X4: Foundations News

Dear X-fans, we would like to wish you a Merry X-Mas and a Happy New Year!



Another year has almost passed, and once again, a lot has happened in our beloved studio and with our game. As always we've worked tirelessly, and have brought you two very important things for X4: Foundations:

• The 7.00 major update, which introduced numerous new features, improved upon lots of existing ones, and fixed various bugs.
  
• The X4: Timelines expansion, which offers a unique game mode, in which you can play different historic and skill-based scenarios, and even compete against the scores of your fellow players.

This year also marked the 25th anniversary of the launch of our very first X game, X: Beyond the Frontier. We celebrated it with a fantastic sale and a heartfelt "Thank You" video from our Founder and Managing Director, Bernd Lehahn.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

You helped grow our wholesome community: our Official Forum, the X4: Foundations Steam Forum, the X4 Subreddit, and even the Egosoft Discord gained thousands of new members who now have welcoming places to connect. Thank you. If you're looking for an overview of all our communication channels, please visit our Linktree.

So what's next, you might ask?
Long story short: we are far from being done with X4: Foundations, and boy, do we have some goodies in the works for you. You might have already seen our recently released Roadmap for X4, which loosely outlines what you can expect in the future. Let's focus on what's coming in the first quarter of 2025:

• Flight Model update: We're deploying a major update that will enhance the flight model of all ships, among other things. This is no small change, as it will affect every pilotable spacecraft. Their specifications and movement will vary significantly depending on which engines and thrusters you install. We kindly ask that, if you have the time and energy, you join the Public Beta and share your feedback.
  
  
• "Mini DLC 1": Well, what could this be? "Introducing a fan-favourite ship"? But there are so many to choose from! Eventually, we had to pick one, and we've gone with arguably the "bestest ever" option: The Hyperion, as the game's very first Expeditionary ship!

So, what is the Hyperion?
Our Veteran players are hopefully already screaming in joy at this point. If you take a closer look at the X-Mas Postcard above, you might be able to find the ship under the numerous festive ornaments. The Paranid Hyperion has quite the story, having played a major role in X3: Reunion's Bala Gi missions. It was a fan-favourite vessel from the start, and we hope that it will meet your expectations in X4: Foundations as well! To tease you a little, we think you will consider it as one of your larger "daily drive" ships, but don't let its size fool you; it will easily outrun and outmanoeuvre its adversaries, and will make short work of smaller targets quickly and efficiently. It also comes with a brand-new classification: an Expeditionary ship. What could this mean? Time will tell!



We hope you've enjoyed playing our games and felt welcomed in our community. Here's to another great year!

Best wishes,
The Egosoft Team

How Do I Take Part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 7.50 Public Beta version. To ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum (no registration required), where they will find the rules, disclaimers, and practical instructions for participating in the beta.

--> Find out more about the "Flight Mode Update" and the current Public Beta.

[h2]7.50 Public Beta 3 Changelog[/h2]
(visit our forum for the full 7.50 changelog overview)

• Added Terran production method to Wide Area Sensor Array module (new feature in 7.50).
  
• Added radar range information to Wide Area Sensor Array encyclopedia entry (new feature in 7.50).
  
  
• Improved Timelines scenario President's End to compensate for boost changes (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Improved Local Automine where designated system has multiple sectors and some of those sectors have hazardous regions.
  
• Improved behaviour of capital ships attacking other capital ships.
  
• Improved target acquisition reliability for attack subordinates.
  
• Improved visuals for Logical Station Overview, Research and Terraforming menus.
  
• Improved visuals for new gravidar display (new feature in 7.50).
  
• Improved alarm effect on stations under attack.
  
  
• Fixed Find Object Missions failing on acceptance (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed reverse throttle input snapping to maximum backward throttle (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed docked subordinates sometimes causing their commander to teleport due to excessive vibration (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed ships not being assignable to existing Position Defence groups for stations (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed a case of ships flying long-distance to other moving objects failing to move (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed expected construction budget increasing over time while build storage waiting for resources.
  
