Star Control®: Origins

Released: Sep 20, 2018
Platforms: Windows
Last updated: 10 Sep 2026, 02:23 GMT

Updates & announcements

20 posts

24 Jun 2026Developer post
Localization Update for Star Control: Origins Now Available
New Localization Update Now Available Refinements made to German, Finnish, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese (Brazil), and Simplified Chinese Get Star Control: Origins We've done a comprehensive pass on localization across all supported languages in Star Control: Origins. Tr
21 May 2025Developer post
Update Notes for May 21, 2025
Hotfix to resolve old save games from crashing. Please note that any saves made previously with v1.70 will continue to have this issue. Our apologies for the inconvenience.
Hotfix to resolve old save games from crashing. Please note that any saves made previously with v1.70 will continue to have this issue. Our apologies for the inconvenience.
Original post
20 May 2025Developer post
v1.7 Now Out: Improved Gameplay Experience and Added Localization
v1.7 Brings Improved Gameplay Experience and Chinese/German Localization View the Full Changelog Here The latest update for Star Control: Origins brings a series of gameplay adjustments aimed at enhancing the player experience. Notably, players will now begin their campaigns with
v1.7 Brings Improved Gameplay Experience and Chinese/German Localization
View the Full Changelog Here
The latest update for Star Control: Origins brings a series of gameplay adjustments aimed at enhancing the player experience. Notably, players will now begin their campaigns with the Lander Jump ability, four Landers, and an increased default Lander Crew size from six to eight. Additionally, a System Scanner will be provided by the Tywom to assist players in locating items more efficiently. We also made some small balance changes and bugs fixes to improve the player experience.
Localization has also seen improvements, with fixes for the base game in German and Chinese, as well as adjustments for the Earth Rising expansion in multiple languages, including French, German, and Spanish.
Full Changelog:
Gameplay Adjustments
Starting Campaign
Players now start with the Lander Jump ability
Players now start with 4 Landers
Player default Lander Crew increased from 6 to 8
Players now receive System Scanner from the Tywom to help find items
Ship adjustments
Measured ship starting health reduced from 20hp to 14hp
Localization Updates
Added base game localization fixes for: German and Chinese
Added Earth Rising Localization adjustments for: French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, Chinese, and Spanish
Bug Fixes
Fixed missing cargo container icon
Original post
19 Dec 2024Developer post
Deck Out Your Desktop: Star Control: Origins Wallpapers
As you prepare for your next adventure in Star Control: Origins, why not give your desktop a cosmic upgrade with our collection of stunning wallpapers? These visuals capture the excitement of interstellar exploration and are perfect for keeping the spirit of the game alive while
30 Oct 2024Developer post
The Political Machine lets you roll the dice on Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump
Final major update to political strategy simulation updates issues and voter enthusiasm to give most accurate model yet Stardock Entertainment released the final major update for its political strategy/simulation game, The Political Machine 2024 today. The new version adjusts the
15 Aug 2024Developer post
NOW OUT: Sins of a Solar Empire II
Empires will rise and fall as Sins of a Solar Empire II is now available to purchase on Steam. A new era begins as the sequel to one of the most beloved strategy titles of all time releases today on Steam with new dynamic maps, deeper combat, and more. The base game edition is av
Empires will rise and fall as Sins of a Solar Empire II is now available to purchase on Steam.
A new era begins as the sequel to one of the most beloved strategy titles of all time releases today on Steam with new dynamic maps, deeper combat, and more.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1575940/Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire_II/
The base game edition is available at a special discount price of $39.99 for a limited time.
Sins of a Solar Empire II - Premium Edition is available for a limited-time price of $79.99 and includes the base game, first Content Pass (see image below for details!) and the Sins of a Solar Empire II soundtrack.
The sequel to the iconic Sins of a Solar Empire, a classic strategy title known for masterfully blending real-time and 4X strategy gameplay, Sins of a Solar Empire II boasts a new engine that allows for even more epic space battles, larger sprawling empires, and signature unforgettable Sins moments.
Watch on YouTube
“From multiple races to emergent tactics to a detailed galaxy simulation system, we’re giving our community multiple ways to conquer the galaxy in Sins of a Solar Empire II,” said Brian Clair, director of publishing, Stardock Entertainment. “With today’s launch on Steam, we’re looking forward to supporting our fans with even more great DLC content and the release of our Mod Tools and Mod Browser to see what our community does with this next evolution in the Sins franchise.”
Sins of a Solar Empire II features gameplay enhancements that let players take full control of how they conquer the galaxy. Emergent tactics like protecting vulnerable units from missile strikes with Titan ships, or launching surprise ambushes using the dynamically changing orbits of planets are now possible. Sins of a Solar Empire II will reward players for creative thinking, effective use of economic systems, and making convenient allies as they take over the galaxy.
Key Features:

