X (video game series)

Last updated

X
Genre(s) Space trading and combat simulator
Developer(s) Egosoft
Publisher(s)
Platform(s) Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
First release X: Beyond the Frontier
Latest release X4: Foundations
  • WW: November 30, 2018

X is a science fiction space trading and combat simulator series created by German developer Egosoft. The series is set in the X-Universe where several races populate a number of worlds connected by jumpgates.

Contents

Plot

Hundreds of millions of years before the plot of the X games, the Ancient races, who have transceded their physical form, built billions of jumpgates throughout the universe. Their purpose, as well as their effect, is to limit the development of faster-than-light transportation, creating a reliance on these jumpgates as human and alien species explore the universe. This enables the Ancients to act as shepherds of life, preventing wars between alien species, and monitoring the development of civilisations. [1] :D1–D18

Unexpectedly for the Ancients, however, mankind would discover jumpgate technology themselves. [1] :D28 Over the course of the 21st century, mankind experimented with wormhole technology and successfully built jumpgates in space between Earth and Mars paving the way for the colonization of the Solar System and interstellar transport. A jumpgate was shuttled to Alpha Centauri in an attempt to claim a foothold in interstellar space. However, in 2041, Earth lost contact with it, and while trying to re-establish the connection, instead locked onto Ancient-made ones, causing them to stumble into the X-Universe. [1] :B4–B6 In response, the Anciets rearranged some gates to isolate humans in a subnetwork devoid of other life. In 2045, humanity began to explore the jumpgate network, finding plenty of suitable planets for terraforming and colonisation. Self-replicating AI ships, the Terraformers, were sent out into the network to find and terraform planets, but in 2145, ships corrupted by a badly-made and sabotaged final update started targeting inhabited worlds, killing billions. Earth was saved by the exploits of Nathan Ridley Gunne, who lured the Terraformer fleet out of the Solar System before the human jumpgate was destroyed. Earth was saved, but the stranded colonists discovered the alien gates now led to a completely different network. [1] :B4–B13

This part of humanity now separated from Earth survived and formed a new civilisation called the Argon Federation, a name coming from the corruption of "R. Gunne". [1] :B14–B15 The Argon gradually lost their cultural connection with Earth, even adopting a new year counting system—NT, for New Time—partly to prevent the remaining Terraformers from finding a new way back to the Solar System. The Goners, a fringe cult in Argon society, kept archives of "Old Earth" and hoped for an eventual reunion. [1] :B17–B19 The new configuration of this network did not leave humans alone however, and Argon first encountered an alien species, the Paranid, in 130 NT. The Boron followed in 323 NT, the Split in 324 NT, and the Teladi in 550 NT. Over the centuries, attacks from Terraformers, now known as the Xenon, would occasionally flare up, and the Argon formed the Community of Planets to try and maintain peace between the various alien factions. [1] :B20–B23

Around 730 NT, during the buildup of a new war with the Xenon, a jumpship from Earth piled by Kyle William Brennan suddenly appeared in the Teladi capital system Seizewell, [1] :B24 kicking off the events of X: Beyond the Frontier .

The X-Universe features several sentient species:

The X series

Release timeline
Bold italic: Standalone, Italic: DLCs
1999 X: Beyond the Frontier
2000 X-Tension
2001
2002
2003 X2: The Threat
2004
2005 X3: Reunion
2006
2007
2008 X3: Terran Conflict
2009
2010
2011 X3: Albion Prelude
2012
2013 X Rebirth
2014X Rebirth: The Teladi Outpost
2015
2016X Rebirth: Home of Light
2017X Rebirth VR Edition
2018 X4: Foundations
2019
2020X4: Split Vendetta
2021X4: Cradle of Humanity
X3: Farnham's Legacy
2022X4: Tides of Avarice
2023X4: Kingdom End
2024X4: Timelines
2025X4: Hyperion Pack

The series, which was launched in 1999 on the Windows platform, consists of five base games: X: Beyond the Frontier , X2: The Threat , X3: Reunion , X Rebirth and X4: Foundations . The series games are expanded by sequels that both add features and extend the plot. A plot can be undertaken in all games except X-Tension where the player takes part in missions to unfold events.

