X4: Foundations 9.00 Empire Update is Out Now!

[Gregory]

Empire Update Launch Trailer Thumbnail - A.png

>> X4 Empire Update Launch Trailer @ YouTube

We're very excited to announce that the X4: Foundations "Empire Update" (9.00) has officially launched! This free major update includes new features and sweeping reworks that improve how you interact with your empire: militarily, strategically, and economically.

We'd like to extend our sincere thanks to the community for your invaluable feedback during the 9.00 Public Beta, which has helped us to make even more improvements over the past several weeks. In particular, your feedback has been immensely helpful in fine-tuning our updates to the AI.

Below is an overview of the Empire Update's features. For a deeper dive into what's in store, be sure to take a look at the 9.00 Public Beta announcement. For a quick rundown of the biggest changes, watch our 9.00 Public Beta Announcement video from March 2026.

What's New In The 9.00 Update
Combat Improvements
We've made sweeping changes to every aspect of combat in X4: Foundations. This is the largest combat balancing update in X4's history. This update includes a full rebalancing of hundreds of weapons, turrets, shields, and ships to add tactical depth, make more options viable, and address inconsistencies. Additionally, turrets are more accurate, AI pilots behave more organically, capital ship movement has been reworked, and much more. For more information about our extensive changes to weapon and ship balance, you can take a look at the thread in our Beta Feedback forum.

Kha'ak Recycling
S and M Kha'ak wrecks can now be recycled, leading to the production of Allographyne, a versatile new ware usable in ship and equipment production. Allographyne transmutes to replace any ware in the production process, providing an alternative means to address supply shortages. Since Allographyne production requires Nividium, this opens new trade opportunities across the gate network. Some NPC factions will also construct specialised recycling stations to utilise this resource. To hear more about Kha'ak Recycling and other changes to the economy, you can visit the thread in our Beta Feedback forum.

Ship Visual / Modularity Changes
Engines and shields are now integrated into S and M ship models. This change improves their appearance and significantly increases the variety of modules they can equip. This change leads to more deliberate, consistent visual identities for ships throughout the gate network. Additionally, S and M ship hardpoint locations have received a facelift, allowing a greater variety in loadout options. For example, Boron and Commonwealth ships can equip each other's modules, and they can now equip smaller weapons and turrets.

Priority Orders
By popular demand, this update introduces Priority Orders. This new UI functionality allows instantly responsive "RTS"-style orders to be issued, immediately overriding all other orders. This dramatically improves the flow of fast-paced strategic situations, eliminating the need to configure order lists and making ships act immediately. Orders can be issued and queued from the map using [SHIFT] + [Right Click], while Priority Orders can be sent with [CTRL] + [Right Click] and queued using [CTRL] + [SHIFT] + [Right Click]. These modifiers can be used in any combination to queue and priority-queue orders in the Order Menu. Need a trader to pick up a nearby lockbox and for its escorts to attack a target near it? Priority Orders allow you to issue those commands swiftly and without disrupting your existing order queues.

Showroom 2.png

Ship Showroom Module
We've added a new module with the 9.00 update: the Ship Showroom. This module allows players to store and display their favourite S and M ships on stylish landing pads. One or more Ship Showrooms can be attached to existing player-owned stations, or even combined into a showroom complex to display a more extensive collection - try finding one of each ship!

UI Changes
Adjustments to the UI's visual style have touched all areas of the game, and we've paid special attention to improving the map screen menus. These adjustments to the map screen's layout and style aim to improve readability while preserving the overall information structure. For more information about the UI changes we've made, you can read the Beta Feedback forum.

9.00 Priority Orders.gif

Better NPC Station Designs
In previous updates, we enabled NPC factions to construct larger stations. Following those changes, the 9.00 update gives NPC factions the ability to utilise and expand upon predefined construction plans. Stations based on these designs will be more visually coherent and elaborate, and they allow our designers to populate the gate network with stations that more strongly reflect faction identities.

Mining Region Overhaul
We've completely overhauled how resource areas are managed, achieving several goals at once: better performance and memory usage, more developer control over resource distribution, and more dynamic resourcing gameplay for players. Resources are now localised rather than spread across the entire region. Additionally, when a resource area is depleted, new resources may emerge at a different location within the region. This creates a new dynamic around mining operations, in which resource areas must be discovered before they can be exploited, leading to fluctuating resource availability as miners automatically seek efficient mining locations. We have also removed the influence of resource probes on mining efficiency. Resource probes now indicate to miners where to focus their efforts, enabling players to optimise their refining and defensive setups without feeling pressured to micromanage resource probes. For a closer look at the new resource system, visit the thread in our Beta Feedback forum.

Thank you from all of us at Egosoft for playing X4: Foundations, and we hope you enjoy what we've done with the 9.00 update!

The Empire Update might be out of beta, but as you know, we never stop working on the game - so please keep sharing your feedback with us, and we'll keep listening.