Three playable races including the Advent, Vasari, and TEC return with two sub-factions that utilize unique items, mechanics, and Empire Systems to achieve total victory
Orbiting planets that dynamically alter the map during play, requiring players to gradually shift strategies as new challenges and opportunities emerge
Minor factions that provide unique capabilities to players that befriend them through a new influence system
Enhanced tactical battles and deeper combat simulation including missiles that can be shot down
New economy model that allows players to truly customize their worlds to fit production needs
Ten-player multiplayer matches that allow players to seamlessly join or resume games
Build and command thousands of high-fidelity units in a new engine built from the ground-up for Sins of a Solar Empire II
Capital ships that can be equipped with special augmentations to be more effective in battle
New in-game mod browser allows for easy installation for user generated content and maps
Purchase Options:
Screenshots:
Original post
01 Aug 2024Developer post
Sins of a Solar Empire II Launch Date Announced
Coming to Steam August 15, 2024 Sequel to beloved strategy title features new asymmetric playstyles, dynamically changing maps, deeper tactical combat, expanded strategic depth, and more. Check out Rimmy Downunder's latest playthrough and our date announce trailer at the end: A n
Coming to Steam August 15, 2024
Sequel to beloved strategy title features new asymmetric playstyles, dynamically changing maps, deeper tactical combat, expanded strategic depth, and more.
Check out Rimmy Downunder's latest playthrough and our date announce trailer at the end:
Watch on YouTube
A new chapter in the never-ending war for the galaxy will be written as Stardock and Ironclad Games announce that Sins of a Solar Empire II is set to release on Steam on Thursday, Aug. 15. The sequel to one of the most beloved strategy titles of all time, Sins of a Solar Empire II will once again feature a seamless combination of real-time strategy and 4X gameplay, delivering sprawling empires, huge tactical fleet battles, and unforgettable gameplay moments that can only be found in Sins II. Players who wishlist now will receive a reminder when the game releases in just under two weeks.
“It’s been amazing to see how hyped fans are for the release of Sins of a Solar Empire II on Steam,” said Brian Clair, Director of Publishing at Stardock Entertainment. “We have seen so many people who were fans of the original Sins, and Sins: Rebellion, sharing their excitement for this long-awaited sequel. Sins of a Solar Empire II will deliver epic galactic warfare and strategy to players. We can’t wait to share more with you and celebrate the launch of Sins of a Solar Empire II on August 15!”
Sins II will give players more tools than ever to form their own play styles as they battle, scheme, monopolize, and manipulate their way to victory. The sequel also introduces new emergent tactics and strategies that reward creative thinking. Players can protect vulnerable units by body-blocking missiles with their Titan, launch a surprise attack from a rogue asteroid when its orbit reaches the enemy's back line, or guard themselves against a backstab with a time-locked alliance.
Sins of a Solar Empire II Key Features:

Three unique playable races including the Advent, Vasari, and TEC return with two sub-factions that utilize unique items, mechanics, and Empire Systems to achieve total victory
Orbiting planets that dynamically alter the map during play, requiring players to gradually shift their strategies as new challenges and opportunities present themselves
Enhanced tactical battles and deeper combat simulation featuring tracking turrets and missiles that can be blocked by ships or shot down
Minor factions that provide unique capabilities to players that befriend them through a new influence system
New economy model that allows players to truly customize their worlds to fit production needs
10-player multiplayer matches that allow players to seamlessly join or resume games
Build and command thousands of high fidelity ships that are effortlessly powered by a new 64-bit multicore engine
Capital ships that can be equipped with special augmentations to be more effective in battle
New in-game mod browser allows for easy installation for mods and maps
Sins of a Solar Empire II is available to wishlist now. At launch, the base game edition will be offered at a special discount price of $39.99 for a limited time. Additionally, the Sins of a Solar Empire II - Premium Edition will be available for a limited-time price of $79.99 and will include the base game, first Content Pass and the Sins of a Solar Empire II soundtrack.
Original post
20 Feb 2024Developer post
Update Notes for February 20, 2024
Launcher update: Added support for The Political Machine 2024.
Launcher update: Added support for The Political Machine 2024.
Original post
09 Oct 2023Developer post
Update Note for October 9, 2023
Launcher update for Galactic Civilizations IV.
Launcher update for Galactic Civilizations IV.
Original post
27 Jul 2023Developer post
Update Notes for 7/27/23
Just a launcher update to replace some graphics files.
Just a launcher update to replace some graphics files.
Original post
27 Jun 2023Developer post
Update Notes for 6/27/23
Small crash fix caused by async save game loading.
Small crash fix caused by async save game loading.
Original post
07 Feb 2023Developer post
NOW AVAILABLE - Star Control: Origins v1.62
Star Control: Origins v1.62 Update Addresses Crash Reports and Updates Balance In a galaxy as vast and varied as the one in Star Control: Origins, we can't always see everything. That's why we appreciate whenever our incredible community shares their crash reports with us! We do
Star Control: Origins v1.62 Update Addresses Crash Reports and Updates Balance
In a galaxy as vast and varied as the one in Star Control: Origins, we can't always see everything. That's why we appreciate whenever our incredible community shares their crash reports with us! We do our best to get into the game quickly and fix the problems so that we can ensure your experience protecting the galaxy is a fun one.
In v1.62, we address some issues that caused some strange crashes, including one that would trigger when your lander was destroyed while carrying cargo, or one that occured when you enter certain systems after 10 or so minutes of playing.
While we were working on things, we discovered that the Commander went missing from our German, Russian, and Chinese versions of the game - whoops! - so we made sure to get her back in there. Who else are you going to turn to for advice when things get dicey? Well, we suppose there's always Wymdoo...
Check out the changelog at the bottom of the post for full details on the update. Thanks for sending in your reports - we appreciate all your help in making Star Control: Origins the best game it can be.
Star Control: Origins v1.62 Changelog
Fixes

Fixes a crash if your lander gets destroyed when it has cargo
Fixes a crash that happens on some systems after 10 min of playing
Fixed graphic corruption when loading a game form within a game
Fixed a crash when exiting planets
(1.62) Fixed an issue where the commander didn't show up in German
(1.62) Fixed an issue where the commander didn't show up in Russian
(1.62) Fixed an issue where the commander didn't show up in Chinese
Balance

(1.62) Sped up the Earthing ship when in a solar system
(1.62) Fixed the turn radius in hyperspace
Original post
08 Dec 2022Developer post
Star Control: Origins v1.6 Update Improves Visual Fidelity
Stardock released a v1.6 update for Star Control: Origins today. The update includes a major visual overhaul for the aliens and starships. The memory footprint of the game was simultaneously reduced thanks to new updates to Stardock’s Cider engine. Star Control: Origins is set in
08 Sep 2021Developer post
v1.5 Opt-in Beta Now Available - A Major Visual Overhaul
The update includes a major visual overhaul for the aliens and starships. The memory footprint of the game was simultaneously reduced thanks to new updates to Stardock’s Cider engine. The v1.5 update makes significant improvements to the game’s rendering technology. Players will
The update includes a major visual overhaul for the aliens and starships.
The memory footprint of the game was simultaneously reduced thanks to new updates to Stardock’s Cider engine.
The v1.5 update makes significant improvements to the game’s rendering technology. Players will enjoy finer details and smoother framerates when talking to alien leaders, while also gaining boosts in performance thanks to reduced memory usage. Ships benefit from this visual overhaul with more detail and an overall better performance during battles.
In addition to the visual improvements, v1.5 reduces the game’s memory usage by about 40%, depending on the player’s graphics card and computer system.
To enable the patch, please do the following:

Select Star Control: Origins in your Steam Library list
Right-click and select Properties
Select the BETAS tab
From the drop-down, select "opt-in" and click Close (if you don't see this option, restart Steam)
Steam should pull down the changed files; if you ever want to go back, do the same as above but select "default".
Please note: The opt-in is an early preview of the next update and you might experience bugs or other issues. We encourage players who try the opt-in to report any issues to the forums.
Changelog

Major visual overhaul of the leader's conversation graphics. Not only you can see more detail but the framerate is much smoother.
Ships also benefit from this visual overhaul. You'll see more detail and have a better performance during battles.
Significant reduction in memory usage.
Original post
19 Mar 2020Developer post
Star Control: Origins v1.42.76283 Patch Notes
Just a few fixes for players with this latest update for Star Control: Origins - Change Log Fixed an issue that caused a crash with the Cultists of the Forge mod (Cultists spawned a character with an invalid ship blueprint, the game now handles that without crashing) Typo fixes
Just a few fixes for players with this latest update for Star Control: Origins -
Change Log

Fixed an issue that caused a crash with the Cultists of the Forge mod (Cultists spawned a character with an invalid ship blueprint, the game now handles that without crashing)
Typo fixes
Original post
19 Mar 2020Developer post
Star Control: Origins v1.42.76283 Patch Notes
Just a few fixes for players with this latest update for Star Control: Origins - Change Log Fixed an issue that caused a crash with the Cultists of the Forge mod (Cultists spawned a character with an invalid ship blueprint, the game now handles that without crashing) Typo fixes
Just a few fixes for players with this latest update for Star Control: Origins -
Change Log

Fixed an issue that caused a crash with the Cultists of the Forge mod (Cultists spawned a character with an invalid ship blueprint, the game now handles that without crashing)
Typo fixes
Original post
12 Mar 2020Developer post
NOW AVAILABLE: The final installment, Earth Rises, of the Earth Rising expansion
Stardock Releases Earth Rising - Part 4: Earth Rises for Star Control: Origins The complete expansion with parts 1-4 is fully available and ready to play today! The final installment of our 4-part expansion for Star Control: Origins is now available! Earth Rising - Part 4: Earth
Stardock Releases Earth Rising - Part 4: Earth Rises for Star Control: Origins
https://youtu.be/wm9Pc1cAh00
The complete expansion with parts 1-4 is fully available and ready to play today!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/961150
The final installment of our 4-part expansion for Star Control: Origins is now available! Earth Rising - Part 4: Earth Rises will introduce you to exciting new adventures, including bar fights at Kapteyn’s Bar, the reluctant return of a God, a search for a missing Commander, and more.
Humans have finally proven that they may be worthy custodians to the Spur, but they must still prove themselves to allies and enemies alike. Meanwhile, Commander Magara is missing, a faction of humanity is developing a dangerous battlecruiser, and the Mowlings’ God has reluctantly returned and asked you to help save them from destruction. Perhaps a stop at Kapteyn’s bar will give you some more information - if you can avoid getting into a brawl long enough to talk to someone, that is.
Earth Rising is a 4-part season pass that contains new quests, ships, rewards, and story that is tied to humanity’s quest for establishing themselves as a major galactic power. Explore new stars, solve newly discovered mysteries, and form relationships with new alien races and their leaders.
Set in the late 21st century, Star Control: Origins places you as the captain of Earth's first interstellar starship. Your mission is to explore the galaxy, find allies to help protect Earth from hostile aliens, and find the resources necessary to help Earth expand out into the stars.
What mark will you leave on the galaxy? Will it be for good, or for ill? Answer that question and much more in Star Control: Origins and the Earth Rising expansion!
Highlights in Earth Rises include:

New Missions & Quests - Search for the missing Commander Magara, keep an eye on the humans developing a deadly Terran Battlecruiser, and stop the Measured from harvesting a sun and killing an entire civilization.
New Location - Visit Kapteyn’s Bar to hear the latest gossip, triumph in a bar fight, and pick up bounty hunting quests
New Battles - Lead your fleet into epic battles against massive space stations.
New Weapons - Take on enemies with an arsenal of new weapons like the Black Hole Array or the Charged Warhead.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/961150
The complete expansion is fully released and ready for you to play!
Set in the late 21st century, Star Control: Origins places you as the captain of Earth's first interstellar starship. Your mission is to explore the galaxy, find allies to help protect Earth from hostile aliens, and find the resources necessary to help Earth expand out into the stars.
Original post
12 Feb 2020Developer post
COMING SOON: STAR CONTROL: ORIGINS EARTH RISING PART 4 - EARTH RISES
Stardock announced the final installment of its 4-part expansion to Star Control: Origins today. Earth Rising - Part 4: Earth Rises introduces players to exciting new adventures, including bar fights at Kapteyn’s Bar, the reluctant return of a God, a search for a missing Commande
Stardock announced the final installment of its 4-part expansion to Star Control: Origins today. Earth Rising - Part 4: Earth Rises introduces players to exciting new adventures, including bar fights at Kapteyn’s Bar, the reluctant return of a God, a search for a missing Commander, and more.
Star Control: Origins is set in the late 21st century. The player is the Captain of Earth's first interstellar starship with the mission to explore the galaxy, find allies to help protect Earth from hostile aliens, and find the resources necessary to help Earth expand to the stars.
Earth Rises is the final part in a four-part expansion pack called Earth Rising. The expansion adds a host of new aliens, ships, adventures and destinations to the already rich universe introduced in Star Control: Origins. Because Star Control is a non-linear action/RPG game, the new content does not require the player to have already completed the main story arc from the base game.
Highlights of Earth Rises include:

New Missions & Quests - Search for the missing Commander Magara, keep an eye on the humans developing a deadly Terran Battlecruiser, and stop the Measured from harvesting a sun and killing an entire civilization.
New Location - Visit Kapteyn’s Bar to hear the latest gossip, triumph in a bar fight, and pick up bounty hunting quests.
New Battles - Lead your fleet into epic battles against massive space stations.
New Weapons - Take on enemies with an arsenal of new weapons like the Black Hole Array or the Charged Warhead.
Star Control: Origins - Earth Rising is available for purchase. Currently, the first 3 parts are available to play until part 4 arrives:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/961150
Buy Star Control: Origins (required to play Earth Rising):
https://store.steampowered.com/app/271260
Original post
24 Sep 2019Developer post
Stardock Releases Earth Rising - Part 3: The Syndicate for Star Control: Origins
Stardock released Part 3 of its expansion to Star Control: Origins today. Humanity’s alliance is fraying and their plans for expanding into the galaxy are waylaid when they are faced with a new threat. Earth Rising - Part 3: The Syndicate introduces players to two warring faction
29 Jul 2019Developer post
Summer of Star Control
It's been an exciting Summer so far for fans of Star Control. Last month we re-released the classic trilogy on Steam, posted a major update to the engine to improve the visuals and we are busy working on chapter 3 of the Earth Rising expansion. For those of you who have played th

Updates & announcements

New Localization Update Now Available

Refinements made to German, Finnish, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese (Brazil), and Simplified Chinese

v1.7 Brings Improved Gameplay Experience and Chinese/German Localization

Full Changelog:

Gameplay Adjustments

Localization Updates

Bug Fixes

Final major update to political strategy simulation updates issues and voter enthusiasm to give most accurate model yet

Empires will rise and fall as Sins of a Solar Empire II is now available to purchase on Steam.

A new era begins as the sequel to one of the most beloved strategy titles of all time releases today on Steam with new dynamic maps, deeper combat, and more.

Key Features:

Purchase Options:

Screenshots:

Coming to Steam August 15, 2024

Check out Rimmy Downunder's latest playthrough and our date announce trailer at the end:

Star Control: Origins v1.62 Update Addresses Crash Reports and Updates Balance

Star Control: Origins v1.62 Changelog

Fixes

Balance

The update includes a major visual overhaul for the aliens and starships.

To enable the patch, please do the following:

Changelog

Change Log

Change Log

Stardock Releases Earth Rising - Part 4: Earth Rises for Star Control: Origins

Highlights in Earth Rises include:

Highlights in The Syndicate include: