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id="toc-Modern_definition-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Game_design" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Game_design"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2 Game design </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Game_design-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> Toggle Game design subsection </button> <ul id="toc-Game_design-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Research_and_technology" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Research_and_technology"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2.1 Research and technology </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Research_and_technology-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Combat" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Combat"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2.2 Combat </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Combat-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Peaceful_competition" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Peaceful_competition"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2.3 Peaceful competition </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Peaceful_competition-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Complexity" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Complexity"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2.4 Complexity </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Complexity-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Gameplay" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Gameplay"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2.5 Gameplay </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Gameplay-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Victory_conditions" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Victory_conditions"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 2.6 Victory conditions </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Victory_conditions-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-History" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#History"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 3 History </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-History-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> Toggle History subsection </button> <ul id="toc-History-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Origin" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Origin"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 3.1 Origin </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Origin-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Peak" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Peak"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 3.2 Peak </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Peak-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Recent_history" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Recent_history"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 3.3 Recent history </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Recent_history-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Subgenres" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Subgenres"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 4 Subgenres </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Subgenres-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> Toggle Subgenres subsection </button> <ul id="toc-Subgenres-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Grand_strategy_games" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Grand_strategy_games"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 4.1 Grand strategy games </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Grand_strategy_games-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Real-time_hybrid_4X" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Real-time_hybrid_4X"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 4.2 Real-time hybrid 4X </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Real-time_hybrid_4X-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-4X_in_board_games" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#4X_in_board_games"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 5 4X in board games </div> </a> <ul id="toc-4X_in_board_games-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 6 See also </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> 7 References </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" > Toggle the table of contents </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading">4X</h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 30 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-30" aria-hidden="true" > 30 languages </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/4%D8%A5%D9%83%D8%B3" title="4إكس – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="4إكس" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target">العربية</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videojoc_de_construcci%C3%B3_d%27imperis" title="Videojoc de construcció d'imperis – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Videojoc de construcció d'imperis" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target">Català</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target">Čeština</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalstrategiespiel" title="Globalstrategiespiel – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Globalstrategiespiel" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target">Deutsch</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target">Español</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X_(ludo)" title="4X (ludo) – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="4X (ludo)" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target">Esperanto</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%DB%B4%D8%A7%DA%A9%D8%B3" title="۴اکس – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="۴اکس" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target">فارسی</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr badge-Q17437796 badge-featuredarticle mw-list-item" title="featured article badge"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeu_4X" title="Jeu 4X – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Jeu 4X" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target">Français</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target">한국어</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target">Bahasa Indonesia</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X_(videogiochi)" title="4X (videogiochi) – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="4X (videogiochi)" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target">Italiano</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X_(%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%92%D7%AA_%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%97%D7%A7%D7%99_%D7%95%D7%99%D7%93%D7%90%D7%95)" title="4X (סוגת משחקי וידאו) – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="4X (סוגת משחקי וידאו)" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target">עברית</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target">Lietuvių</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target">Magyar</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target">Nederlands</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target">日本語</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/4x-spill" title="4x-spill – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="4x-spill" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target">Norsk bokmål</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target">Polski</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target">Português</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target">Română</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target">Русский</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sl mw-list-item"><a href="https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Slovenian" lang="sl" hreflang="sl" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Slovenščina" data-language-local-name="Slovenian" class="interlanguage-link-target">Slovenščina</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X_(strategiapeli)" title="4X (strategiapeli) – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="4X (strategiapeli)" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target">Suomi</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target">Svenska</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target">Türkçe</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%B3%D1%96%D1%8F" title="Глобальна стратегія – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Глобальна стратегія" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target">Українська</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target">Tiếng Việt</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-wuu mw-list-item"><a href="https://wuu.