Celebrating 25 Years of X!

[Gregory]

On a fateful day, test pilot Kyle Brennan made a jump from earth into the X Universe with the iconic Xperimental Shuttle. This set in motion the events in X: Beyond the Frontier, which was released in 1999, and started the X series of games.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the X series!

For two and a half decades we have explored space, immersed ourselves in lore, managed economic empires, and fought in epic battles, through several main game releases, numerous add-ons, expansions and major updates - and we are far from done!

We would like to take this opportunity to reminisce a little about the past 25 years of X games, and have prepared a video in which Bernd Lehahn, creator of the X Universe, takes a flight down memory lane. Enjoy!

Celebrate the X series during the Steam Space Exploration Fest!
From September 2nd to September 9th, 2024, Steam is celebrating our favourite genre with its "Steam Space Exploration Fest". Whether you want to complete your collection of X games or jump into the X Universe for the first time, now is the best moment to do so!

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Thank you all for following us on this quarter-century-spanning journey, and for being a vital part of our history. We are truly privileged to have such a great community.

Feel free to share your favourite memories from your years with the X series in the comments below.

See you in space!

[mr.WHO]

Cheers for next 25 years!

Hopefully we'll be at X7 or X8 by then

[adeine]

Thank you for developing these games and remaining true to your principles.

There really isn't anything else like it, and in a world of increasingly scummy practices it is nice to see X games' continued focus on moddability, community (especially maintaining these forums) and ethical marketing. In the day and age where archival and physical media have basically fallen by the wayside, just being able to buy and own X4 on GOG is reassuring. This is the kind of thing that fosters a series and community that will stand the test of time.

[birdtable]

Coooo 25 yrs .. Main memories . Saving, Saving, then buying a Dragon in a very early X BTF I think, the regret that followed after taking what seemed a week for it to turn around. Flying into Getsu Fune for the first time and hearing Drums of the Goner. Watching ships warp into being, adjust direction and accelerate away with the light reflecting off their surfaces in Rebirth VR.
Sometimes Ego have (in my opinon) earned a well deserved prod of the pitchfork but over 25 years they have produced some lasting memories ... For that I thank you.

[Maebius]

Congratulations peeps!
I was rearranging my "attic" the other day and among other things, I came across my old X:BTF box.
Here's to 25 more years! If we're healthy, we'll be playing X games well into our retirement!

[surferx]

I found XBTF in a display of video games in the store where I worked. It seemed intriguing and I thought I'd give it a look. Loved it, and every game since.
Still have the CD. It really doesn't seem like 25 yrs though. Congratulations.

[Feloidea]

Congratulations on the anniversary.

I already got everything so I can't really just buy more, but I got a friend to buy the game a short while ago and I'm confident that once I get him to finally start his first playthrough he'll get addicted soon enough and start looking at the DLCs to buy. I did tell him they go on regular sale so I guess it's a discount present for you guys but hey ... it's the thought that counts, right?

[Simon84s]

A bit late, but happy anniversary. X3 and X4 is two of my favorite games.

[Chips]

Only happened on the Game series at X2 by accident, but it still remains one of my favourite all time game experiences (with Freelancer), and my favourite game series too. As X4 is my second most played game in Steam, 20 years later the series is still "my jam" as they say (although it shares the time with other titles ). So thanks for that

Biggest memory, or certainly memory that can be triggered by sound alone and evoke thoughts - manual docking. The music...

followed by the station announcements

[Miniding]

Happy 25th !!!
Happy to be in the journey with the X Serie (Since X3 for me) and the thousandsss hours spent ingame so for (and ongoing) !!

[VincentTH]

A long time ago, in a galaxy far away....
But I digress. A long time ago I was looking for a successor of the Elite game, and was drawn into XBTF, and the rest is history!!!!