• Fixed gravidar detection inconsistency for stations with Wide Area Sensor Array (new feature in 7.50).
  
• Fixed incorrect weapon aim indicator position for dumbfire missiles (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed incorrectly positioned station geometries on gravidar (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed mission offer icon positions on gravidar (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed flickering target brackets on gravidar (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed broken menu when viewing Object Info menu of inactive Jump Gate.
  
• Fixed HUD monitors not being visible after toggling HUD off and on under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed Interact menu overlapping the Radar under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed travel effects not working if ship started travel mode outside visible range.
  
• Fixed collectable container icon being too large in gravidar and map.
  
• Fixed detail of Paranid Mass Driver Mk2 not rotating with barrel.
  
• Fixed floating detail on Falx.
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.

How Do I Take Part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 7.50 Public Beta version. To ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum (no registration required), where they will find the rules, disclaimers, and practical instructions for participating in the beta.

--> Find out more about the "Flight Mode Update" and the current Public Beta.

[h2]7.50 Public Beta 2 Changelog[/h2]
(visit our forum for the full 7.50 changelog overview)

• New Feature:: Lost ship replacement option.
  
• New Feature:: Radar station module.
  
• Added voice feedback when engines on player ship fail due to damage.
  
• Improved Supply Factory generic mission to filter out stations which don't have relevant wares to be stocked.
  
• Improved ships undocking from carriers at high speed.
  
• Improved autopilot behaviour when approaching highways after warping through gate.
  
• Improved camera and sound behaviour in Live Stream View.
  
• Improved viewing angle on gravidar to make far-away objects more visible (new feature in 7.50).
  
• Improved gravidar readability in bright environments.
  
• Fixed freeze when using autopilot on superhighway gate or mission contact when close to station (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed Explore targeting jump gate or superhighway entrance to undiscovered sector not working (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed anomalies acting more strongly than usual when player is in travel mode (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed fleet subordinates that are unable to attack becoming unresponsive to being attacked (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed unresponsive ships in very busy locations under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed trade ships stuck waiting for trade operation to complete.
  
• Fixed trade amounts sometimes being reported as negative or excessively large while ships are about to complete trade operation.
  
• Fixed turrets resuming fire on non-hostile targets if hostilities ceased while turrets were disarmed.
  
• Fixed Shady Guy characters sometimes not existing in base game sectors if DLC was installed.
  
• Fixed crew appearance on nearby ships sometimes being randomised between comms sessions.
  
• Fixed temporarily incorrect display of seller cargo status while goods are en route to buyer.
  
• Fixed being unable to control buy offers for Advanced Composites and Plasma Conductors in Plan Build menu (new feature in 7.50).
  
• Fixed station modules not being shown in Encyclopedia under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed keyboard and controller not working when returning to Start Menu (problem introduced in 7.50).
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.

We're excited to announce the start of the Public Beta for the upcoming 7.50 Update for X4: Foundations, also known as the "Flight Model Update"! This major update introduces a substantial overhaul of the game's flight model, bringing smoother and more realistic ship controls to the X4 universe. Check out the full changelog at the end of this news post and join our Public Beta today to support us in preparing for the update's release in the first quarter of 2025.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

For this ambitious transformation, we've partnered with John Pritchett, a former Senior Physics Programmer from the Star Citizen development team, who has been instrumental in reworking ship handling in X4. This update brings significant changes to ship control and flight pathing, and we're thrilled to give you the chance to experience it first-hand.

Be sure to watch our latest XLOG episode, where Egosoft founder and Managing Director Bernd Lehahn shares his thoughts on the upcoming changes and our plans for the next year. Also, don't miss our recently posted Roadmap news, which offers a broader look at our vision for the future of X4.