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Wu" lang="wuu" hreflang="wuu" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="吴语" data-language-local-name="Wu" class="interlanguage-link-target">吴语</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh-yue mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X_(%E9%9B%BB%E5%AD%90%E9%81%8A%E6%88%B2)" title="4X (電子遊戲) – Cantonese" lang="yue" hreflang="yue" data-title="4X (電子遊戲)" data-language-autonym="粵語" data-language-local-name="Cantonese" class="interlanguage-link-target">粵語</a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X" title="4X – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="4X" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target">中文</a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q603555#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> 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Click here for more information."><img alt="Featured article" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e7/Cscr-featured.svg/20px-Cscr-featured.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="19" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e7/Cscr-featured.svg/40px-Cscr-featured.svg.png 1.5x" data-file-width="466" data-file-height="443" /></a></div></div> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Genre of strategy-based video and board games</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">This article is about the board and video game subgenre. For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/4X_(disambiguation)" class="mw-disambig" title="4X (disambiguation)">4X (disambiguation)</a>.</div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Freeciv-net-screenshot-2011-06-23.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Freeciv-net-screenshot-2011-06-23.png/500px-Freeciv-net-screenshot-2011-06-23.png" decoding="async" width="350" height="193" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Freeciv-net-screenshot-2011-06-23.png/960px-Freeciv-net-screenshot-2011-06-23.png 1.5x" data-file-width="1674" data-file-height="923" /></a><figcaption>Detailed empire management, seen here in <a href="/wiki/Freeciv" title="Freeciv">Freeciv</a>, is a central aspect of 4X <a href="/wiki/Strategy_video_game" title="Strategy video game">strategy games</a>.</figcaption></figure> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output 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.sidebar-below{padding:0.3em 0.8em;font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-collapse .sidebar-above,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-collapse .sidebar-below{border-top:1px solid #aaa;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-navbar{text-align:right;font-size:115%;padding:0 0.4em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-list-title{padding:0 0.4em;text-align:left;font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6em;font-size:105%}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-list-title-c{padding:0 0.4em;text-align:center;margin:0 3.3em}@media(max-width:640px){body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .sidebar{width:100%!important;clear:both;float:none!important;margin-left:0!important;margin-right:0!important}}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .sidebar a>img{max-width:none!important}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle">Part of a series on</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle"><a href="/wiki/Strategy_video_game" title="Strategy video game">Strategy video games</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image"><a href="/wiki/File:Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-strategy.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-strategy.svg/80px-Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-strategy.svg.png" decoding="async" width="80" height="80" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-strategy.svg/120px-Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-strategy.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-strategy.svg/160px-Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-strategy.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="249" data-file-height="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Video_game_genre" title="Video game genre">Subgenres</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">4X</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Auto_battler" title="Auto battler">Auto battler</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Multiplayer_online_battle_arena" title="Multiplayer online battle arena">Multiplayer online battle arena</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Real-time_strategy" title="Real-time strategy">Real-time strategy</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Time_management_(video_game_genre)" class="mw-redirect" title="Time management (video game genre)">Time management</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Real-time_tactics" title="Real-time tactics">Real-time tactics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tactical_role-playing_game" title="Tactical role-playing game">Tactical RPG</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tower_defense" title="Tower defense">Tower defense</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turn-based_strategy" class="mw-redirect" title="Turn-based strategy">Turn-based strategy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turn-based_tactics" title="Turn-based tactics">Turn-based tactics</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Artillery_game" title="Artillery game">Artillery</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wargame_(video_games)" class="mw-redirect" title="Wargame (video games)">Wargame</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Lists_of_video_games" title="Lists of video games">Lists</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_4X_video_games" title="List of 4X video games">List of 4X video games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_artillery_video_games" title="List of artillery video games">List of artillery video games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_grand_strategy_video_games" title="List of grand strategy video games">List of grand strategy video games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_real-time_strategy_games" title="List of massively multiplayer online real-time strategy games">List of massively multiplayer online real-time strategy games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_massively_multiplayer_online_turn-based_strategy_games" title="List of massively multiplayer online turn-based strategy games">List of massively multiplayer online turn-based strategy games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_multiplayer_online_battle_arena_video_games" class="mw-redirect" title="List of multiplayer online battle arena video games">List of multiplayer online battle arena video games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_real-time_strategy_video_games" title="List of real-time strategy video games">List of real-time strategy video games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_real-time_tactics_video_games" title="List of real-time tactics video games">List of real-time tactics video games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_tactical_role-playing_video_games" title="List of tactical role-playing video games">List of tactical role-playing video games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_turn-based_strategy_video_games" title="List of turn-based strategy video games">List of turn-based strategy video games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_turn-based_tactics_video_games" title="List of turn-based tactics video games">List of turn-based tactics video games</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Strategy_video_games" title="Template:Strategy video games"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Strategy_video_games" title="Template talk:Strategy video games"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Strategy_video_games" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Strategy video games"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> 4X (abbreviation of Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate) is a <a href="/wiki/Video_game_genre" title="Video game genre">subgenre</a> of <a href="/wiki/Strategy_game" title="Strategy game">strategy-based</a> <a href="/wiki/Video_game" title="Video game">computer</a> and <a href="/wiki/Board_game" title="Board game">board games</a>,<a href="#cite_note-Habib2006-1">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-IroncladGames-2">[2]</a><a href="#cite_note-MobyGames2008-3">[3]</a> and includes both <a href="/wiki/Turn-based_strategy" class="mw-redirect" title="Turn-based strategy">turn-based</a> and <a href="/wiki/Real-time_strategy" title="Real-time strategy">real-time strategy</a> titles.<a href="#cite_note-4XandRTS-4">[4]</a><a href="#cite_note-DeafGamersSUDG-5">[5]</a> The <a href="/wiki/Gameplay" title="Gameplay">gameplay</a> generally involves <a href="/wiki/Imperialism" title="Imperialism">building an empire</a>.