Get Kraken, Lads: Stellaris Gets V1.3, Leviathans DLC

Today's a big day for Stellaris [official site] as Paradox's spacefaring grand strategy game receives both the long-awaited patch codenamed 'Heinlein' and its meatiest add-on yet, the Leviathans Story Pack. But wait! If you're stuck into a game from the last patch, do be aware that update 1.3 will not work with your save file. Paradox do handily have a way to get back that old version, if you desperately want to polish it off before moving on. But if not, coo 'eck let's look at all that's new today.

Update 1.3 is now live. It'll download automatically, as Steam patches will. The full Heinlein patch notes are huge so here are a handful of changes that caught my eye:

• NEW: "Federation Victory" victory condition
• NEW: New galaxy setup options - max Fallen Empires, amount of habitable worlds, whether to allow advanced empires near player at start, whether to use clustered starts, and whether to allow end-game crises
• NEW: Added extra large weapon slots. Extra large weapons can only be mounted on battleships and have a limited firing arch
• NEW: It is now possible to ask empires to become your tributary (and to offer to become theirs)
• NEW: Terraforming rework - terraforming stations have been removed. Any planet within your borders can be terraformed for a cost
• NEW: Mega Cannon, unlocks the Mega Cannon extra large weapon
• NEW: Giga Cannon, unlocks the Giga Cannon extra large weapon
• Fallen Empires can now 'awaken' and become Awakened Empires if regular empires are growing too strong, if another fallen empire has lost planets, or if there is an end-game crisis ongoing. Awakened Empires get a new personality type and new goals and will attempt to force the rest of the galaxy to bend to their will.
• There is now an independence wargoal that can be used by multiple subjects rebelling together.
• Lots of tweaks and improvements to AI fleet movement and army handling during war

That's so very far from a complete list of changes, mind, and misses some important changes. Do call out in the comments any changes that are big to you.

And yes, 1.3 will break saves from 1.2 but you can revert back to finish games off if you want.

Lastly, the Leviathans Story Pack. That DLC is out now on Steam for £7.49/9,99€/$9.99, adding a load of new bits into the general Stellaris experience. It adds Guardians, huge space oddities from star men to mystery spheres, who can lead to great benefits but might cause you a wee bit of trouble. Then there are Enclaves, outposts of traders and artists who can help you for a price. New art and music fancies the place up a little. Then the 'War in Heaven' event might see two Fallen Empires reignite ancient rivalries, which can give you troubles and opportunities.

That's a fairly big day in space.