Once our recently announced new X4 expansion, X4: Kingdom End, is ready to be released later this year, it will be accompanied by the most extensive set of improvements to X4: Foundations since the game's original release back in 2018. These major technical changes to the game call for a lot of testing - so please join our 6.00 Public Beta!

How do I take part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 6.00 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 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.

Our past games X Beyond the Frontier, X3: Reunion, X Rebirth and the original 1.00 release of X4: Foundations marked the biggest milestones in the development of our very own X series engine. With the upcoming release of X4: Foundations 6.00, we're taking the next step and introducing X TECH 5.

While integrating the next generation of our graphics engine with several big visual improvements (details below), as well as a new, more powerful physics engine with performance and feature improvements, we're also maintaining savegame compatibility for X4.

We would like to give you a first impression of some of the highlights of X TECH 5 that are in the first Public Beta of 6.00. We are still working on additional features that may be added in later public beta releases. We will talk about those additional features in due course.

Experience the thrill of space more than ever before in X4: Foundations, with the integration of Jolt Physics into X TECH 5. Whether you're navigating an asteroid field, docking at a space station, or engaging in combat, Jolt Physics adds a new level of realism and immersion to every moment of gameplay. You'll feel the full force of acceleration and deceleration as you pilot your ship, and every collision will have a tangible impact. In addition to enhancing the overall gameplay experience, the integration of Jolt Physics also brings about performance and feature improvements to X TECH 5, which you'll find listed in the full 6.00 Public Beta 1 changelog at the end of this news.

A big part of what makes us very proud of the upcoming 6.00 Update to X4: Foundations is the radical improvements included in our graphics engine. Here are some of the highlights from this area of development:

🪐 Improved lighting
The main goal with the new lighting engine in X TECH 5 is to improve natural-looking sunlight in space. More vibrant colours, higher intensity suns, and a wider range of interesting lighting moods. X TECH 5 gives us many new tools to achieve this. Reflection probes greatly improve lighting situations inside cockpits, bridges and on stations, and seamlessly integrates with the screen space reflections introduced in a previous version of X4. You will also note that the shadow-casting in X TECH 5 has massively improved (new "ultra" option for shadows in the graphics settings). This greatly helps in producing more realistic visuals at greater distances.

🪐 Introduction of parallax occlusion mapping
With the inclusion of parallax occlusion mapping, X TECH 5 features a technique that allows us to add extra detail and depth to surfaces in the game. This is achieved by using a special type of texture that encodes information about the height and shape of a surface, which is then used to create the illusion of 3D depth and detail. As a player, you can expect to see a noticeable improvement in the realism and immersion of surfaces in the game, as parallax occlusion mapping allows us to add subtle details and depth that were not previously possible.



Apart from the serious technological improvements, we have of course also added gameplay refinements and new features in Update 6.00. Please take a look at the complete changelog for version 6.00 Public Beta 1 at the end of this news. Today, we would like to put the spotlight on the following two highlights:

🪐 Position Defence
The new Position Defence feature in Update 6.00 allows players to have a single carrier-led fleet defend multiple locations while maintaining its streamlined support structure. Individual subordinate groups within the fleet can be assigned to protect specific locations, and will patrol the area until they need to return to the carrier for repairs or resupply. Additionally, these subordinate groups can be set to support other groups in the fleet if they come into contact with threats. This allows for flexible and dynamic defence of multiple locations with a single fleet. We can't wait for you to try out this new feature and see how it enhances your gameplay experience.

🪐 Live Stream camera mode
Live Stream is a brand-new camera mode in X4: Foundations that brings you closer to the action. Once activated, by hitting F6, Live Stream mode allows you to watch interesting events and scenes unfold in your game in real-time. Whether it's an epic space battle, a bustling space station, or a beautiful nebula, this new mode has you covered. One of the best things about Live Stream mode is that it automatically switches between scenes, so you never have to worry about missing out on the action. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, as our new camera mode takes you on a tour of the most interesting moments in your game.



We have lots more ideas on how to refine and improve this new camera mode further, and we will keep working on it during the 6.00 Public Beta phase and beyond. But please do try it out in its current form, and share your feedback with us.

We encourage all players to participate in the beta and provide feedback on the new features in our Public Beta Feedback forum. This is just the start of the 6.00 Public Beta for X4: Foundations. The beta will be updated regularly over the next few weeks, so keep an eye on our news channels to avoid missing anything.

We can't wait for you to try out all the new content in Update 6.00 and look forward to hearing your thoughts.

📢 Note to the modding community
As mentioned in our survey summary a few months ago, X4 modders are super important to us and we are very grateful for their work. While we can't go into too much detail on this topic today, we wanted to at least briefly mention that we are working on some new modding tools for X4 and will also be improving the information available to modders in the future. For example, we plan to provide a modding equivalent to the X4 update changelog. As soon as the tools can be tested, we will inform you separately about this, and provide you with further details.

Enjoy a long-awaited reunion with the Boron in X4: Kingdom End, the fourth expansion for X4: Foundations, which completes the collection of the main factions in the X Universe. Discover the unique Boron ships, and fly them through distinctive systems, on a journey of discovery. Visit fascinating places, uncover old secrets and make new acquaintances. Embark on an immersive new chapter of X4!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWfQ6fHsMQA
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1990040/X4_Kingdom_End/

• New Feature: Updated graphics engine, with Parallax Occlusion Mapping, Reflection Probes, enhanced lighting, improved shadows, and more.
  
• New Feature: Jolt Physics engine.
  
• New Feature: Live Stream camera mode.
  
• New Feature: Position Defence for carrier-led fleets.
  
  
• Added new bombardment assignment for subordinates.
  
• Added command to order ships to attack surface elements on designated targets.
  
• Added Salvage at Position and Deliver Salvage commands for use with repeat orders.
  
• Added self-destruct command for player-owned satellites, resource probes, nav beacons, lasertowers and mines.
  
• Added detection and penalty for theft from station build storage.
  
• Added more gamestart information, indicating whether they are Tutorial, Guided, Assisted or Sandbox, and adjusted order.
  
• Added option to edit Buccaneer relations in Custom Gamestart Editor under certain circumstances.
  
• Added player HQ to Station Design Simulator.
  
• Added Supervised Mining missions.
  
• Added Kha'ak-specific Destroy Station missions.
  
• Added extra Signal Leak missions for factions foreign to station owner, allowing player to earn reputation for Vigor Syndicate at Teladi stations and for Fallen Families at Free Families stations.
  
• Added hint for missing research to Equipment Mod Workbench menu.
  
• Added button to force station build to complete instantly in Station Design Simulator.
  
• Added visual hint for destroyed ships in Transaction Log menus.
  
• Added links to Object Information and Object Transaction Log from entries in Transaction Log.
  
• Added hint about trade entries in Transaction Log to Logbook.
  
• Added order descriptions to Interact and New Order context menus.
  
• Added mappable hotkeys for deploying objects such as Satellites and Laser Towers.
  
• Added mappable hotkeys for giving and aborting player squad attack order.
  
• Added option to hold Shift while dragging on map to move orders vertically.
  
• Added transform gizmo to station editor.
  
• Added double-click on module in Station Build menu to focus camera on module.
  
• Added shortcut to Manage Plots menu to console in Station Design Simulator
  
• Added surface elements of environment object to Next/Previous Target selection.
  
• Added options to pre-configure blacklists and fire authorisation overrides when building ships.
  
• Added descriptions to many items in Encyclopedia.
  
• Added information about long range scanner range and scan area to Encyclopedia.
  
• Added distinction between enemies and hostiles to Encyclopedia faction entries.
  
• Added distinction between friendly and allied relations to target monitor.
  
• Added more relation perks to Factions and Relations menu.
  
• Added option to ignore cargo space reservations when setting up trade loops.
  
• Added option to exchange captains when transferring crew.
  
• Added possibility to override faction logo per fleet.
  
• Added modified hint to Continue Game option in Start menu.
  
• Added mission highlight to transporter room button and other elements.
  
• Added some landmark stations to Encyclopedia.
  
• Added mission arrow towards platform guidance if not on screen.
  
• Added animation when selecting target.
  
• Added several new achievements.
  
• Added new ultra shadow quality option.
  
• Removed logbook entries for received surplus and completed trades.
  
• Removed "transparent" border around fullscreen menus.
  
• Removed info boxes for ships on map.
  
• Removed venture inventory tab from spacesuit upgrades.
  
• Removed option to turn off save compression (note: with recent improvements to saving this option is no longer advisable for normal users but remains available to modders in a different form).
  
• Improved balancing of some Terraforming projects by making them resilient against setbacks from events such as quakes.
  
• Improved Find Resources missions by adding guidance sphere and increasing reward according to how many Resource Probes player will probably need.
  
• Improved room variety for certain missions.
  
• Improved Give Seminar conversation choice.
  
• Improved placement of data leaks to claim abandoned ships.
  
• Improved dock position tolerance when flying capital ship without docking computer.
  
• Improved undocking behaviour in certain dock areas.
  
• Improved presentation when sharing transporter room with NPCs.
  
• Improved Zyarth economy to counter it being overrun by Xenon (affects new games only).
  
• Improved faction defence station loadout selection when responding to aggression.
  
• Improved fighter combat movement against large targets.
  
• Improved coordination within fleets during attack.
  
• Improved behavior of ships fleeing from attacks.
  
• Improved MoveWait fleet behavior immediately before performing attack.
  
• Improved combat behavior of ships in fleet with carrier or fleet auxiliary ship.
  
• Improved carrier behavior in combat if all fighter subordinates are on detached assignment.
  
• Improved police response to EMP bombs being lobbed at policed stations.
  