<a href="#cite_note-galcivGOTY-6">[6]</a> Emphasis is placed upon economic and technological development, as well as a range of military and non-military routes to supremacy. The earliest 4X games borrowed ideas from <a href="/wiki/Board_game" title="Board game">board games</a> and 1970s <a href="/wiki/Text-based_user_interface" title="Text-based user interface">text-based</a> computer games. The first 4X computer games were <a href="/wiki/Turns,_rounds_and_time-keeping_systems_in_games#Turn-based" class="mw-redirect" title="Turns, rounds and time-keeping systems in games">turn-based</a>, but <a href="/wiki/Real-time_strategy" title="Real-time strategy">real-time</a> 4X games were also common. Many 4X computer games were published in the mid-1990s, but were later outsold by other types of strategy games. <a href="/wiki/Sid_Meier" title="Sid Meier">Sid Meier</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Civilization_(video_game)" title="Civilization (video game)">Civilization</a> is an important example from this formative era, and popularized the level of detail that later became a staple of the genre. In the new millennium, several 4X releases have become critically and commercially successful. In the board (and card) game domain, 4X is less of a distinct genre, in part because of the practical constraints of components and playing time. The <a href="/wiki/Civilization_(1980_board_game)" title="Civilization (1980 board game)">Civilization</a> board game that gave rise to Sid Meier's <a href="/wiki/Civilization_(series)" title="Civilization (series)">Civilization</a>, for instance, includes neither exploration nor extermination. Unless extermination is targeted at non-player entities, it tends to be either nearly impossible (because of play balance mechanisms, since player elimination is usually considered an undesirable feature) or certainly unachievable (because victory conditions are triggered before extermination can be completed) in board games. <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Definition">Definition</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Definition">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Moo2GalaxyAndSystem400.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2e/Moo2GalaxyAndSystem400.png/250px-Moo2GalaxyAndSystem400.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2e/Moo2GalaxyAndSystem400.png/330px-Moo2GalaxyAndSystem400.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2e/Moo2GalaxyAndSystem400.png 2x" data-file-width="365" data-file-height="273" /></a><figcaption>4X computer games such as <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Orion_II:_Battle_at_Antares" title="Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares">Master of Orion II</a> let empires explore the map, expanding by founding new colonies and exploiting their resources. The game can be won by becoming an elected leader of the galaxy, exterminating all opponents, or eliminating the Antarans.</figcaption></figure> The term "4X" originates from a 1993 preview of <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Orion" title="Master of Orion">Master of Orion</a> in <a href="/wiki/Computer_Gaming_World" title="Computer Gaming World">Computer Gaming World</a> by game writer <a href="/wiki/Alan_Emrich" title="Alan Emrich">Alan Emrich</a> where he rated the game "XXXX" as a pun on the XXX rating for pornography. The four Xs were an abbreviation for "EXplore, EXpand, EXploit and EXterminate".<a href="#cite_note-Emrich1993-7">[7]</a> Emrich wrote, "Quadruple-X - I give MOO a XXXX rating because it features the essential four X's of any good strategic conquest game: EXplore, EXpand, EXploit and EXterminate. In other words, players must rise from humble beginnings, finding their way around the map while building up the largest, most efficient empire possible. Naturally, the other players will be trying to do the same, therefore their extermination becomes a paramount concern. A classic situation, indeed, and when the various parts are properly designed, other X’s seem to follow. Words like EXcite, EXperiment and EXcuses (to one’s significant others) must be added to a gamer’s X-Rating list."<a href="#cite_note-Emricharticle-8">[8]</a> By February 1994, another author in the magazine said that Command Adventures: Starship "only pays lip service to the four Xs",<a href="#cite_note-cirulis199402-9">[9]</a> and other game commentators adopted the "4X" label to describe similar games.<a href="#cite_note-Habib2006-1">[1]</a> The 4X game genre has come to be defined as having the four following <a href="/wiki/Gameplay" title="Gameplay">gameplay</a> conventions:<a href="#cite_note-Habib2006-1">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-IroncladGames-2">[2]</a><a href="#cite_note-MobyGames2008-3">[3]</a> <ul><li>Explore means players send scouts across a <a href="/wiki/Level_(video_games)" title="Level (video games)">map</a> to reveal surrounding territories.</li> <li>Expand means players claim new territory by creating new settlements, or sometimes by extending the influence of existing settlements.</li> <li>Exploit means players gather and use resources in areas they control, and improve the efficiency of that usage.</li> <li>Exterminate means attacking and eliminating rival players. Since in some games all territory is eventually claimed, eliminating a rival's presence may be the only way to achieve further expansion.</li></ul> These gameplay elements may happen in separate phases of gameplay, or may overlap with each other over varying lengths of game time depending on <a href="/wiki/Game_design" title="Game design">game design</a>.<a href="#cite_note-MOO2Retro-10">[10]</a> For example, the <a href="/wiki/Space_Empires" title="Space Empires">Space Empires series</a> and <a href="/wiki/Galactic_Civilizations_II:_Dark_Avatar" title="Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar">Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar</a> have a long expansion phase, because players must make large investments in research to explore and expand into all areas.<a href="#cite_note-Malfador1998-11">[11]</a><a href="#cite_note-Butts2007-12">[12]</a><a href="#cite_note-Lackey2007-13">[13]</a> Emrich later expanded his concept for designing <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Orion_III" title="Master of Orion III">Master of Orion 3</a> with a fifth X, eXperience, an aspect that came with the subject matter of the game.<a href="#cite_note-GameSpy.com_2009-14">[14]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Modern_definition">Modern definition</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Modern definition">edit</a>]</div> In modern-day usage, 4X games are different from other strategy games<a href="#cite_note-SOSEdistinct-15">[15]</a><a href="#cite_note-MobyGames4xDef-16">[16]</a><a href="#cite_note-GameDaily2008-17">[17]</a> such as <a href="/wiki/Command_%26_Conquer" title="Command & Conquer">Command & Conquer</a><a href="#cite_note-MobyGames4xDef-16">[16]</a><a href="#cite_note-18">[18]</a> by their greater complexity and scale,<a href="#cite_note-SOSA1upinterview-19">[19]</a> and their complex use of diplomacy.<a href="#cite_note-SOSEdistinct-15">[15]</a> Reviewers have also said that 4X games feature a range of diplomatic options,<a href="#cite_note-DeafGamers2000-20">[20]</a><a href="#cite_note-TacticularCancer2006-21">[21]</a><a href="#cite_note-BlogWiredSoaSReview-22">[22]</a><a href="#cite_note-VanDyk2008-23">[23]</a> and that they are well known for their large detailed empires and complex gameplay.<a href="#cite_note-BlogWiredSoaSReview-22">[22]</a><a href="#cite_note-galcivGOTY-6">[6]</a> In particular, 4X games offer detailed control over an empire's economy, while other computer strategy games simplify this in favor of combat-focused gameplay.<a href="#cite_note-SOSA1upinterview-19">[19]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Game_design">Game design</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Game design">edit</a>]</div> 4X computer and board games are a <a href="/wiki/Video_game_genre" title="Video game genre">subgenre</a> of <a href="/wiki/Strategy_game" title="Strategy game">strategy games</a>,<a href="#cite_note-Habib2006-1">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-IroncladGames-2">[2]</a><a href="#cite_note-MobyGames2008-3">[3]</a> and include both <a href="/wiki/Turn-based_strategy" class="mw-redirect" title="Turn-based strategy">turn-based</a> and <a href="/wiki/Real-time_strategy" title="Real-time strategy">real-time strategy</a> titles.<a href="#cite_note-4XandRTS-4">[4]</a><a href="#cite_note-DeafGamersSUDG-5">[5]</a> The gameplay involves building an empire,<a href="#cite_note-galcivGOTY-6">[6]</a> which takes place in a setting such as <a href="/wiki/Earth" title="Earth">Earth</a>,<a href="#cite_note-24">[24]</a> a <a href="/wiki/Fantasy_world" title="Fantasy world">fantasy world</a>, or in <a href="/wiki/Galactic_empire" title="Galactic empire">space</a>.<a href="#cite_note-MOO2Retro-10">[10]</a> Each player takes control of a different civilization or race with unique characteristics and strengths. Most 4X games give each faction unique economic and military bonuses. <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Research_and_technology">Research and technology</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Research and technology">edit</a>]</div> <div class="noresize thumb tright" style=";"> <div class="thumbinner" style="overflow:hidden;width:189px;"> <div class="thumbimage" style="height:129px; overflow:hidden; position:relative; background-color:white;"> <div style=";left:0px; top:0px; width:900px; position:absolute;"> <a href="/wiki/File:Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png" class="mw-file-description" title="One part of Freeciv's technology tree. Note the complex dependencies between technologies."