The Intimidating Depth of 4X Games Is Exactly Why I Love Them

4X games make for some of most complex experiences a gamer can experience. In a world dominated by fast-paced shooters, there is still a place for these games in the modern gaming landscape. Let’s take a look at what makes them special, and what the future may hold for one of gaming’s oldest genres.

What Are 4X Games Anyway?

If you’ve ever played titles like Sid Meier’s Civilization or Stellaris, you’ve played a 4X game. The 4X’s in the genre stands for “eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate.” It could have easily been named 4E games, but that just sounds like a forgotten Dungeons and Dragons expansion. No, these games are an experience all on their own.

During the earliest days of computer gaming, 4X games were among the most popular titles. The hardware and software limitations meant that genres like real-time strategy didn’t exist, so these games scratched the itch for a wide range of gamers. You can experience the charm of the original Civ by playing Freeciv, an open-source version of the original game in your browser.

Fast-forward to the early 21st century, and we’ve seen a of technological advancement. Unfortunately, this hasn’t carried over to the development of newer 4X games to satisfy the masses. Sure, we get a new Civilization installment every few years, but there have been far fewer new 4X games as a percentage of overall releases.

With so many people playing MOBA games (a successor of the 4X genre), maybe it’s time we looked at their predecessors.

Why Do 4X Games Matter in 2024?

Why do I love 4X games so much? It comes down to this: You spend several hours building momentum, taking all resources available to create an unstoppable force. At the end of it all is an epic confrontation that was several in-game centuries in the making, the kind of battles that are immortalized as epics. Even if you lose, you know you did everything you possibly could to leave your mark on the world and the experience feels just as grand and unmatched.

These games reward long-term planning over the quick dopamine rush of modern pick-up-and-play games. They reward players who dive into game strategy and learn how to best exploit and expand into places to cut off an opponent’s resources. They require investment and understanding, but they reward players with long-term enjoyment. It’s no secret that the genre can be intimidating. In an age of plentiful free-to-play online shooters, 4X games can easily be overlooked.

Recent research has shown that fewer gamers are interested in the nuances of deep strategy titles. Well-known games such as XCOM and the Endless series see fewer people picking them up and playing them. According to the study, this is because fewer gamers are interested in longtail gameplay. Player who enjoy this type of reward system have declined by more than 67% over the past nine years.

Is It Too Late to Get Into 4X Gaming?

If you’ve tried playing shooters for people who suck at shooters and didn’t come away as a reformed fan, maybe you need to change the pace of your gaming. While fewer gamers are interested in the genre, many easy entry points are available for players who want to try it out.

Two of the most approachable games in the genre are Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (known in many circles as Civ VI) and Humankind. Civ VI is a great starting point for gamers because it eases the player into the deep strategy of these games, allowing them to learn a little bit at a time.

Humankind differs slightly from Civilization VI since it was designed to improve upon the latter. Many concepts are the same, but significant differences exist for it to stand out as a game. Both titles are historically based civilization-builder games, with leaders defining how those civilizations grow. But what about games for science fiction fans?

Endless Space and Stellaris are both great options for players who want to see how a futuristic 4X game plays. However, these games aren’t for the faint of heart. They are genuinely complex, allowing deep levels of customization, and should only be attempted after learning about the basics of 4X games. Their complexity is very rewarding, though. Few things are as awesome as annihilating an entire enemy fleet.

Tips For Newcomers to 4X Games

As someone who has played these games since the early 2000s, I understand how difficult it can be to get started. While many of those games have their own themes, a few basic things apply to all of them. When getting into 4X games, here are some basics to get started:

• Explore: You usually have an early unit (or can build one with starting resources) that’s good for exploration. Use it to scout locations around the map to set up a secondary base.
• Expand: Once you locate your new location for a secondary base, send a builder there to construct a base there.
• Exploit: Ensure you have access to the necessary resources (especially strategic ones that can help you build a military). Other expansions should seek to get those resources.
• Exterminate: Build a standing army at the start of the game to defend your bases. Eventually, you will have enough of a standing army to exterminate your opponents.

These are the broad strokes of playing a 4X game. Individual games have their own nuances, and learning those nuances is part of learning the game.

What Does The Future of 4X Games Look Like?

While 4X games have fewer players, there are still a decent number of games on the market, and new ones are released each year. Old World, for example, is a recently released 4X game that came out of early access in 2021. It showcases 4X gameplay in the ancient world. Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is scheduled for release in Q4 of 2025 and aims to change the base gameplay significantly.

The future for these games is bright, and now’s a good time to explore them. Unlike many other online communities, 4X games tend to have a much more accepting player base for new players. They are very different from the most popular titles you could be playing but are not nearly as alien as you might think.

Indie developers are also working on 4X games, some of which have entered early access. Games like Burned Land and Astro4X offer unique gameplay and brand-new mechanics to the idea of turn-based strategy alongside the 4X formula. What’s more, they’re made by indie developers and studios, so they can have that quirky indie feel compared to titles fronted by large studios.