Stellaris: Console Edition Gets Xbox Series X Upgrade

Stellaris: Console Edition is getting an upgrade on the Xbox Series X. The system's extra power has given the developer the extra room it needs to really take the game to the next level.

Stellaris is a space-themed 4X grand strategy game, where the player takes the role of an interstellar civilization that has just achieved space flight. From there the player has to build a space empire and dominate the galaxy, via military might, diplomacy, or some other means. The game was originally released on PC, but was later released on Xbox One and PS4 as Stellaris: Console Edition. Of course, consoles don't have as much power as PCs, so the console version runs a little bit slower.

This new patch is going a little way to rectify that, as Paradox Interactive's new trailer shows. The game often has extensive lists of patch notes, although these are a little more compact. The trailer gives a side-by-side view of the Xbox Series X version of the game vs the Xbox One version, and the differences are striking.

The Xbox Series X version loads to the title screen a full 32 seconds faster than the Xbox One version. Likewise, the Xbox Series X version is able to run at a smooth 60 frames per second on both the map screen and when zoomed into a battle, as compared to the Xbox One's 30 frames per second for the same.

It's really great to see the developers continuing to support the game like this. These upgrades will certainly be useful when the third expansion pass comes out for Stellaris: Console Edition.

On the other hand, Stellaris: Console Edition still doesn't run quite as well as Stellaris does on a higher-end PC, so the console edition still has a long way to go before it becomes the definitive version of the game.

Developers M2H and Blackmill Games have announced a new game titled Isonzo. According to them, the game is set to be a first-person shooter with a fairly unique setting and premise.

Isonzo is a continuation of M2H and Blackmill Games' popular WWI Game Series. The series includes the 2015 hit game Verdun, and its sequel Tannenberg. Verdun takes place in the Western Front of WWI, while Tannenberg is set in the Eastern Front.

Isonzo is set to take place in the Italian Front of the war. Like its predecessors, the game will be incredibly realistic and detailed, based on thorough research on the period. M2H co-founder Matt Hergaarden has said that "The Italian Front was the perfect opportunity for us to elevate the WW1 Game Series, both figuratively and literally."

According to Hergaarden, the new mountain based gameplay in Isonzo should make new game mechanics possible for the series. It will also allow the devs to introduce the Italian army, who haven't been seen in the series before, and have them face off against the Austro-Hungarian army.

The developers further elaborated that "the fighting takes place among the scenic peaks, rugged valleys and idyllic towns of northern Italy. The brand new Offensive game mode puts players right in the middle of key historical offensives on the Italian Front, from high-altitude combat in the Alps through to the ferocious battles for the Isonzo river."