><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png/960px-Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png" decoding="async" width="900" height="132" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png/1350px-Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png/1800px-Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png 2x" data-file-width="4820" data-file-height="709" /></a></div> <div style="text-align:left; background-color:transparent; line-height:110%;"> </div> <div style="visibility:hidden"><a href="/wiki/File:Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png/960px-Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png" decoding="async" width="900" height="132" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png/1350px-Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png/1800px-Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png 2x" data-file-width="4820" data-file-height="709" /></a></div> </div> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Freeciv-2.1.8_technology_tree.png" title="File:Freeciv-2.1.8 technology tree.png"> </a></div>One part of <a href="/wiki/Freeciv" title="Freeciv">Freeciv</a>'s technology tree. Note the complex dependencies between technologies.</div> </div></div> 4X games typically feature a <a href="/wiki/Technology_tree" title="Technology tree">technology tree</a>, which represents a series of advancements that players can unlock to gain new units, buildings, and other capabilities. Technology trees in 4X games are typically larger than in other strategy games, featuring a larger selection of different choices.<a href="#cite_note-SOSEdistinct-15">[15]</a><a href="#cite_note-JoystiqSoaSEDesignerInterview-25">[25]</a> Empires must generate research resources and invest them in new technology.<a href="#cite_note-Rollings-26">[26]</a> In 4X games, the main prerequisite for researching an advanced technology is knowledge of earlier technology.<a href="#cite_note-MobyGames4xDef-16">[16]</a> This is in contrast to non-4X real-time strategy games, where technological progress is achieved by building structures that grant access to more advanced structures and units.<a href="#cite_note-dunehistory-27">[27]</a> Research is important in 4X games because technological progress is an engine for conquest.<a href="#cite_note-earlygameconventions-28">[28]</a> Battles are often won by superior military technology or greater numbers, with battle tactics playing a smaller part.<a href="#cite_note-Rausch2003a-29">[29]</a><a href="#cite_note-Butts2006-30">[30]</a> In contrast, military upgrades in non-4X games are sometimes small enough that technologically basic units remain important throughout the game.<a href="#cite_note-Non4XBasicUnitsRemainImportant-31">[31]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Combat">Combat</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Combat">edit</a>]</div> Combat is an important part of 4X gameplay, because 4X games allow a player to win by exterminating all rival players, or by conquering a threshold amount of the game's universe.<a href="#cite_note-gamespotSEV-32">[32]</a> Some 4X games, such as <a href="/wiki/Galactic_Civilizations" title="Galactic Civilizations">Galactic Civilizations</a>, resolve battles automatically, whenever two units from warring sides meet.<a href="#cite_note-victory_comparison-33">[33]</a> This is in contrast to other 4X games, such as <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Orion" title="Master of Orion">Master of Orion</a>, that allow players to manage battles on a tactical battle screen.<a href="#cite_note-victory_comparison-33">[33]</a><a href="#cite_note-colonyscreen-34">[34]</a> Even in 4X games with more detailed control over battles, victory is usually determined by superior numbers and technology, with battle tactics playing a smaller part.<a href="#cite_note-Rausch2003a-29">[29]</a><a href="#cite_note-Butts2006-30">[30]</a> 4X games differ from other combat-focused strategy games by putting more emphasis on research and economics.<a href="#cite_note-Emrich1993-7">[7]</a><a href="#cite_note-SOSA1upinterview-19">[19]</a> Researching new technology will grant access to new combat units. Some 4X games even allow players to research different unit components. This is more typical of space 4X games, where players may assemble a ship from a variety of engines, shields, and weaponry.<a href="#cite_note-victory_comparison-33">[33]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Peaceful_competition">Peaceful competition</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Peaceful competition">edit</a>]</div> 4X games allow rival players to engage in diplomacy.<a href="#cite_note-DeafGamers2000-20">[20]</a><a href="#cite_note-TacticularCancer2006-21">[21]</a><a href="#cite_note-BlogWiredSoaSReview-22">[22]</a><a href="#cite_note-VanDyk2008-23">[23]</a> While some strategy games may offer shared victory and <a href="/wiki/Cooperative_video_game" title="Cooperative video game">team play</a>, diplomatic relations tend to be restricted to a binary choice between an ally or enemy. 4X games often allow more complex diplomatic relations between competitors who are not on the same team.<a href="#cite_note-SOSEdistinct-15">[15]</a><a href="#cite_note-MobyGames4xDef-16">[16]</a><a href="#cite_note-GameDaily2008-17">[17]</a> Aside from making allies and enemies, players are also able to trade resources and information with rivals.<a href="#cite_note-DeafGamersSUDG-5">[5]</a> In addition to victory through conquest, 4X games offer peaceful victory conditions or goals that involve no extermination of rival players (although war may still be a necessary by-product of reaching said goal).<a href="#cite_note-SOSA1upinterview-19">[19]</a> For example, a 4X game may offer victory to a player who achieves a certain score or the <a href="/wiki/Score_(game)#High_score" class="mw-redirect" title="Score (game)">highest score</a> after a certain number of turns.<a href="#cite_note-SpaceEmpireIV-35">[35]</a> Many 4X games award victory to the first player to master an advanced technology, accumulate a large amount of culture, or complete an awe-inspiring achievement.<a href="#cite_note-victory_comparison-33">[33]</a> Several 4X games award "diplomatic victory" to anyone who can win an election decided by their rival players,<a href="#cite_note-36">[36]</a><a href="#cite_note-37">[37]</a> or maintain peace for a specified number of turns.<a href="#cite_note-SpaceEmpireIV-35">[35]</a> Galactic Civilizations has a diplomatic victory which involves having alliances with at least four factions, with no factions outside of one's alliance; there are two ways to accomplish this: ally with all factions, or ally with at least the minimum number of factions and destroy the rest. <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Complexity">Complexity</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Complexity">edit</a>]</div> 4X games are known for their complex gameplay<a href="#cite_note-BlogWiredSoaSReview-22">[22]</a><a href="#cite_note-VanDyk2008-23">[23]</a> and strategic depth.<a href="#cite_note-galcivGOTY-6">[6]</a><a href="#cite_note-4XandRTS-4">[4]</a><a href="#cite_note-PALGNSoaSReview-38">[38]</a> Gameplay usually takes priority over elaborate <a href="/wiki/Computer_graphics" title="Computer graphics">graphics</a>.<a href="#cite_note-JoystiqSoaSEDesignerInterview-25">[25]</a><a href="#cite_note-MOO3DevChat-39">[39]</a> Whereas other strategy games focus on combat, 4X games also offer more detailed control over diplomacy, economics, and research;<a href="#cite_note-Emrich1993-7">[7]</a><a href="#cite_note-SOSA1upinterview-19">[19]</a> creating opportunities for diverse strategies.<a href="#cite_note-SOSEFAQ-40">[40]</a> This also challenges the player to manage several strategies simultaneously, and plan for long-term objectives.<a href="#cite_note-IGNSE4Review-41">[41]</a> To experience a detailed model of a large empire, 4X games are designed with a complex set of game rules.<a href="#cite_note-BlogWiredSoaSReview-22">[22]</a> For example, the player's productivity may be limited by pollution.<a href="#cite_note-Civ2manual-42">[42]</a><a href="#cite_note-MOOmanual-43">[43]</a> Players may need to balance a budget, such as managing debt,<a href="#cite_note-44">[44]</a> or paying down maintenance costs.<a href="#cite_note-penalties-45">[45]</a> 4X games often model political challenges such as <a href="/wiki/Civil_disorder" title="Civil disorder">civil disorder</a>,<a href="#cite_note-gamespotSEV-32">[32]</a><a href="#cite_note-Civ2manual-42">[42]</a> or a senate that can oust the player's political party or force them to make peace.<a href="#cite_note-Civ2manual-42">[42]</a><a href="#cite_note-InternalPoliticalConstraints-46">[46]</a> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:FreeCol_colony_screen.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/FreeCol_colony_screen.jpg/220px-FreeCol_colony_screen.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="152" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/FreeCol_colony_screen.jpg/330px-FreeCol_colony_screen.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/FreeCol_colony_screen.jpg/440px-FreeCol_colony_screen.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1008" data-file-height="696" /></a><figcaption> <a href="/wiki/FreeCol" title="FreeCol">FreeCol</a> is typical of 4X games where there is a separate interface for managing each settlement.</figcaption></figure> Such complexity requires players to manage a larger amount of information than other strategy games.<a href="#cite_note-PALGNSoaSReview-38">[38]</a> Game designers often organize empire management into different <a href="/wiki/Graphical_user_interface" title="Graphical user interface">interface</a> screens and modes,<a href="#cite_note-SOSA1upinterview-19">[19]</a> such as a separate screen for diplomacy,<a href="#cite_note-Rausch2003b-47">[47]</a><a href="#cite_note-48">[48]</a> managing individual settlements, and managing battle tactics.<a href="#cite_note-victory_comparison-33">[33]</a><a href="#cite_note-colonyscreen-34">[34]</a> Sometimes systems are intricate enough to resemble a <a href="/wiki/Minigame" title="Minigame">minigame</a>.<a href="#cite_note-IGNSE4Review-41">[41]</a><a href="#cite_note-49">[49]</a> This is in contrast to most real-time strategy games. <a href="/wiki/Dune_II" title="Dune II">Dune II</a>, which arguably established the conventions for the real-time strategy genre, was fundamentally designed to be a "flat interface", with no additional screens.<a href="#cite_note-dunehistory-27">[27]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Gameplay">Gameplay</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Gameplay">edit</a>]</div> Since 4X games involve managing a large, detailed empire, game sessions usually last longer than other strategy games.<a href="#cite_note-SOSA1upinterview-19">[19]</a> Game sessions may require several hours of play-time, which can be particularly problematic for multiplayer matches.<a href="#cite_note-MOOmicro-50">[50]</a> For example, a small-scale game in <a href="/wiki/Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire" title="Sins of a Solar Empire">Sins of a Solar Empire</a> can last longer than twelve hours.<a href="#cite_note-BlogWiredSoaSReview-22">[22]</a> However, fans of the genre often expect and embrace these long game sessions;<a href="#cite_note-51">[51]</a> Emrich wrote that "when the various parts are properly designed, other X's seem to follow. Words like EXcite, EXperiment and EXcuses (to one's significant others)".<a href="#cite_note-Emrich1993-7">[7]</a> Turn-based 4X games typically divide these sessions into hundreds of turns of gameplay.<a href="#cite_note-IGNSE4Review-41">[41]</a><a href="#cite_note-52">[52]</a> Because of repetitive actions and long-playing times, 4X games have been criticized for excessive <a href="/wiki/Micromanagement_(gameplay)" title="Micromanagement (gameplay)">micromanagement</a>. In early stages of a game this is usually not a problem, but later in a game directing an empire's numerous settlements can demand several minutes to play a single turn. This increases playing-times, which are a particular burden in multiplayer games.<a href="#cite_note-MOOmicro-50">[50]</a> 4X games began to offer <a href="/wiki/Artificial_intelligence" title="Artificial intelligence">AI</a> <a href="/wiki/Governor" title="Governor">governors</a> that automate the micromanagement of a colony's build orders, but players criticized these governors for making poor decisions. In response, developers have tried other approaches to reduce micromanagement,<a href="#cite_note-IGNGalCivInterview-53">[53]</a> and some approaches have been more well received than others. Commentators generally agree that Galactic Civilizations succeeds, which GamingNexus.com attributes to the game's use of programmable governors.<a href="#cite_note-54">[54]</a> Sins of a Solar Empire was designed to reduce the incentives for micromanagement,<a href="#cite_note-55">[55]</a> and reviewers found that the game's <a href="/wiki/User_interface" title="User interface">interface</a> made empire management more elegant.<a href="#cite_note-VanDyk2008-23">[23]</a><a href="#cite_note-PALGNSoaSReview-38">[38]</a> On the other hand, <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Orion_III" title="Master of Orion III">Master of Orion III</a> reduced micromanagement by limiting complete player control over their empire.<a href="#cite_note-imperialfocus-56">[56]</a><a href="#cite_note-MetacriticMOO3-57">[57]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Victory_conditions">Victory conditions</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Victory conditions">edit</a>]</div> Most 4X and similar strategy games feature multiple possible ways to win the game. For example, in Civilization, players may win through total domination of all opposing players by conquest of their cities, but may also win through technological achievements (being the first to launch a spacecraft to a new planet), diplomacy (being elected the world leader by other nations), or other means. Multiple victory conditions help to support the human player who may have to shift strategies as the game progresses and opponents secure key resources before the player can. However, these multiple conditions can also give the computer-controlled opponents multiple pathways to potentially outwit the player, who is generally going to be over-powered in certain areas over the computer opponents. A component of the late-game design in 4X games is forcing the player to commit to a specific victory condition by making the cost and resources required to secure it so great that other possible victory conditions may need to be passed over.<a href="#cite_note-pcgames_4x_endgame-58">[58]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: History">edit</a>]</div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Origin">Origin</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Origin">edit</a>]</div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Sid_Meier_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_-_Day_4_(7).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Sid_Meier_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_-_Day_4_%287%29.jpg/250px-Sid_Meier_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_-_Day_4_%287%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="224" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Sid_Meier_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_-_Day_4_%287%29.jpg/330px-Sid_Meier_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_-_Day_4_%287%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Sid_Meier_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_-_Day_4_%287%29.jpg/500px-Sid_Meier_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_-_Day_4_%287%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2171" data-file-height="2208" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Sid_Meier" title="Sid Meier">Sid Meier</a>, the creator of the <a href="/wiki/Civilization_(series)" title="Civilization (series)">Civilization series</a> of 4X games</figcaption></figure> Early 4X games were influenced by <a href="/wiki/Board_game" title="Board game">board games</a>, such as <a href="/wiki/Stellar_Conquest" title="Stellar Conquest">Stellar Conquest</a> published by Metagaming Concepts in 1974, and <a href="/wiki/Text-based_game" title="Text-based game">text-based computer games</a> from the 1970s.<a href="#cite_note-gamespyHistory-59">[59]</a> <a href="/wiki/Cosmic_Balance_II" title="Cosmic Balance II">Cosmic Balance II</a>, <a href="/wiki/Andromeda_Conquest" title="Andromeda Conquest">Andromeda Conquest</a> and <a href="/wiki/Reach_for_the_Stars_(video_game)" title="Reach for the Stars (video game)">Reach for the Stars</a> were published in 1983, and are now seen retrospectively as 4X games. Although Andromeda Conquest was only a simple game of empire expansion, Reach for the Stars introduced the relationship between economic growth, technological progress, and conquest.<a href="#cite_note-earlygameconventions-28">[28]</a> <a href="/wiki/Trade_Wars" title="Trade Wars">Trade Wars</a>, first released in 1984, though primarily regarded as the first multiplayer space trader, included space exploration, resource management, empire building, expansion and conquest. It has been cited by the author of <a href="/wiki/VGA_Planets" title="VGA Planets">VGA Planets</a> as an important influence on VGA Planets 4.<a href="#cite_note-VGAPlanHistory-60">[60]</a> In 1991, <a href="/wiki/Sid_Meier" title="Sid Meier">Sid Meier</a> released <a href="/wiki/Civilization_(video_game)" title="Civilization (video game)">Civilization</a> and popularized the level of detail that has become common in the genre.<a href="#cite_note-civfirst-61">[61]</a> Sid Meier's Civilization was influenced by <a href="/wiki/Board_game" title="Board game">board games</a> such as <a href="/wiki/Risk_(game)" title="Risk (game)">Risk</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Avalon_Hill" title="Avalon Hill">Avalon Hill</a> board game also called <a href="/wiki/Civilization_(1980_board_game)" title="Civilization (1980 board game)">Civilization</a>. A notable similarity between the Civilization computer game and board game is the importance of diplomacy and technological advancement. Sid Meier's Civilization was also influenced by <a href="/wiki/PC_game" title="PC game">personal computer games</a>, such as the <a href="/wiki/City-building_game" title="City-building game">city management game</a> <a href="/wiki/SimCity_(1989_video_game)" title="SimCity (1989 video game)">SimCity</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Computer_wargame" title="Computer wargame">wargame</a> <a href="/wiki/Empire_(1977_video_game)" title="Empire (1977 video game)">Empire</a>.<a href="#cite_note-civhistory-62">[62]</a> Civilization became widely successful and influenced many 4X games to come;<a href="#cite_note-civfirst-61">[61]</a> Computer Gaming World compared its importance to computer gaming to that of <a href="/wiki/Wheel" title="Wheel">the wheel</a>.<a href="#cite_note-cgw199112-63">[63]</a> <a href="/wiki/Armada_2525" title="Armada 2525">Armada 2525</a> was also released in 1991 and was cited by the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Tribune" title="Chicago Tribune">Chicago Tribune</a> as the best space game of the year.<a href="#cite_note-64">[64]</a> A sequel, <a href="/wiki/Armada_2526" title="Armada 2526">Armada 2526</a>, was released in 2009.