>> X4 9.00 Changelog

[Waltz9]

I see the update is launched but can't find it anywhere.
Looked everywhere on steam.

[CBJ]

Just let the Steam client update your game. There is nothing else to "find".

[Waltz9]

yeah, it doesn't.
Started the game 3 times and checked my settings.

[Waltz9]

ok, its downloading now. i had to manually change game verion to 9.0

[CBJ]

If you had a fixed version selected before then that can happen. If you just set it to "Default Public Version" then it will offer the update automatically, but you may need to restart your Steam client for it to notice that the update is available.

[Scoob]

GoG just updated to v9.0 release for me. However, as I was on the Beta branch previously, I had to switch to the main branch first of course.

[kibbs]

Hi,

I would like to update, too. But so far no offline installers on GOG.
I do not use Galaxy.

[Ysas]

No Update GOG Linux Native

[mr.WHO]

I really like the new overhauled GUI - looks much better and somehow slimmer than old one.

[Waltz9]

Ouch, why did you remove the first mission of HAT where you get the free ship and had to deliver some medical supplies.
I used this mission as game starter in space suit.

[seremed]

After update 9.0 FPS dropped to 20-30. Before update I had 100 and more. I had all the details at full. GPU rtx4060 I5 processor 16GB ram.

[RainerPrem]

Ouch, why did you remove the first mission of HAT where you get the free ship and had to deliver some medical supplies.
I used this mission as game starter in space suit.

That was already gone in 8.0

[mr.WHO]

I did my first 9.0 combat testing round with Terran Fleet - I'm very happy with new balance - all weapons finally fun and useful (Meson streamers no longer a pain to watch on AI controlled ships).

What I'm extremely happy is to see stations no longer murder S/M ships by droves - they still do dammage and kill them, but no longer mass-murder
Egosoft made impossible and balanced Gravitron to finally be powerful, but not all-effective against everything (even M-size ships do survive, if they do not push their luck for too much too long ).

Gonna test other races tomorrow (i'm especially eager for Spit and their gathling frenzy ).

[scintilion]

GoG just updated to v9.0 release for me. However, as I was on the Beta branch previously, I had to switch to the main branch first of course.

Thanks for posting this. I believed the beta channel could always remain enabled. Update started automatically after disabling the beta channel.

[scintilion]

Ouch, why did you remove the first mission of HAT where you get the free ship and had to deliver some medical supplies.
I used this mission as game starter in space suit.

I completed this story a few days ago and forgot about the bonus ship. When I checked the Wiki for another matter on this mission, there was mention of some chapter being deleted, but it didn't say anything about losing the ship. Seems like a bummer.

[TheOnlyJoey]

No Update GOG Linux Native

Yeah am a bit disappointed as well, took half a day off to play the new update but since I bought it on GOG, it seems us Linux users are out of luck.
I am interested to know why GOG did have the patch on Windows, and Steam got a Linux native update, but GOG support for Linux has been forgotten?

Correction: seems the Windows binaries are also still on 8.00 Hotfix 4

[Nuanil]

GOG still hasn't updated their downloadable binaries for either Windows or Linux.... can you get the cattle prod out and give em a poke?

[_Split_Annoying_]

Hi,

I would like to update, too. But so far no offline installers on GOG.
I do not use Galaxy.

and related:

No Update GOG Linux Native

Unfortunately for those of us that are antsy to try the New Hotness, GOG's offline and Linux installers are custom creations. It takes them a while to push them out for us lowly plebs that won't or can't (no client for Linux) use Galaxy. We just gotta wait.

Also a bit annoying, but for those like Ysas and myself who don't use Windows any more, GOG's Linux support tends to leave something to be desired. We either have to put up with Steam and the possibility of arbitrarily losing permanent access to games we've paid for, or wait for GOG to push updates out the door (as full installers rather than incremental patch sets like with Galaxy) to maintain our independence from centralized services like Steam.

Don't get me wrong, Valve is doing a *ton* of good for the Linux gaming experience and environment. But I stick with GOG because the long term trust factor is an issue. GOG's customers don't need permission to reinstall a game they've already downloaded, you do with Steam.

I'm really looking forward to not needing to use the X.org session in Linux any more. X4 has been the blocker game keeping me from using Wayland. There are other problems, but X4 is the only game blocking Wayland that I regularly play.

[alt3rn1ty]

GoG just updated to v9.0 release for me. However, as I was on the Beta branch previously, I had to switch to the main branch first of course.

Thanks for posting this. I believed the beta channel could always remain enabled. Update started automatically after disabling the beta channel.

Same here, this update is unusual in that we have to disable the beta channel to get the release version update, usually I have the beta channel on all the time.

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@Egosoft thank you very much for all the excellent work you put in to this free update, as usual you have gone above and beyond with excellent attention to detail and continued support many years after release.

Outstanding update.