In addition to the new flight model, we're making balancing adjustments across all ships in the game. Expect refined engines, thrusters, and other ship components as we work to create a balanced, optimised experience that fully leverages the new flight dynamics.

This update also expands the X4 universe with several new sectors, connecting previously distant Terran and Boron regions. And alongside these new areas of space, we're introducing adjustments to the in-game economy.

On the visual front, the 7.50 update will bring major enhancements to our graphics engine, including DLSS and FSR 3 support.

How Do I Take Part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 7.50 Public Beta version. To ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum (no registration required), where they will find the rules, disclaimers, and practical instructions for participating in the beta.

We're excited to hear your feedback on this transformative update. Follow our Steam updates and other channels via our Linktree to stay informed as we move closer to the official release.

[h3]7.50 Public Beta 1 Changelog[/h3]
(please visit our forum for the complete changelog)

• New Feature: New flight model with corresponding rebalancing of ships.
  
• New Feature: Boost now has its own energy pool.
  
• New Feature: Improved Gravidar display.
  
• New Feature: Support for FSR3 and DLSS.
  
  
• Added confirmation when aborting missions.
  
• Added faction-specific text variants for various generic missions.
  
• Added estimated minimum build cost information to Build Station mission briefing.
  
• Added opposing faction information to Mission context menu.
  
• Added option to Start Position Defence on stations with administration module and subordinates assigned to defend station.
  
• Added option to Respond to Station Distress Calls for subordinates assigned to Position Defence.
  
• Added mining ships assigned to NPC mineral and gas refinery stations.
  
• Added player-only sell offers for remaining cargo of orphaned Build Storages.
  
• Added possibility to reduce station plot sizes if constructed modules allow for it.
  
• Added number suffix to station modules to help identify them in map and elevator travel destination list.
  
• Added warning when building production modules that produce illegal wares.
  
• Added order icon for station trade subordinates that have manually defined ware list.
  
• Added orphaned Build Storages to Account Management section in Player Information menu.
  
• Added limited ship statistics view in Ship configuration menus.
  
• Added new entries to Ship Loadout Statistics.
  
• Added alphabetic sorting for station modules in Object List and Property Owned menus in Map.
  
• Added missing resource information to stalled ship build orders in Object List and Property Owned menus.
  
• Added information about mod quality to ship selection dropdown in Ship Configuration menu.
  
• Added additional options for ship name generation in Ship Build menu.
  
• Added possibility to set Paint Modifications while building or upgrading ships.
  
• Added missing equipment blueprints to mouse-over text for unavailable loadout options.
  
• Added limited Interact menu option in Manage Plots mode of Map menu.
  
• Added option to remove Build Storages of removed Station plots immediately.
  
• Added separate icon for collectable asteroid chunks.
  
• Added highlighting to interactive HUD elements.
  
• Added various container icons to Map legend.
  
• Added additional colour animation when targeting obstructed targets.
  
• Added support for controller input modifiers.
  
• Added OpenTrack UDP support for Head Tracking under Linux.
  
  
• Changed production materials for Hull Parts and Claytronics production modules.
  
  
• Removed temporary drone mode Trading from Cargo Drones settings.
  
• Removed option to transfer wares with Construction Vessels that are busy.
  
• Removed Apply button for Start Menu Background Scene option.
  
  
• Improved balancing of internal ship storage of all capital ships.
  
• Improved equipment loadout and balancing of turrets for Timelines scenario Defanging the Defence.
  
• Improved racing AI in racing scenarios.
  
• Improved Guild missions by no longer aborting whole chain if one sub-mission fails.
  
• Improved Sabotage missions by adding information about required equipment to briefing.
  
• Improved Sabotage missions by allowing partial success if targets aren't destroyed with spacesuit bombs.
  
• Improved Yaki story by allowing player to keep cover ability after completing mission and activate/deactivate it at will.
  
• Improved Split story by allowing player to control cover feature in Zyarth's Coffin mission.
  
• Improved Vigor Syndicate raider distribution over time.
  