<a href="#cite_note-65">[65]</a> In 1991, two highly influential space games were released. <a href="/wiki/VGA_Planets" title="VGA Planets">VGA Planets</a> was released for the PC, while <a href="/wiki/Spaceward_Ho!" title="Spaceward Ho!">Spaceward Ho!</a> was released on the <a href="/wiki/Macintosh" class="mw-redirect" title="Macintosh">Macintosh</a>. Although 4X space games were ultimately more influenced by the complexity of VGA Planets, Spaceward Ho! earned praise for its relatively simple yet challenging game design.<a href="#cite_note-1991spaceempires-66">[66]</a> Spaceward Ho! is notable for its similarity to the 1993 game <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Orion" title="Master of Orion">Master of Orion</a>,<a href="#cite_note-Emrich1993-7">[7]</a><a href="#cite_note-MOOgreatest-67">[67]</a> with its simple yet deep gameplay.<a href="#cite_note-colonyscreen-34">[34]</a> Master of Orion drew upon earlier 4X games such as Reach for the Stars,<a href="#cite_note-Emrich1993-7">[7]</a><a href="#cite_note-68">[68]</a> and is considered a classic game that sets a new standard for the genre.<a href="#cite_note-colonyscreen-34">[34]</a><a href="#cite_note-MOOmicro-50">[50]</a> In a preview of Master of Orion, Emrich coined the term "XXXX" to describe the emerging genre.<a href="#cite_note-Emrich1993-7">[7]</a> Eventually, the "4X" label was adopted by the game industry, and is now applied to several earlier game releases.<a href="#cite_note-space4xintro-69">[69]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Peak">Peak</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Peak">edit</a>]</div> Following the success of Civilization and Master of Orion, other developers began releasing their own 4X games. In 1994, <a href="/wiki/Stardock" title="Stardock">Stardock</a> launched its first version of the Galactic Civilizations series for <a href="/wiki/OS/2" title="OS/2">OS/2</a>,<a href="#cite_note-70">[70]</a> and the long-standing <a href="/wiki/Space_Empires" title="Space Empires">Space Empires</a> series began as <a href="/wiki/Shareware" title="Shareware">shareware</a>. <a href="/wiki/Ascendancy_(video_game)" title="Ascendancy (video game)">Ascendancy</a> and <a href="/wiki/Stars!" title="Stars!">Stars!</a> were released in 1995, and both continued the genre's emphasis on strategic depth and empire management.<a href="#cite_note-space4xintro-69">[69]</a> Meanwhile, the Civilization<a href="#cite_note-71">[71]</a> and Master of Orion<a href="#cite_note-72">[72]</a> franchises expanded their market with versions for the Macintosh. Sid Meier's team also produced <a href="/wiki/Sid_Meier%27s_Colonization" title="Sid Meier's Colonization">Colonization</a> in 1994 and <a href="/wiki/Civilization_II" title="Civilization II">Civilization II</a> in 1996,<a href="#cite_note-73">[73]</a> while <a href="/wiki/Simtex" title="Simtex">Simtex</a> released Master of Orion in 1993, <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Magic" title="Master of Magic">Master of Magic</a> in 1994 and <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Orion_II:_Battle_at_Antares" title="Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares">Master of Orion II</a> in 1996.<a href="#cite_note-74">[74]</a> By the late 1990s, real-time strategy games began outselling turn-based games.<a href="#cite_note-gamespyRTSvsTBS-75">[75]</a> As they surged in popularity, major 4X developers fell into difficulties. Sid Meier's <a href="/wiki/Firaxis_Games" title="Firaxis Games">Firaxis Games</a> released <a href="/wiki/Sid_Meier%27s_Alpha_Centauri" title="Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri">Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri</a> in 1999 to critical acclaim, but the game fell short of commercial expectations.<a href="#cite_note-76">[76]</a> <a href="/wiki/Civilization_III" title="Civilization III">Civilization III</a> encountered development problems followed by a rushed release in 2001.<a href="#cite_note-77">[77]</a> Despite the excitement over <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Orion_III" title="Master of Orion III">Master of Orion III</a>, its release in 2003 was met with criticism for its lack of player control, poor interface, and weak <a href="/wiki/Artificial_intelligence_in_video_games" title="Artificial intelligence in video games">AI</a>.<a href="#cite_note-MetacriticMOO3-57">[57]</a> <a href="/wiki/Video_game_publisher" title="Video game publisher">Game publishers</a> eventually became risk-averse to financing the development of 4X games.<a href="#cite_note-galcivGOTY-6">[6]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Recent_history">Recent history</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Recent history">edit</a>]</div> Firaxis has continued to develop the Civilization series, with <a href="/wiki/Civilization_IV" title="Civilization IV">Civilization IV</a> (2005), <a href="/wiki/Civilization_V" title="Civilization V">Civilization V</a> (2010),<a href="#cite_note-78">[78]</a> <a href="/wiki/Civilization_VI" title="Civilization VI">Civilization VI</a> (2016), and <a href="/wiki/Civilization_VII" title="Civilization VII">Civilization VII</a> (2025),<a href="#cite_note-79">[79]</a> along with expansion packs for each. Among major changes to the series have been new victory conditions, switching from a square to a hex-based grid, de-stacking military units to encourage more strategic battles, and more customizable options for governance and culture. Firaxis also developed <a href="/wiki/Civilization_Revolution" title="Civilization Revolution">Civilization Revolution</a> (2008) and <a href="/wiki/Civilization_Revolution_2" title="Civilization Revolution 2">its sequel</a> (2014) as lightweight, console-friendly versions of 4X games,<a href="#cite_note-80">[80]</a> but brought the full Civilization experience to consoles with Civilization VI. Firaxis also developed a <a href="/wiki/Spiritual_sequel" class="mw-redirect" title="Spiritual sequel">spiritual sequel</a> to <a href="/wiki/Sid_Meier%27s_Alpha_Centauri" title="Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri">Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri</a> with <a href="/wiki/Civilization:_Beyond_Earth" title="Civilization: Beyond Earth">Civilization: Beyond Earth</a> (2014). As of 2021, the Civilization series has sold more than 57 million units.<a href="#cite_note-Take-Two_May_2021-81">[81]</a> The Total War series remains in development, with the latest title, <a href="/wiki/Total_War:_Pharaoh" title="Total War: Pharaoh">Total War: Pharaoh</a> released in 2023. <a href="/wiki/Stardock" title="Stardock">Stardock</a> entered the market through a remake of the 1993 <a href="/wiki/OS/2" title="OS/2">OS/2</a> game, Galactic Civilizations (2003), a space-themed 4X game. The game was successful and was compared favorably to Master of Orion, and led Stardock to continue the series with <a href="/wiki/Galactic_Civilizations_II:_Dread_Lords" title="Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords">Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords</a> (2007), <a href="/wiki/Galactic_Civilizations_III" title="Galactic Civilizations III">Galactic Civilizations III</a> (2015), and <a href="/wiki/Galactic_Civilizations_IV" title="Galactic Civilizations IV">Galactic Civilizations IV</a> (2022).<a href="#cite_note-82">[82]</a><a href="#cite_note-83">[83]</a> <a href="/wiki/Paradox_Interactive" title="Paradox Interactive">Paradox Interactive</a> is a company that was spun out from developing video game adaptions of board games from <a href="/wiki/Target_Games" title="Target Games">Target Games</a>. Through 2000 and 2003, the company began producing their own grand strategy video games, which included the <a href="/wiki/Europa_Universalis" title="Europa Universalis">Europa Universalis</a> series dealing with conflicts in <a href="/wiki/Early_modern_Europe" title="Early modern Europe">early modern Europe</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Crusader_Kings_(video_game)" title="Crusader Kings (video game)">Crusader Kings</a> series set in the <a href="/wiki/Middle_Ages" title="Middle Ages">Middle Ages</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Victoria:_An_Empire_Under_the_Sun" title="Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun">Victoria</a> series set in the <a href="/wiki/Victorian_period" class="mw-redirect" title="Victorian period">Victorian period</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Hearts_of_Iron" title="Hearts of Iron">Hearts of Iron</a> series involving <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>. These series, as of 2023, remain under active development at Paradox, along with <a href="/wiki/Stellaris_(video_game)" title="Stellaris (video game)">Stellaris</a> (2016), a grand strategy title based on space conflict.<a href="#cite_note-pcgames_4x_endgame-58">[58]</a> Paradox also acquired the <a href="/wiki/Age_of_Wonders" title="Age of Wonders">Age of Wonders</a> series, which is a 4X series based on a <a href="/wiki/High_fantasy" title="High fantasy">high fantasy</a> world that includes elements of magic.<a href="#cite_note-84">[84]</a> <a href="/wiki/Amplitude_Studios" title="Amplitude Studios">Amplitude Studios</a> entered the 4X venue with <a href="/wiki/Endless_Space" title="Endless Space">Endless Space</a> (2012) and <a href="/wiki/Endless_Space_2" title="Endless Space 2">its sequel</a> (2017),<a href="#cite_note-85">[85]</a> <a href="/wiki/Endless_Legend" title="Endless Legend">Endless Legend</a> (2014),<a href="#cite_note-86">[86]</a> and <a href="/wiki/Humankind_(video_game)" title="Humankind (video game)">Humankind</a> (2021).