual peaceful behaviour of your ships towards theirs. It can also be used to try and make peace with a faction that is currently your enemy. This is achieved by altering your ships’ default behaviour, which would normally be to attack, with an override instruction not to shoot.

For a long-term attack, we have introduced a "war declaration" option. This is a decision to make a faction your enemy, and to inform them of the situation. This will take effect immediately. But beware! There is no "peace declaration" option. If you decide that you want to make up with that now-hostile faction, you will have to work your way back into their good books.

To try out these new features ahead of the public release of the 4.00 update, you can join in with the current 4.00 beta phase. Just visit our forum for instructions on how to take part.

We'll be back soon with more insights into the 4.00 update and X4: Cradle of Humanity. Until then, enjoy your space travels, leave a review, wishlist Cradle of Humanity and stay safe!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1288460/

Full speed ahead towards the 4.00 update for X4: Foundations! Today we have released the first beta update of the new year. Here are just a few of the highlights from the ever-growing changelog:

• New Feature: Terraforming!
  
• New Feature: New Hostile relation status on map and HUD to indicate objects with which combat is likely.
  
• Added shortcut to Research menu from HQ-related menus, e.g. Logical Station Overview.
  
• Added Logbook tab to Object Information menu.
  
• Added option to sort Object List by relation.
  
• Added mining resource information to sector info menu and encyclopedia entries.

As always, you can find the full list in our forum.

In the coming weeks, we'll be taking a closer look at some of the new gameplay features from the upcoming 4.00 update. And yes, we will soon be able to give you more details on when we plan to release 4.00 and the X4: Cradle of Humanity expansion.

Every player who owns X4: Foundations will have the opportunity to download the new beta version 4.00. To ensure that beta participants are aware of the Risks and Rules, we ask that all interested players visit our forum for both rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions on how to participate in the beta. Please follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

Thank you for your support during the beta phase and have fun with X4: Foundations!

X4: Foundations is a space simulation game in a living, breathing universe. But what does that actually mean? What can the player do in this huge game? In a series of six videos, EGOSOFT CEO and Lead Game Designer Bernd Lehahn introduces you to the huge array of activities that are available to you in X4: Foundations, goals you might want to pursue (or not), settings you should be aware of, and much more.

All six episodes are available on our YouTube channel. Enjoy watching and stay safe!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0hCP1yuNe8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1YF-Zp85LU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vtTC41ZJCo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59Dwn-PIPMA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQYz6y54wDU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJxBkub4rsI

Have you had X4: Foundations on your wishlist for some time, but been waiting for the right moment?

As part of the Steam Winter Sale we are currently offering a 35% discount on X4: Foundations. It truly is a great time to get into the game. Since releasing our latest big update (3.30) in July, we've been working hard on the next big step for X4: Foundations - the 4.00 update, that will arrive in the first quarter of 2021. If you own X4: Foundations, you can check out the current beta version of 4.00 already and experience new gameplay features like an improved fleet steering system or enjoy the new volumetric fog. Find out more about the 4.00 beta in this news.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/392160/X4_Foundations/
Earlier this year we've also released the first expansion for the game, called X4: Split Vendetta, which was very well received by its players. In case you haven't gotten it yet, you can now save 10% on the purchase during the Steam Winter Sale.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1133000/X4_Split_Vendetta/
You could also choose the X4: Collector's Edition bundle, which is also on sale. You won't just get the base game and the Split expansion, but also pre-purchase X4: Cradle of Humanity, the second expansion to X4, coming in the first quarter of 2021. In addition to the game and the expansions, you're also getting the soundtracks (MP3 and FLAC) and additional bonus material that is exclusively available in the Collector's Edition.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/14073/
We would be happy to welcome you to the X4: Foundations family! Thanks for your continued support, stay safe and enjoy your space adventure!

The entire EGOSOFT team wishes you a joyful and relaxing holiday season and a Happy New Year. 2020 has been a particularly challenging year for everyone and we hope that you are all safe and well. In these difficult times we are pleased to be able to take your mind off things and transport you to another universe. We thank you for your support and loyalty over the past twelve months and look forward to a new year packed with exciting X4 developments.