• Improved handling for attempting ware exchange where transport drones are needed but unavailable.
  
• Improved amounts sold by free traders and miners when only selling, particularly across multiple sectors.
  
• Improved missile damage and ammo consumption simulation when player not present.
  
• Improved capital ships using forward-mounted guns in combat when player not present.
  
• Improved reliability of attack subordinates engaging commander's target.
  
• Improved resupply behavior to allow ships that have loadout level of 0 to automatically get repairs as needed.
  
• Improved decision-making for when commanders recall subordinates upon receiving move order.
  
• Improved responsiveness of attack subordinates when commander attacks new target.
  
• Improved collection of multiple drops in same area by multiple ships.
  
• Improved matching of corridors to rooms on Argon stations.
  
• Improved pilot chair in Terran ships.
  
• Improved transporter room visuals.
  
• Improved notification and logbook entry for player-owned ships and stations being destroyed.
  
• Improved presentation of out-of-stock items in Ship Upgrade menu.
  
• Improved estimated arrival time of incoming deliveries.
  
• Improved ship upgrade by allowing multiple ships with equipment from another race to be upgraded if all ships share same equipment.
  
• Improved factory icons to indicate produced ware.
  
• Improved Options menu by making it full-screen.
  
• Improved messages in message ticker and logbook for attacked or destroyed player property.
  
• Improved control mode messages to be informative rather than commanding.
  
• Improved visuals when showing in-game scenes on target monitor.
  
• Improved visibility by decreasing brightness of window dirt at border of cockpit glass.
  
• Improved high and ultra graphics presets to include screen space reflections (change only applied when reselecting preset).
  
• Improved deadzone in default input profiles for gamepads by reducing it from 50% to 10%.
  
• Improved game startup time, and time for loading and saving savegames.
  
• Fixed selected stories in Custom Gamestart Editor depending on Headquarters and Staff story state not resetting when removing HQ story.
  
• Fixed being able to destroy missile drop in Flight School tutorial.
  
• Fixed being able to assign pilots to certain plot ships which should have been restricted.
  
• Fixed problems with Escape Plan mission if it occurs in Grand Exchange I.
  
• Fixed Welfare Module research mission Casino station being invulnerable before mission starts.
  
• Fixed Transport Passenger mission spawning passenger in brig.
  
• Fixed Hack Panel missions asking player to hack panel that has already been hacked.
  
• Fixed Hack Panel missions targeting station belonging to same faction that is offering mission.
  
• Fixed A Pirate's Trail mission getting stuck if Wolfish Heart is destroyed in one shot, or during initial dialog.
  
• Fixed wrong mission objective if target ship gets destroyed early during Seem Valuable mission of Split story.
  
• Fixed Guard placement in Antigone Station corridor during Covert Operations story.
  
• Fixed player Cover ship being owned by Argon during Zyarth's Coffin mission of Split story.
  
• Fixed story not progressing if station to which wares should be delivered is destroyed during Zyarth's Coffin mission of Split story.
  
• Fixed important wreck in Flight School tutorial being destructible.
  
• Fixed conversation stalling during build segment of Advanced Scenario.
  
• Fixed missing hints and menu highlighting in Terran version of HQ dock construction mission.
  
• Fixed Dagobas Lahubasis Yorilos III trying to escape into own ship while talking to him on bridge during Trade Obstruction mission of Avarice story.
  
• Fixed not being able to complete Avarice story race with L-sized ship.
  
• Fixed Manager's Office displaying wrong trophy after completing Arcadian Endeavour story.
  
• Fixed From the Ashes mission getting stuck if Duke's Haven gets destroyed before player can deliver manager.
  
• Fixed Geometric Owl attacking random Xenon in The Void instead of staying put to allow players to dock during Second Assistant mission of Pioneer Terraforming story.
  
• Fixed ship delivery missions not updating which ships to transfer after first recognised ships are removed from delivery area.
  
• Fixed several issues with Scale Plate subscription missions.
  
• Fixed timers for supply factory missions getting stuck at zero.
  
• Fixed some missions having excessively long time limits.
  
• Fixed stations belonging to civilian faction offering missions.
  
• Fixed not being able to dock at Keepsafe after it is rebuilt.
  
• Fixed relations between Vigor Syndicate and Ministry of Finance to be actively hostile.
  
• Fixed certain major stations and factories sometimes not spawning on gamestart.
  
• Fixed some stations unintentionally spawning in hazardous regions.
  
• Fixed Yaki ships sometimes not having weapons.
  
• Fixed generated loadouts in some shipyards/wharfs/equipment docks not matching available equipment.
  
• Fixed subordinate traders sometimes buying from homebase and selling right back to it.
  
• Fixed research storage targets exceeding research ware requirements under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed being able to activate travel mode in ship without flight assist software.
  
• Fixed ships sometimes firing at empty space when attacking large target.
  
• Fixed multiple beam weapons attacking same target not draining shields as quickly as expected.
  
