4X (abbreviation of ''Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate'') is a

subgenre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a Category of being, category of literature, ...

of strategy-based

computer A computer is a machine that can be programmed to Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as C ...

and

board game Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well. Many board games feature a comp ...

s, and include both

turn-based In video and other games, the passage of time must be handled in a way that players find fair and easy to understand. This is usually done in one of the two ways: real-time and turn-based. Real-time Real-time games have game time progress cont ...

and

real-time strategy Real-time strategy (RTS) is a Video game genre, subgenre of strategy video games that do not progress incrementally in turn-based game, turns, but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time". By contrast, in Turn-based strategy, turn ...

titles. The

gameplay Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and pla ...

involves building an empire. Emphasis is placed upon economic and technological development, as well as a range of military and non-military routes to supremacy. The earliest 4X games borrowed ideas from

s and 1970s

text-based In computing, text-based user interfaces (TUI) (alternately terminal user interfaces, to reflect a dependence upon the properties of computer terminals and not just text), is a retronym describing a type of user interface (UI) common as an ear ...

computer games. The first 4X computer games were

, but

real-time Real-time or real time describes various operations in computing or other processes that must guarantee response times within a specified time (deadline), usually a relatively short time. A real-time process is generally one that happens in defined ...

4X games are common. Many 4X computer games were published in the mid-1990s, but were later outsold by other types of strategy games.

Sid Meier Sidney K. Meier ( ; born February 24, 1954) is a Canadian-American programmer, game designer, designer, and video game producer, producer of several strategy video games and simulation video games, including the ''Civilization (series), Civiliz ...

's ''

Civilization A civilization (or civilisation) is any complex society characterized by the development of a state, social stratification, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language (namely, a writing system). Ci ...

'' is an important example from this formative era, and popularized the level of detail that later became a staple of the genre. In the new millennium, several 4X releases have become critically and commercially successful. In the board (and card) game domain, 4X is less of a distinct genre, in part because of the practical constraints of components and playing time. The ''

'' board game that gave rise to Sid Meier's ''

'' computer game, for instance, includes neither exploration nor extermination. Unless extermination is targeted at non-player entities, it tends to be either nearly impossible (because of play balance mechanisms, since player elimination is usually considered an undesirable feature) or certainly unachievable (because victory conditions are triggered before extermination can be completed) in board games.

Definition

The term "4X" originates from a 1993 preview of ''

Master of Orion ''Master of Orion'' (abbreviated as MoO) is a turn-based, 4X science fiction strategy game in which the player leads one of ten races to dominate the galaxy through a combination of diplomacy and conquest while developing technology, exploring a ...

'' in ''

Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American computer game magazine published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 1993. It expanded greatly through ...

'' by game writer Alan Emrich where he rated the game "XXXX" as a pun on the XXX rating for pornography. The four Xs were an abbreviation for "EXplore, EXpand, EXploit and EXterminate". By February 1994, another author in the magazine said that ''Command Adventures: Starship'' "only pays lip service to the four Xs", and other game commentators adopted the "4X" label to describe similar games. The 4X game genre has come to be defined as having the four following

conventions: * ''Explore'' means players send scouts across a

map A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes. Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...

to reveal surrounding territories. * ''Expand'' means players claim new territory by creating new settlements, or sometimes by extending the influence of existing settlements. * ''Exploit'' means players gather and use resources in areas they control, and improve the efficiency of that usage. * ''Exterminate'' means attacking and eliminating rival players. Since in some games all territory is eventually claimed, eliminating a rival's presence may be the only way to achieve further expansion. These gameplay elements may happen in separate phases of gameplay, or may overlap with each other over varying lengths of game time depending on

game design Game design is the art of applying design and aesthetics to create a game for entertainment or for educational, exercise, or experimental purposes. Increasingly, elements and principles of game design are also applied to other interactions, in ...

. For example, the ''Space Empires'' series and '' Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar'' have a long expansion phase, because players must make large investments in research to explore and expand into all areas. Emrich later expanded his concept for designing ''

Master of Orion 3 ''Master of Orion III'' is a 4X turn-based strategy game and the third in the ''Master of Orion'' series. ''Master of Orion III'' was developed by Quicksilver Software and published by Infogrames Interactive on February 25, 2003. Backstory In ...

