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Three XCOM 2 Expansions Announced, Detailed

New soldier class, additional customization options, and more coming to strategy game as DLC.

36 Comments

2K Games has detailed XCOM 2's Digital Deluxe Edition and Reinforcement Pack expansion pass.

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The Digital Deluxe Edition goes for $75 and comes with the game's soundtrack and the Reinforcement Pack, which itself contains three expansion packs. The content and release windows for these expansions are listed below, with descriptions courtesy of 2K Games.

XCOM 2 Reinforcement Pack Content:

  • Anarchy's Children: featuring rebellion-themed content with more dramatic soldier customizations (releasing spring 2016);
  • Alien Hunters: introducing new gameplay surrounding XCOM as an elite alien hunting unit tracking down "Ruler" aliens, along with a new mission, soldier customization options, and more powerful weapons and armor (releasing summer 2016);
  • Shen's Last Gift: offering a brand new soldier class with unique upgradeable weapons, armor, and customization features, as well as an additional narrative-driven mission and map (releasing summer 2016).

The Reinforcement Pack will also be available to buy separately for $20. Given that the base game sells for $60, the Digital Deluxe Edition will save you $5.

2K Games has also announced that everyone who preorders XCOM 2 or the Digital Deluxe Edition will get the Resistance Warrior Pack. This comes with new soldier customization options such as outfits, headgear, and "facial war paint." It also features a new recruit character called "Survivor of the Old War."

GameSpot recently played a chunk of XCOM 2--you can read our hands-on impressions here or check out the video above to learn more.

XCOM 2 was announced back in June and is slated to arrive only on PC when it launches in February 2016. It's possible the game will come to consoles sometime down the road, but this has not been decided.

The sequel "transports players 20 years into the future, where humanity lost the war against the alien threat that has established a new world order."

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Sutava

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Please stop selling these patches as "DLC" or "Expansions." They are as mediocre as the gameplay is mediocre compared to the original X-Coms of the 90s

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CatAtomic999

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Whatever. Yes. XCOM all over my face.

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canadian_sharky

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Went from instant buy to wait for steam sale

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Mhael03

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Edited By Mhael03

Maybe its sloppy reporting but only one of these sounds like an expansion, the first two sound like merely customization DLC. If so, they are only redressing existing content they don't expand anything. Also I am underwhelmed.

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mogan

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mogan  Moderator

Odds are I'm going to want to play XCOM 2 when it comes out. And if it's anything like XCOM:EU, I'll play it a ton and finish the whole thing in a week or two and then move on. So if this DLC just adds more to the existing game, Enemy Within style ... I'm probably not going to be too interested in it by the time it launches.

If that's the case, I'll probably never actually buy any of it, or maybe buy it all super cheap in a Steam sale a year or two after launch, when I get the urge to play through XCOM 2 again.

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lion2447

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DLC is already being announced BEFORE the game is even released? It may be extra content, but it sure makes me feel like I'm getting an incomplete game right from the beginning. It may be insignificant, but I will be making my opinion known by not purchasing the game. It's too bad because I enjoyed the first game. What I don't enjoy is being nickeled and dimed.

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Bastion00

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Edited By Bastion00

@lion2447: It could be just planning out what they want to do beyond their main game. Doesn't mean they've had the time and resources to build into goals they've written on paper. Though these things do seem rather small scale to not have done for the main game..

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lion2447

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@Bastion00: They could have. I've just become pessimistic about it, since most game companies have gone the route of nickel and diming people. It's made me lose trust that the DLC couldn't have just been added to the main game vs having it for purchase from the start. I'm not against DLC. Some games I have bought the DLC because it expands on a game that I enjoy. The difference is, the DLC doesn't feel like it was missing because the developer gave some time before introducing it.

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Yamakoichi

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ohlala! only 20 for extra customisation content? what a saving. not like any mods and can get better stuff for free or anything.

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McStabStab

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It really is a turnoff for me when a game that will undoubtedly be great comes with a bunch of extra day 1 DLC that could have been included in the original title. Why does 2K keep doing this? Look at the Evolve community, it's dead. If they would have released the base game, then slowly released the DLC as the community ebbed and flowed they could have really kept it rolling.

Just look at Payday 2. A solid base game that the devs kept building on with small DLC packages and updates. They retained a massive loyalty until the recent issues with the safes/drills/skins blowback.

Lie to us. Sell us the base game and don't mention the extra DLC besides, "we'll work on some extra content that will be released down the road." Who cares if it's done already, we don't have to know about it. That way we feel like you're continuing to support the game and its community instead of feeling like we're getting part of the complete package straight off the bat.

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mogan

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mogan  Moderator

@mcstabstab: When The Witcher III announced it's expansions and expansion pass ahead of the game's launch, CDPR explained the reasoning for it. The run up to a game's launch is when hype is at its highest; it's when you're seeing the most ads for XCOM 2, when sites like Gamespot are running the most stories on XCOM 2, when the publisher is getting the most out of the marketing dollars and when the most gamers are at their most excited for XCOM 2. So it's also the best time to sell DLC pre-orders.

