XCOM 2

This article is about the second entry of the XCOM reboot series. For the second entry in the original series, see X-COM: Terror from the Deep.

XCOM 2
Developer(s)Firaxis Games[a]
Publisher(s)2K
Director(s)Jake Solomon
Producer(s)Garth DeAngelis
Designer(s)Brian Hess
Mark Nauta
Joseph Weinhoffer
Programmer(s)Ryan McFall
Artist(s)Gregory Foertsch
Writer(s)Scott Wittbecker
Composer(s)Tim Wynn
SeriesXCOM
EngineUnreal Engine 3.5[2]
Platform(s)
Release
February 5, 2016
  • Linux, OS X, Windows
    • WW: February 5, 2016
    PlayStation 4, Xbox One
    • NA: September 27, 2016
    • WW: September 30, 2016
    Nintendo Switch
    • WW: May 29, 2020
    iOS
    • WW: November 5, 2020
    Android
    • WW: July 13, 2021
Genre(s)Turn-based tactics, tactical role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

XCOM 2 is a 2016 turn-based tactics video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. It is the sequel to 2012's reboot of the series, XCOM: Enemy Unknown; it takes place 20 years after the events of Enemy Unknown. XCOM, a military organization trying to fight off an alien invasion, has lost the war and is now a resistance force against the occupation of Earth and the established totalitarian regime and military dictatorship. Gameplay is split between turn-based combat in which players command a squad of soldiers to fight enemies, and strategy elements in which players manage and control the operations of the Avenger, an alien ship that is used as a mobile base for XCOM.

Following players' feedback on Enemy Unknown, Firaxis added procedural generation of maps and mod support to the game. The developers set the game after the bad ending of the 2012 reboot because it allowed them to change gameplay, introduce various new features and redesign some enemies. To encourage players to play more offensively, the developers introduced time-based objectives to boost the game's pacing. Compared with its predecessor, XCOM 2 has more emphasis on narrative. The artists drew inspiration from sci-fi movies including Elysium and Oblivion when creating the game's aesthetic. The game is powered by Unreal Engine 3.5.

XCOM 2 was released in February 2016 for personal computers; PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released in September 2016. Upon release, the game received critical acclaim. Critics praised the new concealment system, which they said adds a new layer of depth, and the procedural generation of maps. The game was also praised for its difficulty and the addition of modding tools; criticism was mainly directed at its poor performance at launch. It was nominated for multiple year-end accolades by several gaming publications. Firaxis supported the game with downloadable content and released XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, the game's expansion, in 2017. It was released for Nintendo Switch and iOS in 2020, and Android in 2021.

  1. ^ "XCOM® 2 COLLECTION: A JOINT DEVELOPMENT EFFORT WITH VIRTUOS". Virtuos. April 17, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  2. ^ Stapleton, Dan (June 5, 2015). "Why XCOM 2 Had to be PC Exclusive - IGN First". IGN. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2016.


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