'' with a fifth X, eXperience, an aspect that came with the subject matter of the game.

Modern definition

In modern-day usage, 4X games are different from other strategy games such as''

Command & Conquer ''Command & Conquer'' (''C&C'') is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game franchise, first developed by Westwood Studios. The first game was one of the earliest of the RTS genre, itself based on Westwood Studios' influential strategy game ''Dune I ...

'' by their greater complexity and scale, and their complex use of diplomacy. Reviewers have also said that 4X games feature a range of diplomatic options, and that they are well known for their large detailed empires and complex gameplay. In particular, 4X games offer detailed control over an empire's economy, while other computer strategy games simplify this in favor of combat-focused gameplay.

Game design

4X computer and board games are a

strategy game A strategy game or strategic game is a game (e.g. a board game) in which the players' uncoerced, and often autonomous, decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome. Almost all strategy games require internal decisi ...

s, and include both

and

titles. The gameplay involves building an empire, which takes place in a setting such as

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

, a

fantasy world A fantasy world is a world created for/from fictional media, such as literature, film or games. Typical fantasy worlds involve magic or magical abilities, nonexistent technology and, sometimes, either a historical or futuristic theme. Some wor ...

, or in

space Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider ...

. Each player takes control of a different civilization or race with unique characteristics and strengths. Most 4X games represent these racial differences with a collection of economic and military bonuses.

Research and technology

4X games typically feature a

technology tree In strategy games, a technology, tech, or research tree is a hierarchical visual representation of the possible sequences of upgrades a player can take (most often through the act of research). Because these trees are technically directed and ac ...

, which represents a series of advancements that players can unlock to gain new units, buildings, and other capabilities. Technology trees in 4X games are typically larger than in other strategy games, featuring a larger selection of different choices. Empires must generate research resources and invest them in new technology. In 4X games, the main prerequisite for researching an advanced technology is knowledge of earlier technology. This is in contrast to non-4X real-time strategy games, where technological progress is achieved by building structures that grant access to more advanced structures and units. Research is important in 4X games because technological progress is an engine for conquest. Battles are often won by superior military technology or greater numbers, with battle tactics playing a smaller part. In contrast, military upgrades in non-4X games are sometimes small enough that technologically basic units remain important throughout the game.

Combat

Combat is an important part of 4X gameplay, because 4X games allow a player to win by exterminating all rival players, or by conquering a threshold amount of the game's universe. Some 4X games, such as ''

Galactic Civilizations ''Galactic Civilizations'' is a turn-based strategy video game developed by Stardock and released in March 2003. The game is a remake of an OS/2 series of the same name. An expansion pack entitled ''Altarian Prophecy'' was released in 2004. A se ...

'', resolve battles automatically, whenever two units from warring sides meet. This is in contrast to other 4X games, such as ''

'', that allow players to manage battles on a tactical battle screen. Even in 4X games with more detailed control over battles, victory is usually determined by superior numbers and technology, with battle tactics playing a smaller part. 4X games differ from other combat-focused strategy games by putting more emphasis on research and economics. Researching new technology will grant access to new combat units. Some 4X games even allow players to research different unit components. This is more typical of space 4X games, where players may assemble a ship from a variety of engines, shields, and weaponry.

Peaceful competition

4X games allow rival players to engage in diplomacy. While some strategy games may offer shared victory and team play, diplomatic relations tend to be restricted to a binary choice between an ally or enemy. 4X games often allow more complex diplomatic relations between competitors who are not on the same team. Aside from making allies and enemies, players are also able to trade resources and information with rivals. In addition to victory through conquest, 4X games offer peaceful victory conditions or goals that involve no extermination of rival players (although war may still be a necessary by-product of reaching said goal). For example, a 4X game may offer victory to a player who achieves a certain score or the highest score after a certain number of turns. Many 4X games award victory to the first player to master an advanced technology, accumulate a large amount of culture, or complete an awe-inspiring achievement. Several 4X games award "diplomatic victory" to anyone who can win an election decided by their rival players, or maintain peace for a specified number of turns. Galactic Civilizations has a diplomatic victory which involves having alliances with at least four factions, with no factions outside of one's alliance; there are two ways to accomplish this: ally with all factions, or ally with at least the minimum number of factions and destroy the rest.