• Improved mineral resource gather rate of Saturn II.
  
• Improved fighter dogfighting behaviour when player not present.
  
• Improved fidelity of fighters dogfighting when player not present compared to when player present.
  
• Improved ships undocking from ships or stations with launch tubes to Attack or Attack targets in range.
  
• Improved movement between sectors when fleets are ordered to Coordinate Attack.
  
• Improved long-distance movement to moving objects.
  
• Improved autopilot behaviour when guidance is set to ships.
  
• Improved cargo drones catching up with ship that launched them.
  
• Improved cohesion of fighter-led fleets when moving between gates.
  
• Improved boost usage in dogfights.
  
• Improved hacking of station Security Control Panels to also prevent launch of defence drones.
  
• Improved trade search for station-based trade subordinates that are further down command hierarchy.
  
• Improved feedback if player-owned ships are ordered to attack without weapons or without ammunition.
  
• Improved target monitor display for cargo containers and asteroid pieces that do not fit into ship's cargo bay.
  
• Improved readability between collectable and non collectable crates in map and radar.
  
• Improved controller navigation in Ship configuration menus.
  
• Improved trade loop context menu width to avoid truncated texts.
  
• Improved zoom behaviour in External Static View.
  
• Improved representation of undefined order parameters in Object Behaviour menus.
  
• Improved colours of asteroid icons on map.
  
• Improved trade menu layout.
  
• Improved visuals of station response to attack.
  
• Improved collisions around Argon L housing spire.
  
• Improved Tobii support using Tobii Game Integration.
  
  
• Fixed XL Spire module blueprint reward for those that already had 20+ relation with Quettanauts.
  
• Fixed tutorials not completing when closing final dialog box without selecting option.
  
• Fixed Foundations of an Empire mission getting stuck if another station building mission is started in same location.
  
• Fixed leader of Terran fleet in War of Intervention mission not moving to target sector if it has no useable weapons.
  
• Fixed Boron-Terran relations not depending on states of Boron-Terran diplomatic mission, Boron-Argon alliance and Argon-Terran war.
  
• Fixed Kha'ak continuing to spawn after certain installations have been destroyed.
  
• Fixed Duke's Buccaneers constructing factories before they become Duke's Tempest.
  
• Fixed large supply missions being offered by factions which barter or have no trade offers.
  
• Fixed being able to warp HQ during Terraforming project.
  
• Fixed Attack targets in range order repeatedly creating Attack orders for ships that do not have weapons.
  
• Fixed fighters attacking large objects when player not present trying to apply damage while facing away from their target.
  
• Fixed rare case of ship claiming to be on venture when it no longer is.
  
• Fixed smugglers sometimes assuming Paranid or Holy Order ownership after those factions have stopped existing.
  
• Fixed Terran solar power plants not being placed in Mercury sector.
  
• Fixed Build Storages not sharing same relations towards other factions as corresponding Stations.
  
• Fixed crew hiring by upgrading at equipment docks not accounting for passengers, prisoners, or unassigned crew.
  
• Fixed some NPC traders or miners being erroneously sent to patrol.
  
• Fixed Get Supplies sometimes not finding trades.
  
• Fixed capital ships in fleets facing away from sector center after transiting through gates.
  
• Fixed player flying in wrong direction after entering space suit near explorable wrecks.
  
• Fixed player in space suit not being able to approach their ship in relative movement.
  
• Fixed ships not remaining in relative movement after saving and loading.
  
• Fixed patrolling ships sometimes inadvertently chasing enemies to other sectors.
  
• Fixed police penalising player for owning ship that was once used by different faction to cause trouble.
  
• Fixed ships set to comply with police or pirate challenge sometimes not dropping wares if they have very small amounts.
  
• Fixed Construction Vessels that abandon stalled build site sometimes leaving their drones behind.
  
• Fixed Kha'ak defence platforms not being automatically aimed at when selected as target.
  
