November 28, 2023 - Hooded Horse is excited to share that Xenonauts 2 has just received a new milestone update as it progresses through early access. With new mission types, reworked progression for the early campaign, and even a new type of UFO, the war to defend Earth from alien invaders just got a lot more interesting.
Xenonauts 2’s “Milestone 2” update focuses on content variety and early campaign balancing to make new runs more enticing, and many of the changes were inspired directly by community feedback. The opening phase now features a new story, tutorial, and the “Cleaner” faction holds a more prominent role in the narrative. Campaigns now last 200 days, as you’ll spend a lot more time fighting these human opponents before the aliens arrive in force.
There’s plenty of new content to flesh out the campaign as well – five new crash site maps have been created, replacing the pre-existing dockyard and jungle biomes. There are also five new types of tactical missions: Rescue Soldiers, Convoy Ambush, Rescue VIP, and two mission types based on the Cleaner Intel Hub and Cleaner Cell story missions. Players can also enjoy their first new UFO type - the Probe! This is an unmanned enemy, so it doesn’t generate a crash site, but it does provide early-game air combat practice and research unlocks. As the invasion progresses, it finds a new role as an early-game escort that the Fighter UFO eventually replaces.
Other improvements as part of Milestone 2 include:
- Air combat rework and new aircraft loadout systems
- Infantry heavy armor variants
- Civilian AI improvements
- Engine improvements
- The early foundations of modding
- And plenty of tweaks, bug fixes, and balance changes!
You can read the full patch notes here.
Xenonauts 2 is available in early access for PC via Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store for a base price of $39.99 / £34.99 / €39.99 / ¥4,980. A press kit is available.
Hooded Horse is a publisher of deep strategic and tactical games with people and partners worldwide. Starting in 2019 with a single title, Hooded Horse’s portfolio has grown to 28 games and counting. Our goal is to empower and support developers in doing what they love so that they can create world-class experiences for their audiences. From the distant past of Manor Lords and the haunted woods of Against the Storm, to the depths of space in Terra Invicta and Falling Frontier.
You can find out more about us on our Steam publisher page, as well as our social channels; Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Discord, and website.
About Goldhawk Interactive™
Goldhawk Interactive is a UK-based developer founded in 2011 that’s focused exclusively on Xenonauts, a series of strategy games that cover an alien invasion of Earth. The first Xenonauts was released in 2014, with Xenonauts 2 releasing in July 2023.
You can follow the team via the official website and Discord.