• Fixed lockboxes standing still after saving and loading.
  
• Fixed ships with repair drones sometimes not repairing at expected speed.
  
• Fixed ships that are about to dock or are executing trades in Avarice ignoring Tide warning.
  
• Fixed case that could result in station-based miners failing to execute assignment.
  
• Fixed traders sometimes not finding valid trades when operating in only one space.
  
• Fixed ships sometimes trading with build storage of destroyed stations.
  
• Fixed station trade subordinates selling station trade wares to factions prohibited by associated trade rules.
  
• Fixed player sometimes being blamed for objects destroyed by hazardous regions.
  
• Fixed player-owned subordinates and capital ships sometimes traversing unexplored sectors when moving between sectors.
  
• Fixed ships trying to resupply at stations or ships they cannot dock at.
  
• Fixed ships belonging to some factions failing to restock deployables and ammo.
  
• Fixed ware exchange stalling if exchange partners are already parked when ware exchange order begins.
  
• Fixed attacking ships sometimes overshooting target on initial approach.
  
• Fixed ships sometimes ignoring collisions when interrupted while docking.
  
• Fixed non-capital ships with subordinates that are not moving with commander needlessly attempting to synchronize movements to fleet at gate transitions.
  
• Fixed defence subordinates sometimes losing track of ships in fleet that are not subordinates of immediate commander.
  
• Fixed case that could prevent capital ships dealing with fleet auxiliary ships which are attached to fleets.
  
• Fixed ships attacking capital ships or stations not using all active weapons when weapons are activated while already in combat.
  
• Fixed capital ships intentionally destroying targets that they were directed to disable while assisting boarding operation
  
• Fixed capital ships tending to maintain distance beyond turret range when directed to support boarding operation by destroying surface elements.
  
• Fixed subordinates not docking if immediate commander is explicitly ordered to dock at carrier that is in command hierarchy.
  
• Fixed case that could result in commanders ordering subordinates to dock indefinitely.
  
• Fixed subordinates of subordinates of carriers undocking when carrier subordinate formation is changed via carrier.
  
• Fixed ships with looped orders repeatedly trying to dock at now-destroyed destinations.
  
• Fixed ships attacking attackers when going in for repairs or ammo.
  
• Fixed fleeing ships erroneously concluding that second flee attempt was successful.
  
• Fixed boarding pods becoming inactive when sent to abandoned ships when assigned marine was in transit.
  
• Fixed illegal activities such as hitting stations with EMP bombs not triggering police response.
  
• Fixed police ships sometimes attacking own faction's ships if those ships interrupt investigation.
  
• Fixed ships in formation that are not subordinates doing no combat damage when player not present.
  
• Fixed dismantled objects sometimes remaining in space much longer than they should.
  
• Fixed wrecks being auto-selected when not flying salvage ships.
  
• Fixed salvage subordinates not updating ranges after commander station's manager is replaced.
  
• Fixed salvagers finding unknown wrecks.
  
• Fixed salvage-related activities not contributing to skill gain.
  
• Fixed pilots sometimes getting stuck when replacing another pilot.
  
• Fixed difficulty docking manually when Collision Avoidance option is active.
  
• Fixed Split flak turret bullets not exploding.
  
• Fixed force effects of anomalies and some other objects not working.
  
• Fixed small wrecks stuck in capital ship geometry interfering with player controls.
  
• Fixed wrecks disappearing while being dismantled if player leaves area.
  
• Fixed stuck doors or non-interactable buttons and panels on platforms after loading save.
  
• Fixed non-interactable airlock after loading save.
  
• Fixed invalid airlock state if cycled too quickly.
  
• Fixed NPCs sometimes standing within objects on dock areas.
  
• Fixed gamestart description texts being cut off under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed price and discount/commission information sometimes being incorrect in trade context menu.
  
• Fixed maximum number of docked ships in Object Information menu.
  
• Fixed missing timers on chain missions in Mission Manager menus.
  
• Fixed station construction plan changes sometimes being lost when applied.
  
• Fixed missing warning about changes to station construction plans when closing any menu opened from Station Build menu.
  
• Fixed Long Range Scanner not seeing stations with Protectyon Shield Generator module.
  
• Fixed station plots in Xenon space showing licence costs before placement.
  
• Fixed boarding menu allowing selection of arriving marines.
  
• Fixed crew on destroyed ships being listed in Personnel Management menu.
  
• Fixed missing ticker message when player unlocks new Timeline entry.
  
• Fixed missing/mismatching data in target monitor under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed terraforming projects showing wrong cooldown when they were never started before.
  
• Fixed ware descriptions in trader menus not updating under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed scrolling in menus when mouse is over certain parts of screen.
  
• Fixed selected object icon not appearing on Map when zoomed out.
  
• Fixed wrecks of civilian ships being hidden on Map if civilian ships are not shown but wrecks are.
  
• Fixed player sector not appearing on map if using space suit after hitching ride to unknown sector.
  
• Fixed dropdown to change assignment of all subordinates in subordinate group failing to do so.
  
• Fixed menu crash in station storage list under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed icons of recyclables being visible in fog of war.
  
• Fixed mines dropped by trapped lockboxes not showing as red in UI.
  
• Fixed Spacesuit Engines not showing hologram visuals in Encyclopedia.
  
• Fixed Terran names for maintenance and fabrication bays in Encyclopedia.
  
• Fixed potential damage to objects in universe from missiles that explode in Encyclopedia view.
  
• Fixed suggestions for keyboard and mouse buttons being displayed in some cases when only playing with controller or joystick.
  
• Fixed workers leaving lights on when production modules are inactive.
  
• Fixed distinction between enemy and hostile factions in Faction and Relations menu.
  
• Fixed colour of target monitor relation for neutral objects.
  
• Fixed inconsistent information about gate and accelerator destinations in both HUD and ship computer voice.
  
• Fixed voice playback in Timeline getting interrupted by other voices.
  
• Fixed beam weapon sounds being considered "ambient" instead of "effects" for sound volumes.
  
• Fixed bright line appearing in some shadows.
  
• Fixed engine jet "flames" not animating correctly for several XS ships.
  
• Fixed game having wrong resolution after choosing 1280x720 or similar small resolutions in fullscreen mode.
  
• Fixed custom gamestart cutscenes sometimes being distorted.
  
• Fixed looking in wrong direction when teleporting to Alligator (Liquid).
  
• Fixed being able to fall off dock area of Phoenix.
  
• Fixed Zeus docking position being too close to pier.
  
• Fixed Zeus E XS dock being out of position.
  
• Fixed Osaka missing some detail.
  
• Fixed Terran L container storage having incorrect collisions container modules.
  
• Fixed missing wreck for Atlas E resupplier.
  
• Fixed Hokkaido (Mineral) internal rooms clipping through geometry.
  
• Fixed mirrored ship ID on Prometheus.
  
• Fixed gap on dockarea of Erlking.
  
• Fixed paintmods being applied to surfaces they should not be used on.
  
• Fixed custom logos with upper-case letters in filename not being loaded in Linux version.
  
• Fixed performance stutter when approaching highly populated docks.
  
• Fixed noticeable freeze when closing station editor for very large stations.
  
• Fixed rare freeze during startup.
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.

We've got a somewhat unusual campaign for you this year, which we hope will be to your taste. After several months of collaboration with the plushie professionals at Makeship, we are turning a long-cherished idea into reality.

Introducing… Baby Boron Plushie! We are excited to announce that our crowdfunding campaign, for the cutest, cuddliest plushie you've ever seen, is starting soon. This plushie is the perfect companion for any X4 fan, with its soft, huggable body and adorable features.



Baby Boron will watch your back while you enjoy the long-awaited reunion with the Boron in X4: Kingdom End, the fourth expansion for X4: Foundations, later this year.

Please note that all Makeship plushies are unique editions. This specific Baby Boron Plushie will no longer be available after the end of this campaign.

The Baby Boron Plushie crowdfunding campaign starts on January 23rd, 2023, at 6pm GMT (10am PST / 1pm EST / 7pm CET) over at https://shop.makeship.com/3YxJmdA. Once the campaign goes live, you will be able to purchase your very own limited Baby Boron Plushie at Makeship ($29.99).

The campaign will run for 21 days. If the campaign reaches the minimum order goal, Makeship will start production of the Baby Boron Plushie. If the minimum goal is not met, all customers will be refunded for their orders.

If the campaign is successful and the Baby Boron Plushies are produced, they will be shipped 2-3 months after the campaign end date. Shipping typically takes 7-15 business days depending on the destination country and city. Delivery to some areas may take 10-30 business days.

Visit the Makeship Help Center if you have any further questions about the crowdfunding campaign process.

Egosoft today unveils the next chapter in its long-running space simulation franchise. X4: Kingdom End is the fourth expansion for the latest game in the series, X4: Foundations.


The reveal teaser for X4: Kingdom End is now available on YouTube. X4: Kingdom End will be released for PC (Windows, Linux) in 2023 and can already be wishlisted on Steam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWfQ6fHsMQA
X4: Kingdom End celebrates the long-awaited reunion with the Boron, and completes the collection of the main factions in the X Universe. Discover the unique Boron ships, and fly them through distinctive systems, on a journey of discovery. Visit fascinating places, uncover old secrets and make new acquaintances. Embark on an immersive new chapter of X4!

Heretic's End holds a secret to be discovered. Flickering lights on a previously inactive jump gate are causing a stir. Joining forces in the name of cooperation, a multi-factional expedition sets out to investigate the phenomenon. Prepare for an immersive story of collaboration, where many vastly different minds must pull together for the greater good.


Boron ships are as unconventional as you would expect from such an extraordinary species. X4: Kingdom End introduces a wide variety of Boron ships of different classes, which excel with their fluid designs, their wavelike shell animation, and their distinctive grace and uniqueness. Come aboard and experience what may very well be the most breath-taking ships in the X-Universe.


X4: Kingdom End is being released at the same time as the extensive 6.00 update for X4: Foundations. As is our tradition, we will once again be introducing a number of significant improvements to the base game in this major, free update for all X4 owners. We won't be able to show the full changelog until a later date, but X4 players can already look forward to the following upcoming 6.00 improvements:

• Position Defence, a new feature which allows you to have a carrier-led fleet defend a larger area
  
• A new cinematic camera cutscene mode
  
• Improvements in, among other things, AI combat and fleet behaviour, trade behaviour, boarding, salvaging, docking experience, flight pathing, low attention combat simulation, and the station editor
  
• UI and quality-of-life improvements
  
• Performance improvements
  
• ... and much more

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1990040/X4_Kingdom_End

The next chapter of X4: Foundations will be revealed on Friday December 23rd, 2022 on www.youtube.com/egosoft 🪐

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWfQ6fHsMQA

Back in July we invited you to participate in a slightly larger-than-usual player survey. Many of you have expressed a wish for us to publish the results of this survey. So, we are going to do so, at least for the actual game related questions. We will also provide some commentary on some of the survey results to give them better context.

The overall aim of this survey was to get a broad picture of how you see X4 today, what you enjoy about it, what problems you see, and so on, rather than to identify specific potential changes to X4 and put them on our short-term "To Do ASAP" list. It will come as no surprise to you that we still have plenty of plans for the X series, so this survey was about gathering your feedback, analysing it and using it together with our own plans and ideas, to set the course for the future.

Please note that the percentages mentioned only refer to the participants in the survey, not to the total number of buyers or players of X4: Foundations. For information, just under 20,000 of you participated in the survey.

With this in mind, here are the results of the survey:

How many hours have you invested in your most advanced savegame so far?

7% · More than 500 hours
32% · 100 to 500 hours
26% · 50 to 100 hours
24% · 10 to 50 hours
6% · 5 to 10 hours
5% · Less than 5 hours

🗨️ Long playtime, strong commitment
We are always pleased to see the larger number of hours played by our players, not only those who participated in the survey, but also the ‘average player’ of X4. Clearly the X4 universe manages to keep you entertained for a long time! Almost 40% of survey participants have played the game for over 100 hours. We believe that one of the main reasons for this is also one of X4's greatest strengths: it is played similarly to an MMO, but because it is single-player, it allows for faster and virtually unlimited growth. X4 evidently has a lot to offer in terms of real economy, authentic universe, growth and so on.

How many times have you started a new game?

15% · More than 10 times
25% · 5 to 10 times
45% · 2 to 4 times
15% · Just once

🗨️ Learn about the budgeted custom gamestart system, and start a new custom game!
Starting a new game in X4 should always be appealing. As the survey results show, 40% of the participants have already restarted at least five times, but we would like to see an even higher number here. In addition to new gamestarts added in previously released expansions, which provide exciting new scenarios that you should definitely check out, we also introduced a "Custom Gamestart" feature in September 2021 as part of the 4.10 Update of X4: Foundations. This has a “points” system, which allows you to change or customise certain starting parameters in the game according to your preferences. You collect points towards the budget for these parameters through your actions in previous play-throughs of the game, such as exploring, playing story missions, etc. You can then spend the points in your new budgeted custom gamestart, giving you things such as available capital, sectors already explored, or relations with other factions. There is nothing to lose by doing this, and the points remain available for future gamestarts, so we recommend you try it out if you haven't already. Rediscovering X4 from a new starting point is definitely worthwhile!

Why not check out this comprehensive video from X4 content creator Captain Collins on the Custom Gamestart feature (July 2021):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqcmNf3NW7c

Which (gameplay) element of X4 do you enjoy the most?

33% · Trading / Economy
24% · Fighting / Battles
13% · Designing / Building stations
12% · Free exploration
11% · Missions / Storylines

🗨️ Possibly our biggest challenge: the diversity of X players
The answers to this question highlight one of our biggest opportunities, but at the same time risks, with X4: the diversity of player interests and priorities. The very core of our vision of the X series games is the idea of giving players as much freedom as possible; freedom to make their own decisions about what to do in our games. To achieve this, requires us to include many different types of activity as part of the game, which in turn attracts at least as many different types of players. Not to put too fine a point on it, everyone wants something different from X4!

Perhaps our greatest challenge during our time working on X4, but also for the future of the X series, is to find compromises that "work" for as many as possible of these, sometimes fundamentally different, types of players. At the same time, we have to be realistic and acknowledge that this makes it almost impossible for us to deliver the "perfect” game for any given group of players.

Nevertheless, we have no plans to change our overall mission, which we at Egosoft have been committed to since the development of X - Beyond the Frontier in the late 90s.

Would you like to be able to play X4 with friends?

46% · Yes
16% · No
38% · Wouldn't matter to me

If you are interested in a multiplayer option, what would it ideally look like for you?

14% · MMO
63% · Online Co-Op
16% · Asynchronous Multiplayer

🗨️ The best of both worlds: a single-player universe with fast progression, and team play in Multiverse online mode
This is a question which has naturally led to many discussions within the community over the years. Before any further discussion, we need to make it clear that, in our opinion, an X series game can only be what it is if it is, at heart, a single-player universe. Without going into too much detail, the issue of rapid and unlimited growth, as mentioned in a previous comment, is key to this.

That said, we definitely see possibilities for more direct cooperation between players of X games in the longer term. The Multiverse online mode, originally announced in 2021, will be a first step in that direction. We are still working on that Multiverse online mode, which is itself a development of the “Ventures" feature that was in some earlier versions of X4. We're making good progress on that, and are hopeful that we'll be able to tell you more about it in 2023.

How satisfied are you with X4 today?
(5 = Completely; 1 = Not at all)

5 = 16%
4 = 61%
3 = 18%
2 = 4%
1 = 1%

🗨️ High approval rate, but room for improvement
Our survey shows that 77% of participants are at least moderately satisfied with X4 today. This figure is also reflected in our Steam reviews, where around 75% of reviewers have left positive ratings at the time of writing. Given the previously mentioned diversity of our players, and the wide range of gameplay elements within X4, we are very happy to have such a high approval rating. However, this does not mean that we will rest on our laurels. We will continue to set our goals higher, and hope to further improve these ratings and review scores in the future.

How satisfied are you with the game performance on your hardware?
(5 = Completely; 1 = Not at all)

5 = 29%
4 = 36%
3 = 22%
2 = 9%
1 = 3%

🗨️ Constant work on improving performance
The X series games will always be demanding on hardware. It is in the very nature of the game, and our vision for the series, that the technical requirements will often preclude the use of lower performance systems. The full universe simulation, for example, will always require more CPU and memory than other games in the genre. The fact that 65% of the survey’s participants are reasonably satisfied with the performance of the game on their systems gives us some confidence that we are striking the right balance. However, we are constantly working on improvements, throughout our game engine, to enhance the performance of X4. In the not-too-distant future we hope to be able to start talking about the next big X4 update, 6.00, which will include our latest work in this area.

Do you use game modifications (mods) when playing X4?

53% · Yes
47% · No

If you have used Mods in X4, how many mods are you currently using in your most recent X4 savegame?

48% · More than 5 mods
40% · 2 to 5 mods
8% · 1 mod
4% · None

Why do you use mods in X4?

85% · To improve game elements that bother me (e.g. "quality of life", balancing)
66% · To be able to use more content (e.g. additional ships)
16% · To make the game harder
14% · To make the game easier

🗨️ Modding community as important to us as ever
We haven't done a survey on the topic of mods for quite a while, and we are pleased to now have an up-to-date overview of mod use. The modding community remains as important to us as ever.

One of the sticking points for modders has been the issue that players cannot send ships into the Multiverse when playing a modified game. This is unavoidable for many types of mods, especially those that add ships or change the fundamental gameplay, but may be something that could be addressed for mods that make purely quality-of-life changes. With the introduction of the Multiverse online mode, hopefully during 2023, we will be taking a closer look at the possibility of “signing” certain popular quality-of-life mods, so that they do not prevent Multiverse access. In the context of this, it is good to see that quality-of-life mods are among the most important to you. However, all of this is still in the future at the moment, and we will go into more detail about it once we have a clearer picture of what will, and will not, be possible.

A small side note on the subject of mods: for many years now, we have been drafting gifted X series modders into the ranks of our team. We're pleased to say that earlier this year, modders Shuul (VRO and many other mods) and kuertee (several gameplay and quality-of-life mods) have started working with us on the future of the X series. Glad to have you on board, guys!

Which type of controls do you use most often in X4?

83% · Mouse and keyboard
9% · HOTAS
5% · Gamepad / Controller

🗨️ Wide-ranging agreement on controls
When it comes to gameplay features, X4 players are very varied, as discussed in a previous comment, but when it comes to the controls, there is much more agreement. That is not to say, however, that we only focus on the majority’s requirements, and we are especially happy to see the hardcore simulation fans who fly through the X universe using a HOTAS device. With a little effort, even the most rare and complicated HOTAS systems’ control schemes can be fully customised with X4.

Have you bought (at least) one expansion for X4?

93% · Yes
7% · No

🗨️ We are hugely excited to see the high level of uptake for our X4 expansions, and thank you all for your support.

Which expansion(s) for X4 do you own? (multiple answers possible)

98% · Split Vendetta
97% · Cradle of Humanity
77% · Tides of Avarice

Which expansion do you like the most?

7% · Split Vendetta
40% · Cradle of Humanity
7% · Tides of Avarice
46% · I have no favourite

🗨️ Nicer ships = higher approval rating?
The results of these survey questions lead us to assume that the popularity of expansions among players of X4 is driven primarily by the ships that we introduce in those expansions. In particular, we interpret this result to mean that the ships from X4: Cradle of Humanity are your favourites, resulting in it receiving the highest rating at 40%. Are we right in our assumptions, or are there other factors that led you to your answers? Feel free to let us know in the comments section for this article.

This is probably also a good opportunity to highlight two specific beauties from the most recent X4 expansion, X4: Tides of Avarice, which you should definitely take the time to check out:

• The Erlking, a terrifying pirate battleship with an experimental and unusual energy source.
  
• The Astrid, an incredibly lavish and luxurious yacht, that is rumoured to be the fastest ship in the galaxy. With its sleek design, the Astrid is a ship unlike anything you've ever come across in the X universe.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1701060/X4_Tides_of_Avarice/

How do you feel about the retail price of the X4 expansions?

66% · Just right.
9% · Too expensive.
4% · Too cheap.
21% · I have no opinion on this.

🗨️ Approval of the value proposition
Getting the pricing right is, of course, an important aspect of our work. Given the great take-up rate of the X4 expansions, we think we have created quite a good pricing structure that is acceptable to a large majority of X4 players. We're pleased about that, of course, and hope that we'll continue to make the right decisions in the future, setting prices that work well for both you and us.

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We would like to take this opportunity to thank all participants in the survey and, of course, all those who have supported us over the years during the development of X4: Foundations and its expansions. As mentioned in several articles and news items this year, we have not yet reached the end of our journey with X4, and are looking forward to telling you more about the short- and medium-term future of the game as soon as we are ready to do so.

Please keep an eye on our communication channels; you can find an overview of all our channels at https://linktr.ee/egosoft.

Thank you, and see you soon!

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.

X4: Foundations is about to celebrate its fourth anniversary and we appreciate your support and feedback every day.

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

We are pleased to announce that we will be part of the Indie Arena Booth at gamescom in Cologne this year. Indie Arena Booth is a collaborative booth featuring a curated selection of games from around the world.



From Wednesday, 24 August 2022 to Sunday, 28 August 2022 you can find us at the Indie Arena Booth in Hall 10.2 of the Kölnmesse. Each day, various team members will be present and looking forward to chatting with you. If you are not yet familiar with X4, you will of course have the opportunity to try out the game on-site.

A quick word to manage expectations: we will not be making any new announcements at this year's gamescom. It will be a little longer before we are ready to reveal the next chapter of X4.

Here are a few more related links on the topic of gamescom:

• www.gamescom.global
  
• https://indiearenabooth.de/gamescom2022/games

See you in Cologne!

Our latest player survey will ask you questions about your personal progress in X4: Foundations, your satisfaction with the game, your wishes and priorities for the future of the X series, and your feelings about the X series and Egosoft outside of the game. By taking part in our survey, you will be helping us to make the X series even better.

Please visit this link to participate in the survey.

Thank you for your support!

We don't usually create a news item for every hotfix, but we're making an exception for 5.10 Hotfix 3 of X4: Foundations, which was released today.

As many of you are aware, it's been quite a while since you were last able to access the paint mods that are in your online inventory for X4: Foundations. The reason for this is that we have been working on extensive changes to the Ventures feature of the game, which is part of the same online functionality as the paint mods. Since that work is still ongoing, and we don't want to keep you from your favourite paint mods any longer, today's hotfix re-enables the option to log in to your Egosoft account and access your paint mods.

Please note the following points about 5.10 Hotfix 3:

• The most basic online functionality is re-enabled, i.e. you can log in to, and out of, your Egosoft account from within the game.
  
• You will be able access any paint mods that are in your online inventory, with the same limitations and conditions as before.
  
• You will NOT be able to build new venture docks or send ships on ventures, and you will not see any menus related to this.
  
• You will NOT receive any "visitor" ships from other players.

We apologise for any inconvenience over the past few months, while the online inventory service was unavailable. As a small gift, you will receive ten units of the Alpha Zone paint mod (pictured below) when you log in to your Egosoft account. The paint mods will be available in both existing games and new game starts.

You can link your game to your Egosoft account in the settings section of the Egosoft forum.



As mentioned in a previous item in April, we would like to reassure you that we're not quite done yet with our vision for X4. However, the next item on the agenda for the game is some way away, so we won't be able to get into specifics about it for quite a while.

Thank you for your continued support.

• Fixed long freezes and poor performance in station designer with very large stations.
  
• Fixed excessive damage from capital ship engines in superhighways.
  
• Fixed workforce consuming resources more often than intended.
  
• Fixed strange location names in notifications and log.
  
• Fixed incorrect orientation of some turrets on Split M Container Storage module.
  
• Fixed menu crash when opening Object Information menu for Kha'ak stations.
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.