Yeah, it creates this perception problem like you're talking about, where we suddenly know we wont get every thing XCOM 2 for $60 ... but it's also putting the option to buy more in front of us when we're most likely to buy it. It's a business-ass business move, but it appears to makes good business sense.

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McStabStab

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@Mogan: Gotcha, makes sense.

Additionally, to spin off of your recent post, paying $75 on day one doesn't scream "value" to me. I love the XCOM series including the old originals, but there's no way I'm shelling out that kind of dough when I know it'll be on sale for at least 30% off within the first year on Steam. Getting to play this later isn't a deterrent for me, and getting the GOTY edition for 50% or more off a year later is how I do most of my game shopping.

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mogan

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mogan  Moderator

@mcstabstab: Yeah, I'm not generally super enamored with "Digital Deluxe Editions" of games either. I usually want to play the games I'm interested in when they're new, and I don't mind spending money on something if I have a good reason to believe I'll like it, but more often than not the extra stuff in a deluxe edition just isn't worth the extra cash.

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jessie82

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Edited By jessie82

aka wait for goty/ulti

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xgalacticax

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Edited By xgalacticax

I'm on a media blackout for this game in terms of how it plays. The extra DLC sounds sweet but it was always gonna be a preorder for me.

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derceto

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So wait until Christmas 2016 to bother looking into this thing. Gotcha.

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Zloth2

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@derceto: That's all summer releases so probably more like Halloween.

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barakz0r

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So, they made 100% game, cut it to 60% with the other 40% as DLC and hoooray they get more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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mogan

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mogan  Moderator

@barakz0r: Those are some real made up numbers, describing a totally speculative situation, involving a project you aren't a part of, by a company you don't work for. : p

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barakz0r

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@Mogan: It isn't rocket science, the numbers are made up sure, but when you see contenct that being said BEFORE even the game release it is obvious that they cut it off.No need to speculate.

and for just understanding, what is the "speculative situation" and "project you arent part of" or "Company you dont work for"

I could say those words on anything but XCOM2 I am part of the project, IM playing it. IT IS pretty much the reason I CAN SAY stuff cause I dont work in the company,And for speculative situation I already explained in the first paragraph.

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mogan

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Edited By mogan  Moderator

@barakz0r: "but when you see contenct that being said BEFORE even the game release it is obvious that they cut it off.No need to speculate."

Then it shouldn't be hard for you to prove it.

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zinten

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Edited By zinten

@Mogan: Thats usually how it works though with publishers. If you read interviews from dev who worked for big publishers, you can see that this kind of stuff happens. Ie; southpark rpg publisher wanted to cut some part to resell as dlc.

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Xan26

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It doesn't seems that 2K learned much from Evolve.

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Lach0121

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I am really looking forward to this game. The DLC doesn't bother me.

However, I wish they would make it clear if the DLC is going to be mixed in with the rest of the game, or if the DLC missions and such will be added as a separate line of missions so you can access them any time, (even if you have already beat the base game) ?... OR if you have to play through the base game each time there is new DLC to access the new content?!?

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normanislost

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@Lach0121: probably the same as enemy unknown where missions are just added into the game with the option to turn the content on or off

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Lach0121

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@normanislost: Thx for the response. If that is indeed the case. Then I will probably buy it at launch, deluxe edition, and wait for all the goodies to come out. Then I will play it.

That way I can add to the sales/success of the game at/near launch (so the devs continue to work on the franchise) but still have all the goodies before I play. There are so many games now, that this is a reasonable, and viable option.

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Threesixtyci

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Translation.... don't bother buying this game until 18 months after release.

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skipper847

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Here we go again.

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ughz

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Edited By ughz

Don't worry about finishing and releasing the game first. 2K 2king it up. For this I will intentionally wait until the game is 5 dollars. Meanwhile I'll finish the first one.

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deactivated-5a0b0bf0c8fa5

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Gonna wait till it's a bundle then. One of the few games I'm excited for, better to get it with all its content.

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Zloth2

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@repulsive44552: Errr, it is a bundle. A $75 bundle.

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deactivated-5a0b0bf0c8fa5

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@Zloth2: Which wont all be playable at launch.

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phoenix1289

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I've said it before and I'll undoubtedly say it again

FOR GOD SAKES DEVS STOP ADVERTISING DLC AHEAD OF LAUNCH.

To be clear I'm okay with dlc. Extra content for the games I enjoy. Yes please.

But devs need to finish the game first. Finish the game, release it, let people enjoy it before you try to sell extra content for it.

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NoahRoalson

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The game isn't even released yet.... I hate how DLC is handled anymore.

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RogerioFM

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Humm, it won't be a day one buy for me. I'll wait for a price drop and then buy it in a bundle, I hate paying for cuts and pieces.

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