Distant Worlds 2
Released Mar 2022
Distant Worlds 2 is a vast, pausable real-time 4X space strategy game.
72% positive · 3,574 reviews
Not yet
Released, but content still planned
High confidence
Content Planned
Not yet
Released, but content still planned
High confidence
Content Planned
Where to buy
Steam Lowest $14.99 $49.99 −70% Green Man Gaming Steam key $17.50 $49.99 −65% IndieGala Steam key $49.99
Prices in USD, as listed by each store.
Buying through an affiliate store helps support the site
Evaluation
Distant Worlds 2 launched on March 10, 2022 and has been under sustained, active development ever since. The studio has shipped four paid DLC packs — Factions: Ikkuro and Dhayut (March 16, 2023), Factions: Quameno and Gizureans (September 7, 2023), Return of the Shakturi (October 24, 2024), and Factions: Atuuk and Wekkarus (April 3, 2025) — alongside a consistent stream of major free updates including the Fleet Update (November 2023), the Stellar Update (February 2024), the Mercantile Update (December 9, 2025), and the Command Update (July 23, 2026).
The next major expansion, "Shadows Rising," is formally announced and listed on the Steam store as unreleased. On July 23, 2026, the developer confirmed it will launch on October 7, 2026, introducing playable Pirates, a new "Age of Shadows" starting era, Shadowports, expanded smuggling mechanics, and more. A developer diary posted on August 5, 2026 provides extensive detail on the expansion's story and gameplay. The Command Update — adding Hive Ship models, an Empire Contracts system, and numerous improvements — shipped alongside the announcement on July 23, 2026.
Beyond Shadows Rising, the August 2025 roadmap committed to a spring 2026 Ackdarians faction refresh (the final base game faction still awaiting an update), and the February 2025 State of the Game post confirmed a fourth Factions DLC featuring the Securans and Naxxilians is in development, targeting 2026. The developer is communicating actively, with the most recent post dated August 5, 2026.
Evidence
Dev Diary #1 for Shadows Rising published, providing detailed lore and gameplay description of the upcoming expansion's Age of Shadows scenario and pirate gameplay.
Developer formally announced Shadows Rising at Slitherine Next, confirming an October 7, 2026 release date. Also released the free Command Update on the same day.
Content
5 of 5 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Slitherine Ltd.
Achievements
—
Platform
Windows
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player
About this game
Distant Worlds Returns! Distant Worlds, the critically acclaimed 4X space strategy game is back with a brand new 64-bit engine, 3D graphics and a polished interface to begin an epic new Distant Worlds series with Distant Worlds 2.
Distant Worlds 2 is a vast, pausable real-time 4X space strategy game. Experience the full depth and detail of turn-based strategy, but with the simplicity and ease of real-time, and on the scale of a massively-multiplayer online game. The Universe is Yours!
Huge Galaxies with up to 2,000 star systems and tens of thousands of planets, moons and asteroids are yours to explore and exploit, whether peacefully through mining and diplomacy or by conquest! The complex process of generating a galaxy ensures that every new game will be different and the many galaxy setup options ensure incredible replayability as well as the ability to have your game be just the way you like it.
Galaxies are so deep, fun and immersive that you won’t want to finish the game. Choose from seven playable base game factions which cover a wide variety of playstyles.
Build, expand and improve your empire while playing through the storylines, with victory conditions or in an open-ended sandbox mode. Each galaxy is packed with life and activity. Encounter other empires, independent alien colonies, traders, pirates and space monsters. Explore star systems, asteroid fields, galactic storms and black holes. Discover evidence of civilizations long since past, uncovering secrets about the galaxy's troubled history...
Intelligent automation allows you to tailor the game to your preferred playstyle and scale. Decide how much you want to control and which gameplay areas suit you best. You can limit your focus to just one ship or expand it all the way up to everything in a vast galactic empire. Let your advisors and the intelligent automation handle the rest!
A Built-in Game Editor allows you to fine-tune your own galaxy, adding or removing star systems, planets, asteroids, ships, star bases, space monsters or anything else. Modify the attributes of any empire in your game for the ultimate custom experience.
Extensive In-Game Help is included. Exhaustive, built-in, context-sensitive help is always only a single key-press away. Press F1 at any time for a detailed explanation of the current game screen, your currently selected item, and so on, or just browse the complete “Galactopedia”
Tutorials are included to quickly familiarize you with all of the game elements and tools.
Best of all, these all combine to let you play the game your way: enjoy a quick, intense game in a crowded sector of space or take your time in an epic game spread across a vast galaxy!
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Aug 14, 2026
Something about this evaluation looks wrong Report illegal or harmful content