<a href="#cite_note-87">[87]</a><a href="#cite_note-88">[88]</a> The 4X genre has also been extended by gamers who have supported <a href="/wiki/Free_software" title="Free software">free software</a> releases such as <a href="/wiki/Freeciv" title="Freeciv">Freeciv</a>,<a href="#cite_note-89">[89]</a> <a href="/wiki/FreeCol" title="FreeCol">FreeCol</a>,<a href="#cite_note-90">[90]</a> <a href="/wiki/Master_of_Orion#External_links" title="Master of Orion">Freeorion</a>, Golden Age of Civilizations,<a href="#cite_note-91">[91]</a> and <a href="/wiki/C-evo" title="C-evo">C-evo</a>.<a href="#cite_note-92">[92]</a> <a href="/wiki/Indie_game" title="Indie game">Indie game</a> developers have also contributed towards the 4X genre during the 2010s and 2020s. <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Subgenres">Subgenres</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Subgenres">edit</a>]</div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Grand_strategy_games">Grand strategy games</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Grand strategy games">edit</a>]</div> <a href="/wiki/Grand_strategy_games" class="mw-redirect" title="Grand strategy games">Grand strategy games</a>, such as <a href="/wiki/Hearts_of_Iron" title="Hearts of Iron">Hearts of Iron</a>, <a href="/wiki/Crusader_Kings_(video_game)" title="Crusader Kings (video game)">Crusader Kings</a>, or <a href="/wiki/Stellaris_(video_game)" title="Stellaris (video game)">Stellaris</a>, are a sub-genre or sister genre of 4X that typically require even more detailed planning and execution than games like Civilization or Master of Orion. Within the realm of <a href="/wiki/Wargame" title="Wargame">tabletop wargaming</a> where grand strategy games originate, they are conventionally defined as those games in which the player governs all the capacities of a nation-state, including its economy, diplomacy, and internal politics, with a focus on <a href="/wiki/Grand_strategy" title="Grand strategy">grand strategy</a> (a nation-state's generalised prerogative in defining and pursuing its interests on the world stage), as against games where the player mostly commands the military during wartime. In computer gaming, this definition holds considerable overlap with that of 4X games, thus a more restrictive set of defining traits are usually used. Grand strategy games are typically more strategically open than 4X games, which often have well-defined, instantaneous victory conditions such as "conquer everyone" or "win the space race". Grand strategy games typically lack such victory conditions and instead scope themselves over a definite period of time, with specific starting and ending dates. As in 4X games, players are usually ranked on their overall achievements at the end of a campaign, and in grand strategies this is usually the only factor accounted for in victory. This results in longer, more complex and free-form campaigns structured largely by player-driven goals. Grand strategy games can also differ from traditional 4X games in being "asymmetrical", meaning that players are bound to play out specific (often historical) starting conditions, rather than play as a set of equally free factions exploring and progressing in an open world. For example, 4X <a href="/wiki/Civilization_(series)" title="Civilization (series)">Civilization</a> starts all players on equal footing, as small tribes in a largely ahistoric wilderness, while some grand strategies seek to at least approximately represent the actual conditions of their time period, even when those are not fairly balanced toward all players. The open-ended, sprawling, and convoluted nature of grand strategy campaigns makes even major asymmetries strategically tractable: with no hard victory conditions, players in grand strategy games are not implicitly engaged to compete in a race to the finish. As there is no way for players to "rush" toward instant victory thresholds (military or otherwise), and thus no simple way for any one player to credibly brandish the threat of imminent and irremediable defeat against the others, contest in grand strategies typically emerges more organically than in 4X games, when and where it is geopolitically meaningful, rather than as the inevitable outcome of a game's initial configuration as a <a href="/wiki/Battle_royal" title="Battle royal">battle royal</a>.<a href="#cite_note-Hailes_2019-93">[93]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Real-time_hybrid_4X">Real-time hybrid 4X</h3>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Real-time hybrid 4X">edit</a>]</div> Eventually real-time 4X games were released, such as <a href="/wiki/Imperium_Galactica" title="Imperium Galactica">Imperium Galactica</a> in 1997,<a href="#cite_note-4XandRTS-4">[4]</a> <a href="/wiki/Starships_Unlimited" title="Starships Unlimited">Starships Unlimited</a> in 2001,<a href="#cite_note-DeafGamersSUDG-5">[5]</a> and <a href="/wiki/Sword_of_the_Stars" title="Sword of the Stars">Sword of the Stars</a> in 2006, featuring a combination of turn-based strategy and real-time tactical combat. The blend of 4X and real-time strategy gameplay led <a href="/wiki/Ironclad_Games" title="Ironclad Games">Ironclad Games</a> to market their 2008 release <a href="/wiki/Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire" title="Sins of a Solar Empire">Sins of a Solar Empire</a> as a "RT4X" game.<a href="#cite_note-IroncladGames-2">[2]</a><a href="#cite_note-94">[94]</a> This combination of features earned the game a mention as one of the top games from 2008, including GameSpot's award for best strategy game, and IGN's award for best PC game.<a href="#cite_note-95">[95]</a><a href="#cite_note-96">[96]</a><a href="#cite_note-97">[97]</a><a href="#cite_note-98">[98]</a> The <a href="/wiki/Total_War_(video_game_series)" title="Total War (video game series)">Total War</a> series, debuting in 2000 with <a href="/wiki/Shogun:_Total_War" title="Shogun: Total War">Shogun: Total War</a>, combines a turn-based campaign map and real-time tactical battles. <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="4X_in_board_games">4X in board games</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: 4X in board games">edit</a>]</div> Cross-fertilization between board games and video games continued. For example, some aspects of Master of Orion III were drawn from the first edition of the board game <a href="/wiki/Twilight_Imperium" title="Twilight Imperium">Twilight Imperium</a>.<a href="#cite_note-MOO3DesignerDiaryDec2000-99">[99]</a> Even Sins of a Solar Empire was inspired by the idea of adapting the board game <a href="/wiki/Buck_Rogers_%E2%80%93_Battle_for_the_25th_Century" title="Buck Rogers – Battle for the 25th Century">Buck Rogers Battle for the 25th Century</a> into a real-time video game.<a href="#cite_note-100">[100]</a> Going in the opposite direction, in 2002 Eagle Games made a board game adaptation of Sid Meier's Civilization, entitled simply <a href="/wiki/Civilization_(2002_board_game)" title="Civilization (2002 board game)">Sid Meier's Civilization: The Boardgame</a>, significantly different from the board game that had inspired the computer game in the first place.<a href="#cite_note-101">[101]</a> Another remake based on that series, under a very similar title, <a href="/wiki/Civilization_(2010_board_game)" title="Civilization (2010 board game)">Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game</a>, was released in 2010 by Fantasy Flight Games, followed by <a href="/wiki/Civilization:_A_New_Dawn" title="Civilization: A New Dawn">Civilization: A New Dawn</a> in 2017.<a href="#cite_note-102">[102]</a><a href="#cite_note-103">[103]</a> <a href="/wiki/Through_the_Ages:_A_Story_of_Civilization" title="Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization">Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization</a> is a <a href="/wiki/Board_game" title="Board game">board game</a> for 2–4 players designed by <a href="/wiki/Vladim%C3%ADr_Chv%C3%A1til" title="Vladimír Chvátil">Vlaada Chvatil</a> and published by Czech Board Games in 2006. Its theme is the development of human civilization and the players determine the progress of their own civilization in different fields including culture, government, leadership, religion and science.<a href="#cite_note-lgg-104">[104]</a> The game won multiple awards including the <a href="/wiki/International_Gamers_Award" title="International Gamers Award">International Gamers Awards</a> in 2007 and Game of the Year in <a href="/wiki/Poland" title="Poland">Poland</a> in 2010, where it was published as Cywilizacja: Poprzez Wieki.<a href="#cite_note-105">[105]</a> <a href="/wiki/Scythe_(board_game)" title="Scythe (board game)">Scythe</a> is a board game for one to five players designed by Jamey Stegmaier and published by Stonemaier Games in 2016. Set in an <a href="/wiki/Alternate_history" title="Alternate history">alternate history</a> version of 1920s Europe, players control factions that produce resources, develop economic infrastructure, and use <a href="/wiki/Dieselpunk" title="Dieselpunk">dieselpunk</a> war machines, called "mechs", to engage in combat and control territories.<a href="#cite_note-Ars_Technica-106">[106]</a> Players take up to two actions per turn using individual player boards, and the game proceeds until one player has earned six achievements. At this point, the players receive coins for the achievements they have attained and the territories they control, and the player with the most coins is declared the winner.