Complexity

4X games are known for their complex gameplay and strategic depth. Gameplay usually takes priority over elaborate

graphics Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of data, as in design and manufacture ...

. Whereas other strategy games focus on combat, 4X games also offer more detailed control over diplomacy, economics, and research; creating opportunities for diverse strategies. This also challenges the player to manage several strategies simultaneously, and plan for long-term objectives. To experience a detailed model of a large empire, 4X games are designed with a complex set of game rules. For example, the player's productivity may be limited by pollution. Players may need to balance a budget, such as managing debt, or paying down maintenance costs. 4X games often model political challenges such as

civil disorder Civil disorder, also known as civil disturbance, civil unrest, or social unrest is a situation arising from a mass act of civil disobedience (such as a demonstration, riot, strike, or unlawful assembly) in which law enforcement has difficulty ...

, or a senate that can oust the player's political party or force them to make peace. FreeCol colony screen

Such complexity requires players to manage a larger amount of information than other strategy games. Game designers often organize empire management into different

interface Interface or interfacing may refer to: Academic journals * ''Interface'' (journal), by the Electrochemical Society * '' Interface, Journal of Applied Linguistics'', now merged with ''ITL International Journal of Applied Linguistics'' * '' Int ...

screens and modes, such as a separate screen for diplomacy, managing individual settlements, and managing battle tactics. Sometimes systems are intricate enough to resemble a

minigame A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than th ...

. This is in contrast to most real-time strategy games. ''

Dune II A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...

'', which arguably established the conventions for the real-time strategy genre, was fundamentally designed to be a "flat interface", with no additional screens.

Gameplay

Since 4X games involve managing a large, detailed empire, game sessions usually last longer than other strategy games. Game sessions may require several hours of play-time, which can be particularly problematic for multiplayer matches. For example, a small-scale game in ''

Sins of a Solar Empire ''Sins of a Solar Empire'' is a 2008 science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Ironclad Games and published by Stardock Entertainment for Microsoft Windows operating systems. It is a real-time strategy (RTS) game that incorporates ...

'' can last longer than twelve hours. However, fans of the genre often expect and embrace these long game sessions; Emrich wrote that "when the various parts are properly designed, other X's seem to follow. Words like EXcite, EXperiment and EXcuses (to one's significant others)". Turn-based 4X games typically divide these sessions into hundreds of turns of gameplay. Because of repetitive actions and long-playing times, 4X games have been criticized for excessive

micromanagement In business management, micromanagement is a management style whereby a manager closely observes, controls, and/or reminds the work of their subordinates or employees. Micromanagement is generally considered to have a negative connotation, main ...

. In early stages of a game this is usually not a problem, but later in a game directing an empire's numerous settlements can demand several minutes to play a single turn. This increases playing-times, which are a particular burden in multiplayer games. 4X games began to offer AI

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

s that automate the micromanagement of a colony's build orders, but players criticized these governors for making poor decisions. In response, developers have tried other approaches to reduce micromanagement, and some approaches have been more well received than others. Commentators generally agree that ''

'' succeeds, which GamingNexus.com attributes to the game's use of programmable governors. ''Sins of a Solar Empire'' was designed to reduce the incentives for micromanagement, and reviewers found that the game's

made empire management more elegant. On the other hand, ''

Master of Orion III ''Master of Orion III'' is a 4X turn-based strategy game and the third in the ''Master of Orion'' series. ''Master of Orion III'' was developed by Quicksilver Software and published by Infogrames Interactive on February 25, 2003. Backstory In ...

'' reduced micromanagement by limiting complete player control over their empire.

Victory conditions

Most 4X and similar strategy games feature multiple possible ways to win the game. For example, in ''Civilization'', players may win through total domination of all opposing players by conquest of their cities, but may also win through technological achievements (being the first to launch a spacecraft to a new planet), diplomacy (achieving peace agreements with all other nations), or other means. Multiple victory conditions help to support the human player who may have to shift strategies as the game progresses and opponents secure key resources before the player can. However, these multiple conditions can also give the computer-controlled opponents multiple pathways to potentially outwit the player, who is generally going to be over-powered in certain areas over the computer opponents. A component of the late-game design in 4X games is forcing the player to commit to a specific victory condition by making the cost and resources required to secure it so great that other possible victory conditions may need to be passed over.

History

Origin

Sid Meier - Game Developers Conference 2010 - Day 4 (7)

Early 4X games were influenced by

s and text-based computer games from the 1970s. '' Cosmic Balance II'', '' Andromeda Conquest'' and '' Reach for the Stars'' were published in 1983, and are now seen retrospectively as 4X games. Although ''Andromeda Conquest'' was only a simple game of empire expansion, ''Reach for the Stars'' introduced the relationship between economic growth, technological progress, and conquest.

Trade Wars ''Trade Wars'' is a series of video games dating back to 1984. The video games are inspired by '' Hunt the Wumpus'', the board game ''Risk'', and the original space trader game ''Star Trader''. History The first game with the title, "Trade Wars" ...

, first released in 1984, though primarily regarded as the first multiplayer space trader, included space exploration, resource management, empire building, expansion and conquest. It has been cited by the author of

VGA Planets ''VGA Planets'' is a multi-player, space strategy war game originally released in 1992. The game simulates combat in space between galactic scale empires. It follows the 4X game (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate) model: The players start ...

as an important influence on VGA Planets 4. In 1991,

released ''

'' and popularized the level of detail that has become common in the genre. ''Sid Meier's Civilization'' was influenced by

s such as ''

Risk In simple terms, risk is the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about the effects/implications of an activity with respect to something that humans value (such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environme ...

'' and the

Avalon Hill Avalon Hill Games Inc. is a game company that publishes wargames and strategic board games. It has also published miniature wargaming rules, role-playing games and sports simulations. It is a subsidiary of Hasbro, and operates under the company' ...

board game also called ''

''. A notable similarity between the ''Civilization'' computer game and board game is the importance of diplomacy and technological advancement. Sid Meier's ''Civilization'' was also influenced by

personal computer games ''Personal Computer Games'' was a multi-format UK computer games magazine of the early/mid-1980s published by Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeverijen, VNU. History ''Personal Computer Games'' was launched in July 1983. The magazine was part of VNU ...

such as the city management game ''

SimCity ''SimCity'' is an open-ended city-building video game series originally designed by Will Wright. The first game in the series, ''SimCity'', was published by Maxis in 1989 and were followed by several sequels and many other spin-off "''Sim' ...

'' and the

wargame A wargame is a strategy game in which two or more players command opposing armed forces in a realistic simulation of an armed conflict. Wargaming may be played for recreation, to train military officers in the art of strategic thinking, or to s ...

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

''. ''Civilization'' became widely successful and influenced many 4X games to come; ''Computer Gaming World'' compared its importance to computer gaming to that of the wheel. ''

Armada 2525 ''Armada 2525'' is a 4X science fiction computer strategy game A strategy game or strategic game is a game (e.g. a board game) in which the players' uncoerced, and often autonomous, decision-making skills have a high significance in determ ...

'' was also released in 1991 and was cited by the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' as the best space game of the year. A sequel, ''

Armada 2526 ''Armada 2526'' is a 4X science fiction computer strategy game developed by British studio Ntronium Games, released in North America on November 17, 2009. Armada 2526 is an example of the space opera genre, and is the spiritual successor of th ...

'' was released in 2009. In 1991, two highly influential space games were released. ''

'' was released for the PC, while '' Spaceward Ho!'' was released on the

Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and ...

. Although 4X space games were ultimately more influenced by the complexity of ''VGA Planets'', ''Spaceward Ho!'' earned praise for its relatively simple yet challenging game design. ''Spaceward Ho!'' is notable for its similarity to the 1993 game ''

'', with its simple yet deep gameplay. ''Master of Orion'' also drew upon earlier 4X games such as ''Reach for the Stars'', and is considered a classic game that sets a new standard for the genre. In a preview of ''Master of Orion'', Emrich coined the term "XXXX" to describe the emerging genre. Eventually, the "4X" label was adopted by the game industry, and is now applied to several earlier game releases.

Peak

Following the success of ''Civilization'' and ''Master of Orion'', other developers began releasing their own 4X games. In 1994,

Stardock Stardock Corporation is a software development company founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1993 as Stardock Systems. Stardock initially developed for the OS/2 platform, but was forced to switch to Microsoft Windows due to the collapse of the OS ...

launched its first version of the ''

'' series for

OS/2 OS/2 (Operating System/2) is a series of computer operating systems, initially created by Microsoft and IBM under the leadership of IBM software designer Ed Iacobucci. As a result of a feud between the two companies over how to position OS/2 ...

, and the long-standing ''

Space Empires ''Space Empires'' is a series of 4X turn-based strategy games by Malfador Machinations that allow the player to assume the role of the leader of a space-faring civilization. Gameplay In ''Space Empires'', the player assumes the role of the sing ...

'' series began as

shareware Shareware is a type of proprietary software that is initially shared by the owner for trial use at little or no cost. Often the software has limited functionality or incomplete documentation until the user sends payment to the software developer ...

. '' Ascendancy'' and ''

Stars! ''Stars!'' is a turn-based strategy and science fiction 4X game. ''Stars!'' was developed by Jeff Johnson and Jeff McBride ("the Jeffs") for their own use, and initially released as shareware in 1995. A retail version was later produced for, ...

'' were released in 1995, and both continued the genre's emphasis on strategic depth and empire management. Meanwhile, the ''Civilization'' and ''Master of Orion'' franchises expanded their market with versions for the Macintosh. Sid Meier's team also produced ''

Colonization Colonization, or colonisation, constitutes large-scale population movements wherein migrants maintain strong links with their, or their ancestors', former country – by such links, gain advantage over other inhabitants of the territory. When ...

'' in 1994 and '' Civilization II'' in 1996, while

Simtex Simtex was a video game developer established by Steve Barcia in 1988 in video gaming, 1988. It created a number of turn-based game, turn-based strategy games for the IBM PC compatible, PC, most notably the first two ''Master of Orion'' games. Th ...

released ''Master of Orion'' in 1993, ''

Master of Magic ''Master of Magic'' is a single-player, fantasy turn-based 4X strategy game in which the player plays as a wizard attempting to dominate two linked worlds. From a small settlement, the player manages resources, builds cities and armies, and r ...

'' in 1994 and ''

Master of Orion II ''Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares'' is a 4X turn-based strategy game set in space, designed by Steve Barcia and Ken Burd, and developed by Simtex, who developed its predecessor ''Master of Orion'' and ''Master of Magic''. The IBM PC compat ...

'' in 1996. By the late 1990s, real-time strategy games began outselling turn-based games. As they surged in popularity, major 4X developers fell into difficulties. Sid Meier's

Firaxis Games Firaxis Games, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Sparks, Maryland. The company was founded in May 1996 by Sid Meier, Jeff Briggs and Brian Reynolds (game designer), Brian Reynolds following their departure from MicroProse, Meier ...

released ''

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri ''Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri'' is a 4X video game, considered a spiritual sequel to the ''Civilization'' series. Set in a science fiction depiction of the 22nd century, the game begins as seven competing ideological factions land on the planet ...

'' in 1999 to critical acclaim, but the game fell short of commercial expectations. ''

Civilization III ''Sid Meier's Civilization III'' is the third installment of the ''Sid Meier's Civilization'' turn-based strategy video game series. It was released in 2001, and followed by ''Civilization IV''. Unlike the original game, ''Civilization III'' was n ...

'' encountered development problems followed by a rushed release in 2001. Despite the excitement over ''

'', its release in 2003 was met with criticism for its lack of player control, poor interface, and weak AI. Game publishers eventually became risk-averse to financing the development of 4X games.

Real-time hybrid 4X

Eventually real-time 4X games were released, such as '' Imperium Galactica'' in 1997, ''

Starships Unlimited Starships Unlimited is a 4X real-time strategy Real-time strategy (RTS) is a subgenre of strategy video games that do not progress incrementally in turns, but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time". By contrast, in turn-b ...

'' in 2001, and '' Sword of the Stars'' in 2006, featuring a combination of turn-based strategy and real-time tactical combat. The blend of 4X and real-time strategy gameplay led

Ironclad Games Ironclad Games is a Canadian PC game developer. The company was founded in 2003 by former employees of Rockstar Vancouver. Ironclad is located in Burnaby, British Columbia. Titles Ironclad released their first game, ''Sins of a Solar Empire'' ...

to market their 2008 release ''

'' as a "RT4X" game. This combination of features earned the game a mention as one of the top games from 2008, including GameSpot's award for best strategy game, and IGN's award for best PC game. The ''

Total War Total war is a type of warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combata ...

'' series, debuting in 2000 with '' Shogun: Total War'', combines a turn-based campaign map and real-time tactical battles.

Recent history

In 2003,

released a remake of ''

'', which was praised by reviewers who saw the game as a replacement for the ''Master of Orion'' series. ''

Civilization IV ''Civilization IV'' (also known as ''Sid Meier's Civilization IV'') is a 4X turn-based strategy computer game and the fourth installment of the ''Civilization'' series, and designed by Soren Johnson under the direction of Sid Meier and his vid ...

'' was released at the end of 2005 and was considered the PC game of the year according to several reviewers, including

GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...

and

GameSpy GameSpy was an American provider of online multiplayer and matchmaking middleware for video games founded in 1996 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for the game, QSpy, Surfas licensed the software under the GameS ...

. It is now considered one of the greatest computer games in history, having been ranked the second-best PC game of all time by

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

. By 2008, the ''Civilization'' series had sold over eight million copies, followed the release of '' Civilization Revolution'' for

game consoles A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to a ...

soon after, ''

Civilization V ''Sid Meier's Civilization V'' is a 4X video game in the ''Civilization'' series developed by Firaxis Games. The game was released on Microsoft Windows on September 21, 2010, on OS X on November 23, 2010, and on Linux on June 10, 2014. In ...

'' in 2010 and ''

Civilization VI ''Sid Meier's Civilization VI'' is a turn-based strategy 4X video game developed by Firaxis Games, published by 2K Games, and distributed by Take-Two Interactive. The mobile port was published by Aspyr Media. The latest entry into the ''Civiliz ...

'' in 2016. Meanwhile, Stardock released '' Galactic Civilizations II'', which was considered the sixth-best PC game of 2006 by GameSpy. Additionally, French developer Amplitude Studios released both ''

Endless Space ''Endless Space'' is a 4X turn-based strategy video game, developed and published by Amplitude Studios, released on 4 July 2012, for Microsoft Windows and 31 August for Mac OS X. In the game, the player takes charge of fictional Space Age civi ...

'' and ''

Endless Legend ''Endless Legend'' is a turn based 4X fantasy-strategy game developed by Amplitude Studios and published by Iceberg Interactive for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X in September 2014. The purpose of the game is to dominate the world of Auriga wi ...

''. These successes have led Stardock's

Brad Wardell Bradley R. Wardell (born June 24, 1971) is an American businessman, programmer, author and AI Engineer. He is the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Stardock, a software development and computer games company. Wardell's specialty i ...

to assert that 4X games have excellent growth potential, particularly among less hardcore players.

Paradox Interactive Paradox Interactive AB is a video game publisher based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company started out as the video game division of Target Games and then Paradox Entertainment (now Cabinet Entertainment) before being spun out into an independen ...

specializes in

grand strategy Grand strategy or high strategy is a state's strategy of how means can be used to advance and achieve national interests. Issues of grand strategy typically include the choice of primary versus secondary theaters in war, distribution of resource ...

games, a genre that often overlaps with 4X, including the ''

Europa Universalis ''Europa Universalis'' is a grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published in 2000 by Strategy First. Development The game was originally based on a French board game of the same name by Philippe Thibaut that ...

'' series, the '' Crusader Kings'' series, and '' Stellaris''. Grand strategy games differ in being "asymmetrical", meaning that players are more bound to a specific setup and not among equally free factions in exploring and progressing the game and an open world. Amplitude Studios released ''

Endless Space 2 ''Endless Space 2'' is a turn-based strategy, science fiction 4X game developed by Amplitude Studios. It is the sequel to ''Endless Space'', which was released in 2012. The game had been made available through Steam's early access program since O ...

'' in 2017, met with mixed to positive reviews. The 4X genre has also been extended by gamers who have supported

free software Free software or libre software is computer software distributed under terms that allow users to run the software for any purpose as well as to study, change, and distribute it and any adapted versions. Free software is a matter of liberty, no ...

releases such as ''

Freeciv ''Freeciv'' is a single- and multiplayer turn-based strategy game for workstations and personal computers inspired by the proprietary ''Sid Meier's Civilization'' series. It is available for most desktop computer operating systems and available ...

'', ''

FreeCol ''FreeCol'' is a 4X video game, a clone of ''Sid Meier's Colonization''. ''FreeCol'' is free and open source software released under the GNU GPL-2.0-or-later. ''FreeCol'' is mostly programmed in Java and should thus be platform-independent. In ...

'', '' Freeorion'', ''Golden Age of Civilizations'', and ''

C-evo ''C-evo'' is a free turn-based strategy computer game whose source code is in the public domain by German developer Steffen Gerlach, its programmer and designer, making the game freeware. ''C-evo'' is an empire building game based on ''Civili ...

''.

4X in board games

Cross-fertilization between board games and video games continued. For example, some aspects of ''Master of Orion III'' were drawn from the first edition of the board game ''

Twilight Imperium ''Twilight Imperium'' is a strategy board game produced by Fantasy Flight Games in the genre of science fiction and space opera. It was designed by Christian T. Petersen and was first released in 1997. The game is in its fourth edition (2017), ...

''. Even ''Sins of a Solar Empire'' was inspired by the idea of adapting the board game ''Buck Rogers Battle for the 25th Century'' into a real-time video game. Going in the opposite direction, in 2002 Eagle Games made a board game adaptation of ''Sid Meier's Civilization,'' entitled simply '' Sid Meier's Civilization: The Boardgame'', significantly different from the board game that had inspired the computer game in the first place. Another remake based on that series, under a very similar title, '' Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game'', was released in 2010 by Fantasy Flight Games, followed by '' Civilization: A New Dawn'' in 2017. Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization is a

for 2–4 players designed by Vlaada Chvatil and published by Czech Board Games in 2006. Its theme is the development of human civilization and the players determine the progress of their own civilization in different fields including culture, government, leadership, religion and science. The game won multiple awards including the ''

International Gamers Award The International Gamers Awards is an award for strategy board games and historical simulation games. Per their website, the IGAs ''were created to recognize outstanding games and designers, as well as the companies that publish them. The awards ...

s'' in 2007 and ''Game of the Year'' in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

in 2010, where it was published as ''Cywilizacja: Poprzez Wieki''.

Scythe A scythe ( ) is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops. It is historically used to cut down or reap edible grains, before the process of threshing. The scythe has been largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor m ...

is a board game for one to five players designed by Jamey Stegmaier and published by Stonemaier Games in 2016. Set in an

alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...

version of 1920s Europe, players control factions that produce resources, develop economic infrastructure, and use dieselpunk war machines, called "mechs", to engage in combat and control territories. Players take up to two actions per turn using individual player boards, and the game proceeds until one player has earned six achievements. At this point, the players receive coins for the achievements they have attained and the territories they control, and the player with the most coins is declared the winner. As of early 2021,

BoardGameGeek BoardGameGeek (BGG) is an online forum for board gaming hobbyists and a game database that holds reviews, images and videos for over 125,600 different tabletop games, including European-style board games, wargames, and card games. In addition to ...

listed close to 200 board games classified under 4X type, including titles such as ''

Eclipse An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ce ...

'' (2011) and '' Heroes of Land, Air & Sea'' (2018).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:4x Strategy video games Video game genres