To close out the year, you can catch a first glimpse of another new ship on this year's EGOSOFT Christmas card. You'll find this ship in the upcoming X4: Cradle of Humanity expansion. We hope you like the special Christmas-themed paint job!

We'll be back in January to talk more about the gameplay changes and new features that you’ll find in the 4.00 update. We have also recently updated the public beta for 4.00, so feel free to visit our forum to learn more about it and to find instructions on how to participate.

Happy Christmas and stay safe!
-Team EGOSOFT

To celebrate today's second anniversary of X4: Foundations, we’re drawing back the curtain on a brand-new XL sized battleship that will be deployed for the first time in X4: Cradle of Humanity.




This beast of sheer firepower is one of the most heavily armed ships to be found so far in the X4 universe. Its ability to take on large targets is second to none. However, can it be undermined by a fleet of small ships?

Find out in the first quarter of 2021 when X4: Cradle of Humanity, the second expansion for X4: Foundations, will be released.




Whilst the name for this majestic piece of technology is being kept firmly under-wraps for now, take a guess at what we have christened this new battleship!

As announced at the beginning of October, the final release of the 4.00 update and the new X4: Cradle of Humanity expansion, has been postponed to the first quarter of 2021.

X4: Cradle of Humanity is the second expansion for X4: Foundations and will bring the X series back to Earth. It significantly expands the game universe with new sectors and welcomes two Terran factions along with their economy, ships, weapons and stations. New game-starts bring players closer to the identity and political stance of the Terran factions and offer alternative perspectives on events in the history of X4: Foundations.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1288460/
You can already add X4: Cradle of Humanity to your wish lists on Steam. Owners of the X4: Foundations Collector's Edition will automatically find the second expansion in their game library when it is released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WWylkYpxmM

We would be infinitely grateful if you'd consider us for the Steam Labor of Love Award. You can nominate us right in this news (look up), on the X4: Foundations store page or through the Steam Awards Nominations page.



We are far from finished with X4: Foundations and are appreciative of your support and feedback every day. The game is about to celebrate its second anniversary and just recently we started the 4.00 Beta for X4: Foundations (details in this news), where we give you a first insight into the next big chapter of X4. With X4: Cradle of Humanity, the story will also continue in the first quarter of 2021 and we are looking forward to welcoming the Terrans to X4!

Thanks for everything and keep on having fun in the X-Universe!

Have you had X4: Foundations on your wishlist for some time, but been waiting for the right moment?

As part of the Steam Autumn Sale we are currently offering a 30% discount on X4: Foundations. It truly is a great time to get into the game. Since releasing our latest big update (3.30) in July, we've been working hard on the next big step for X4: Foundations - the 4.00 update, that will arrive in the first quarter of 2021. If you own X4: Foundations, you can check out the current beta version of 4.00 already and experience new gameplay features like an improved fleet steering system or enjoy the new volumetric fog. Find out more about the 4.00 beta in this news.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/392160/X4_Foundations/
Earlier this year we've also released the first expansion for the game, called X4: Split Vendetta, which was very well received by its players. In case you haven't gotten it yet, you can now save 10% on the purchase during the Steam Autumn Sale.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1133000/X4_Split_Vendetta/
You could also choose the X4: Collector's Edition bundle, which is also on sale. You won't just get the base game and the Split expansion, but also pre-purchase X4: Cradle of Humanity, the second expansion to X4, coming in the first quarter of 2021. In addition to the game and the expansions, you're also getting the soundtracks (MP3 and FLAC) and additional bonus material that is exclusively available in the Collector's Edition.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/14073/
We would be happy to welcome you to the X4: Foundations family! Thanks for your continued support, stay safe and enjoy your space adventure!

We announce, with great pleasure, that today is the start of the public beta phase for the much-anticipated 4.00 update of X4: Foundations. With the 4.00 beta version of X4: Foundations, you will get a first impression of our new developments and future vision for the game.

The 4.00 update is, without a doubt, the biggest free update so far to our space simulation X4: Foundations. This major update, which will be available to all owners of the game when it is released in the first quarter of 2021, enhances X4: Foundations in numerous ways, including completely new gameplay features and extensive technical improvements. For the full change log for the 4.00 beta update, please visit our forum.

Some of the most significant changes include:



The 4.00 update to X4: Foundations will see the introduction of several wide-ranging visual improvements, first and foremost volumetric fog. For those of you with an interest in the technical side of things: most implementations of fog in games are calculated on the surface of an object by the shader used to render that surface; volumetric fog, however, is calculated at intervals in the empty space in front of the camera, independently of any surface.

In practice, this means that you will notice soft fog layers in our universe, inviting you to come closer and check them out. We also hope that you'll enjoy how the volumetric fog interacts with light, and how this technical improvement changes your sense of space in the X4 universe.



If you've ever commanded huge fleets through the X4: Foundations universe, then there's a good chance that you'll be excited about the following news: we've invested a considerable amount of time in improving fleet combat for the 4.00 update. This includes improved steering behavior and several important AI script changes.

There are a number of different elements to this feature, and we don't want to spoil all of them at once, but we'll start by giving you an overview of a new order called "Coordinate Attack". This tactical order is given to the fleet admiral when engaging a target fleet in battle. The admiral can subsequently give movement, escort and attack orders to all the subordinate ship groups, to coordinate positioning, formations and attacks against the enemy fleet. Once all the subordinate groups reach their positions, the new "Sync Point" feature is triggered. The admiral then moves on, to give orders to the groups of ships to attack specific targets.

This new Sync Point system allows the AI to synchronize orders to ships, but also gives you the freedom to manually trigger the release signal yourself, or let it be released automatically.

While a fleet battle is taking place, the groups of ships will dynamically receive new attack orders and will switch targets if the group configuration changes. This is especially useful once you have seen how the battle is progressing, and allows you to reconfigure your attacks with different group configurations.

Once you've had a look at this new feature and are feeling experimental, you can edit several of the order parameters. For example:

• "Fleet aggressiveness" defines how aggressively the fleet should behave, as well as affecting the initial positioning of all ships and individual formation attacks.
  
• "Weak targets first" determines whether to prioritize closer, weaker targets, or go for the larger, stronger ones.
  
• "Ignore rally points" allows all ships to ignore Sync Points.

(click gif for full video)

This is just the first of several public beta updates for 4.00 which will lead up to the final release version of 4.00 in Q1 2021. These updates will introduce additional fixes and new features, including the Terraforming gameplay that was mentioned during our gamescom 2020 live-stream. Keep an eye on our news channels to avoid missing anything!

Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 4.00 beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum where they will find both the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

• New login method, both in-game and on the Egosoft forums, from 4.00
  
• Login no longer available in-game with modified clients

To date, if you wanted to get involved in online ventures in X4: Foundations, or decorate your ships with certain paint mods, you had to use your forum username to login. This will change with the release of the 4.00 update: from then, login, both in-game and on the forum, will only be possible using your e-mail address.

During the public beta of the 4.00 update, which starts today, you will still be able to log into the game with your forum username in the usual way. However, when the finished 4.00 update is publicly released in the first quarter of 2021, it will become mandatory to login using your e-mail address.
Please note that those who use modified clients to play X4: Foundations will no longer have access to their online account in-game.

The reason for these changes is related to a major update to the X4: Foundations online gameplay planned for the near future. Before our plans can be implemented, these preparatory steps are unfortunately necessary. More information about these changes will be made available when the 4.00 update and the X4: Cradle of Humanity expansion are released, if not before.


As announced at the beginning of October, the final release of the 4.00 update and the new X4: Cradle of Humanity expansion, has been postponed to the first quarter of 2021.

X4: Cradle of Humanity is the second expansion for X4: Foundations and will bring the X series back to Earth. It significantly expands the game universe with new sectors and welcomes two Terran factions along with their economy, ships, weapons and stations. New game-starts bring players closer to the identity and political stance of the Terran factions and offer alternative perspectives on events in the history of X4: Foundations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WWylkYpxmM
You can already add X4: Cradle of Humanity to your wish lists on Steam. Owners of the X4: Foundations Collector's Edition will automatically find the second expansion in their game library when it is released.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1288460/
We would like to thank all beta testers for their contributions. We hope you enjoy trying out the 4.00 update and discovering its new features!