• Fixed weapons with slow rotation sometimes jumping to target while aiming.
  
• Fixed fleet members performing Coordinate Attack inconsistently honoring travel blacklists.
  
• Fixed ships sometimes not rejoining formation if player gets close then moves away again.
  
• Fixed ships failing to dock at covered dock areas under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed inconsistent creation of looped order under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed attack response override orders for ships using order loops being inserted at wrong position in loop.
  
• Fixed subordinate group assignments being lost when subordinate is promoted under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed subordinates assigned to attack with commander not withdrawing for repairs when they should.
  
• Fixed autopilot not exiting highways reliably in certain sectors.
  
• Fixed defence drones sometimes not undocking properly.
  
• Fixed Construction Vessels idling for several minutes between deployment jobs.
  
• Fixed ships mimicking station-based traders or miners requiring skill threshold.
  
• Fixed boost and travel mode acceleration stalling caused by activating throttle inputs.
  
• Fixed being able to exceed top speed when matching speed.
  
• Fixed not being able to enter superhighways at very high travel speeds.
  
• Fixed Full Stop not leaving highway while map is open.
  
• Fixed AI ships stuttering during flight.
  
• Fixed AI-controlled spacesuits not detecting nearby ships.
  
• Fixed AI-fired beam weapons increasing Laser Shots Fired statistic.
  
• Fixed ships not having loaded weapons on first engagement.
  
• Fixed docked ships firing forward weapons when player not present.
  
• Fixed repair units sometimes not being visible.
  
• Fixed external target view not resetting when target leaves range or is stored.
  
• Fixed Shroud ship mod not working correctly after saving and loading.
  
• Fixed user-defined external camera positions not being loaded correctly.
  
• Fixed incorrect station loadout preset when loading construction plan.
  
• Fixed missing roman numeral suffix on factory names.
  
• Fixed Deliver Wares button in Mission Briefing menu not working.
  
• Fixed mismatch in Processing Module stats between Station Build and Logical Station Overview menus.
  
• Fixed Station Build menu assuming that all ware reservations are deliveries.
  
• Fixed incorrect time estimates for building ships under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed incorrect display of maximum crew size on target monitor for certain ships.
  
• Fixed negative ware storage numbers in Object Info menu.
  
• Fixed completed ware reservations in Logical Station Overview menu not being removed.
  
• Fixed missing generic actions in Interact menu of multiple ships using Repeat Orders.
  
• Fixed Object Rename dialog still applying new name when pressing Escape.
  
• Fixed selecting ships in Map menu with filter not working reliably.
  
• Fixed menu selection jumping in Crew Transfer context menu.
  
• Fixed issues with restoring antialiasing and upscaling settings after discarding new settings.
  
• Fixed Ship Build menu Blacklist and Fire Authorisation settings not being able to reset to global settings.
  
• Fixed game unpausing when opening Ship configuration menu in Custom Gamestart Editor.
  
• Fixed Main Menu Tab controls not repeating correctly.
  
• Fixed Reset View button in Map menu not being reachable with keyboard/controller.
  
• Fixed objects not shown on Gravidar affecting Gravidar zoom level.
  
• Fixed several issues with full-screen message cutscenes.
  
• Fixed missiles exploding in encyclopedia cutscenes.
  
• Fixed FPS Display button in Debug Log.
  
• Fixed map search not working under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed different order of turret groups in Ship Configuration, Map and Ship Interaction menus.
  
• Fixed various menu layout issues at high UI scale settings.
  
• Fixed visual gaps in Logical Station Overview, Research and Terraforming menus.
  
• Fixed overlapping connections in Terraforming menu under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed Ship Build menu closing immediately under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed deleted save game still listed in menu under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed backlog of ticker messages after using menus.
  
• Fixed pilots showing up on monitor to inform player about completed orders when player is standing nearby.
  
• Fixed hack panels sometimes being targetable from different rooms.
  
• Fixed jittering HUD targets in External Target View under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed outdated drone info in HUD under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed stuck mouse-over texts under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed menu crash when using Inventory menu shortcut in Map menu under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed missing Text for Kaori paint theme.
  
• Fixed NPCs sitting backwards in chairs after loading save game where they were walking.
  
• Fixed solar panels not rendering fully in station editor.
  
• Fixed being able to jump out of bounds in several spots on dock areas.
  
• Fixed missing mode lights on capital ship bridges.
  
• Fixed invisible walls on the broken jumpgate in the Mars sector.
  
• Fixed missing collision on bridge of Sapporo and Xenon H.
  
• Fixed floating human-shaped geometry appearing near Eye of the Beholder station.
  
• Fixed parts of Data Vault disappearing depending on viewing angle.
  
• Fixed external camera being offset on Odachi when changing viewing angle.
  
• Fixed flickering windows on old Terran and Terraformer bridges.
  
• Fixed certain elements in cockpit of Xenon F disappearing when entering it.
  
• Fixed large uniform glowing surface in 1M6S Basic Dock Area.
  
• Fixed missing hologram in Alligator (Mineral) transporter room.
  
• Fixed NPCs not correctly using the elevator on Xenon F.
  
• Fixed paint mod affecting small details on Boron Ray.
  
• Fixed blue screen effect appearing on Sapporo and Xenon H bridge.
  
• Fixed glass floor on bridge of Xenon H and Sapporo incorrectly blocking sun.
  
• Fixed sunlight shining through solid surfaces on Sapporo and Xenon H bridge.
  
• Fixed cockpit glass of Porpoise not appearing smooth.
  
• Fixed several trophies being incorrectly placed in player office.
  
• Fixed flickering surface in Tuatara cockpit.
  
• Fixed Boron Ray Ion Projector wreck being offset.
  
• Fixed low resolution texture on Dart engine exhaust.
  
• Fixed flickering surface and texturing issue on Raptor.
  
• Fixed dock hatches of Xenon F and Xenon SE fading out too early.
  
• Fixed door on Sapporo and Xenon H bridges not opening properly for NPCs passing through.
  
• Fixed engine flames of Boron S and M ships being animated against direction of flight.
  
• Fixed mirrored numbers in Porpoise cockpit.
  
• Fixed missing thruster exhaust on Kukri.
  
• Fixed flipped text on kitchen cabinet doors.
  
• Fixed flickering objects when using VE Goggles.
  
• Fixed extreme ghosting when zooming with VE Goggles with TAA enabled.
  
• Fixed control settings menu showing incorrect key names for non-QWERTY keyboards on Linux.
  
• Fixed sound/graphical issue when switching from Long Range Scan while charging.
  
• Fixed stutter when saving config files.
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.

The 25th anniversary year for the X series is rapidly approaching its end, and it’s been a few months since 7.10, our last major update for X4: Foundations, launched in August. Those familiar with our development journey will already know that this apparently quiet period actually means that behind the scenes we’re working hard on future developments. At such times we’ve always tended to be a bit more cautious in our public communication, to avoid setting expectations that may turn out to be unrealistic. Our highly iterative development process, and the shifting plans that lie behind it, often mean that we can’t predict exactly what will happen and when.

However, we’re now at a point where we believe that we can comfortably share a picture of what lies ahead for X4 in 2025. So, today we’re excited to present a general roadmap, which will provide an insight into our direction and give you an idea of what you can look forward to. Please keep in mind, though, that some of the details of this roadmap may still evolve – so consider this our current vision rather than a finalised plan!


[h3]First quarter 2025 – Flight Model Update[/h3]
Our next major free update for the base game will feature a significant change that’s been in the pipeline for a long time: a complete overhaul of the flight model. Over the past few years, we’ve been working towards making flying in the X4 universe smoother, more realistic, and more natural. This latest update involves substantial changes to ship control and flight pathing, and has required extensive mathematical expertise to execute.

To facilitate this, we’ve partnered with John Pritchett, a former Senior Physics Programmer on the Star Citizen development team, to lead the transformation of X4’s flight model. We’re delighted to be able to incorporate John’s contributions, and we look forward to hearing your feedback once you’ve experienced it first hand. It’s definitely something you’ll need to feel in-game rather than see in screenshots or videos, so stay tuned for a Public Beta (soon™).

As part of these flight model changes, we’re also adjusting the balancing of every ship in X4 to make the most of these improvements. This task involves revisiting engines, thrusters, and other ship components, with our team running extensive iterations to prepare a balanced experience.

Beyond the flight model changes, we’re also adding several new sectors to the game as part of this update, creating additional connections to the Terran and Boron areas of space that were added in their respective expansions, X4: Cradle of Humanity and X4: Kingdom End. These new connections will be paired with some adjustments to the in-game economy – we’ll be giving more details on that once the Public Beta has started.

On the graphical front, this update will introduce yet more significant enhancements to our graphics engine, including DLSS and FSR 3 implementation.

We’re looking forward to launching the Public Beta for this transformative update as soon as possible. However, as you can imagine, these “game-changing” features require a little more time in the internal and private testing phases, so follow our Steam updates or our other communication channels (see Linktree to stay informed).



[h3]First quarter 2025 – “Mini DLC 1” (working title)[/h3]
Alongside the free updates to the base game, we’re planning a smaller-than-usual DLC release early next year. While content specifics are still in the works, this “Mini DLC” will be more compact than previous X4 expansions. A confirmed feature is the re-imagining of a fan-favourite ship from earlier X series games; one which has been eagerly requested by members of the community. The DLC will also feature some activities surrounding the acquisition of this ship, and maybe even its blueprints. Stay tuned, as we may reveal the ship as a Christmas surprise this year!

[h3]Third quarter 2025 – Diplomacy Update[/h3]
Later in 2025, we are planning a free base game update that will focus on Diplomacy gameplay in X4: Foundations. This update will introduce a new room in the player’s headquarters, where faction representatives can gather and offer you strategic options. In addition to this room, players will have access to agents (NPCs) who can be dispatched on independent missions to achieve diplomatic goals in the X universe. The highlight of this update will be Diplomatic Events, giving players the opportunity to manipulate their own relations with other factions, and even in some cases between specific NPC factions. We’ll have more to share regarding further features of the Diplomacy Update as we get closer to its release.

[h3]Third quarter 2025 – Additional Mini DLC[/h3]
Depending on the success of the first Mini DLC, we may follow up with similarly sized DLCs to accompany other free base game updates. As you can see, our focus in 2025 is on consistent, impactful improvements to the base game and, as in the past, those base game updates will be free to existing X4 players, with Mini DLC purchases supporting ongoing development.

[h3]2026 – Exploration Update[/h3]
In early 2026, we aim to release another major update, this time with the focus on Exploration. This update will introduce new anomalies that guide players to unexplored sectors of the X universe, each with unique and exciting discoveries. As development progresses, we’ll refine the details around this overall theme, such as improvements to Long-Range Scanner gameplay, and a range of missions for discovering these anomalies. Although this feature is still fairly early in its development cycle, Exploration will definitely be an essential part of X4’s future vision. We welcome your thoughts on this theme!

[h3]2026 – Another Major Update, Too Early To Really Talk About![/h3]
Looking further ahead, most likely in the latter part of 2026, we have plans for yet another major update marking another milestone in the game’s development. While we’re keeping details very much under wraps for now, we can assure you that exciting additions and premieres are planned for the series.

We hope this roadmap gives you a clearer, though admittedly still somewhat vague, vision of what’s in store for X4 in the coming year. We can’t wait to kick off the Public Beta for the next update, so be sure to stay connected to our communication channels. If you’re new, then check out our Linktree for a comprehensive overview of our news and community resources.