In 2010, Egosoft released the X-Superbox, a pack containing all the X series games up to that date: X: Beyond the Frontier , X-Tension , X2: The Threat , X3: Reunion , and X3: Terran Conflict . Included in the pack was extra missions within Terran Conflict. [2] [3] Additionally, owners of the pack also obtained X3: Albion Prelude for free when it was released in 2011. [4]

TitleDate releasedPlatform(s)Ref.
X: Beyond the Frontier 1 July 1999 Windows
X-Tension 1 June 2000Windows
X2: The Threat 3 December 2003 Linux, macOS, Windows
X3: Reunion 28 October 2005Linux, macOS, Windows
X3: Terran Conflict 16 October 2008Linux, macOS, Windows
X3: Albion Prelude 15 December 2011Linux, macOS, Windows
X Rebirth 15 November 2013Linux, macOS, Windows [5]
X Rebirth: The Teladi Outpost11 December 2014Linux, macOS, Windows [6]
X Rebirth: Home of Light25 February 2016Linux, macOS, Windows [7]
X Rebirth VR Edition15 July 2017Windows
X4: Foundations 30 November 2018Linux, Windows [8]
X4: Split Vendetta31 March 2020Linux, Windows [9]
X4: Cradle of Humanity16 March 2021Linux, Windows [10]
X3: Farnham's Legacy4 May 2021Linux, macOS, Windows [11]
X4: Tides of Avarice14 March 2022Linux, Windows [12]
X4: Kingdom End12 April 2023Linux, Windows [13]
X4: Timelines20 June 2024Linux, Windows [14]

Books

So far, six tie-in books have been written by Helge Kautz  [ de ], all in German: [15]

Additionally, two English language novels by were published by Trafford Publishing in 2004 as part of an anthology X-Universe Volume One ( ISBN   978-1-4120-1955-2): Dominion by Darren "Steel" Astles and Rogue Testament by Steve Miller. [16] [17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Kautz, Helge (2010). X-Encyclopedia. Egosoft.
  2. Egosoft (8 October 2010). X SuperBox - Official Trailer [HQ] . Retrieved 20 November 2024 via YouTube.
  3. "News - Now Available - X Superbox". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  4. Smith, Adam (15 December 2011). "X3: Albion Prelude's Sumptuous Spacestuff". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  5. Walker, John (20 April 2011). "Born Again - X: Rebirth Announced". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  6. O'Connor, Alice (29 September 2014). "X Rebirth Blasting Off To Teladi Outpost In First Expansion". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  7. Donnelly, Joe (26 February 2016). "X Rebirth Launches New DLC Alongside Major Update". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  8. O'Connor, Alice (1 October 2018). "X4: Foundations blasting off in November". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  9. Vega, Sin (1 April 2020). "X4: Foundations gets a major update and expansion with Split Vendetta". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  10. Smith, Graham (16 March 2021). "X4: Foundations heads to Earth with today's Cradle Of Humanity expansion". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  11. Pearson, Craig (5 May 2021). "X3: Farnham's Legacy, a surprise free game in the X series, is out now". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  12. Sheehan, Gavin (14 March 2022). "X4's Latest DLC Tides Of Avarice Launches Today". bleedingcool.com. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  13. Brown, Joey (13 March 2023). "X4's Next Expansion May Be Its Biggest Leap Yet". Game Rant. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  14. Sheehan, Gavin (25 December 2023). "X4: Foundations To Receive Major Expansion With X4: Timelines". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  15. "X-Universe Series by Helge T. Kautz". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  16. Astles, Darren Steel (2004). X-Universe Volume One. Trafford Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4120-1955-2.
  17. "X-Universe Volume One". Trafford. Retrieved 20 November 2024.