<a href="#cite_note-Inverse-107">[107]</a> As of June 2023<a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit">[update]</a>, <a href="/wiki/BoardGameGeek" title="BoardGameGeek">BoardGameGeek</a> listed slightly over 200 board games classified under 4X type, including titles such as <a href="/wiki/Eclipse_(board_game)" title="Eclipse (board game)">Eclipse</a> (2011) and <a href="/wiki/Heroes_of_Land,_Air_%26_Sea" title="Heroes of Land, Air & Sea">Heroes of Land, Air & Sea</a> (2018).<a href="#cite_note-108">[108]</a> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: See also">edit</a>]</div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_4X_video_games" title="List of 4X video games">List of 4X video games</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2>[<a href="/w/index.php?title=4X&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: References">edit</a>]</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-Habib2006-1">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Habib2006_1-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Habib2006_1-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Habib2006_1-2">c</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Habib2006_1-3">d</a> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFHabib2006" class="citation web cs1">Habib, J. 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Game Salute. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.gamesalute.com/?p=468">the original</a> on April 25, 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Through+the+Ages+Wins+Polish+Game+Award&rft.pub=Game+Salute&rft.date=2010-04-28&rft.au=David+Welsh&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamesalute.com%2F%3Fp%3D468&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A4X" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Ars_Technica-106"><a href="#cite_ref-Ars_Technica_106-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFZimmerman2016" class="citation news cs1">Zimmerman, Aaron (July 30, 2016). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/07/scythe-the-most-hyped-board-game-of-2016-delivers/">"Scythe review: The most-hyped board game of 2016 delivers"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Ars_Technica" title="Ars Technica">Ars Technica</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160730161003/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/07/scythe-the-most-hyped-board-game-of-2016-delivers/">Archived</a> from the original on July 30, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Ars+Technica&rft.atitle=Scythe+review%3A+The+most-hyped+board+game+of+2016+delivers&rft.date=2016-07-30&rft.aulast=Zimmerman&rft.aufirst=Aaron&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farstechnica.com%2Fgaming%2F2016%2F07%2Fscythe-the-most-hyped-board-game-of-2016-delivers%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A4X" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-Inverse-107"><a href="#cite_ref-Inverse_107-0">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFGuarino2016" class="citation news cs1">Guarino, Ben (September 16, 2016). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.inverse.com/article/20886-scythe-board-game-tabletop-strategy-2016">"The Most Hyped Board Game of 2016 Earned It"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Inverse_(website)" title="Inverse (website)">Inverse</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170401055504/https://www.inverse.com/article/20886-scythe-board-game-tabletop-strategy-2016">Archived</a> from the original on April 1, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Inverse&rft.atitle=The+Most+Hyped+Board+Game+of+2016+Earned+It&rft.date=2016-09-16&rft.aulast=Guarino&rft.aufirst=Ben&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inverse.com%2Farticle%2F20886-scythe-board-game-tabletop-strategy-2016&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A4X" class="Z3988"> </li> <li id="cite_note-108"><a href="#cite_ref-108">^</a> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/12210/mechanism-4x">"Mechanism: 4X | Family | BoardGameGeek"</a>. boardgamegeek.com. Retrieved 2021-03-01.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=boardgamegeek.com&rft.atitle=Mechanism%3A+4X+%7C+Family+%7C+BoardGameGeek&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fboardgamegeek.com%2Fboardgamefamily%2F12210%2Fmechanism-4x&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A4X" class="Z3988"> </li> </ol></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output 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href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231" /><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Wargame_genres" title="Template:Wargame genres"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Wargame_genres" title="Template talk:Wargame genres"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Wargame_genres" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Wargame genres"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Wargame_genres44" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Wargame genres</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Tactical_wargames" class="mw-redirect" title="Tactical wargames">Tactical</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>Early games:</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tactics_(game)" title="Tactics (game)">Tactics</a></li> <li>Notable:</li> <li><a href="/wiki/PanzerBlitz" title="PanzerBlitz">PanzerBlitz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Panzer_Leader_(game)" title="Panzer Leader (game)">Panzer Leader</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Grand_strategy" title="Grand strategy">Grand strategy</a>, World conquest</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>Abstract:</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Risk_(game)" title="Risk (game)">Risk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Axis_and_Allies" class="mw-redirect" title="Axis and Allies">Axis and Allies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Diplomacy_(game)" title="Diplomacy (game)">Diplomacy</a></li> <li>World epoch games:</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Age_of_Renaissance" title="Age of Renaissance">Age of Renaissance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_World_(board_game)" title="History of the World (board game)">History of the World</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Civilization_(1980_board_game)" title="Civilization (1980 board game)">Civilization</a></li></ul> <ul><li>Detailed:</li> <li>Napoleonic:</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Empires_in_Arms" title="Empires in Arms">Empires in Arms</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/War_and_Peace_(game)" title="War and Peace (game)">War and Peace</a></li> <li>World War Two:</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rise_and_Decline_of_the_Third_Reich" title="Rise and Decline of the Third Reich">Rise and Decline of the Third Reich</a></li></ul> <ul><li>Space "4x" games:</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twilight_Imperium" title="Twilight Imperium">Twilight Imperium</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eclipse_(board_game)" title="Eclipse (board game)">Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Star_Trek:_Ascendancy" title="Star Trek: Ascendancy">Star Trek: Ascendancy</a></li> <li>Computer games:</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Computer_Third_Reich" title="Computer Third Reich">Computer Third Reich</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wargame" title="Wargame">Wargame</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/4x" class="mw-redirect" title="4x">4x games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tabletop_Simulator" title="Tabletop Simulator">Tabletop Simulator</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hobby_Games:_The_100_Best" title="Hobby Games: The 100 Best">Hobby Games: The 100 Best</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235" /></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" 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style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Video_game_genre" title="Video game genre">Video game genres</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow hlist" colspan="3"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_video_game_genres" title="List of video game genres">List of video game genres</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Action_game" title="Action game">Action</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Platformer" title="Platformer">Platformer</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Endless_runner" title="Endless runner">Endless runner</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Platform_fighter" title="Platform fighter">Platform fighter</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Shooter_game" title="Shooter game">Shooter</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Arena_shooter" title="Arena shooter">Arena</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First-person_shooter" title="First-person shooter">First-person</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hero_shooter" title="Hero shooter">Hero</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Light_gun_shooter" class="mw-redirect" title="Light gun shooter">Light gun</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shoot_%27em_up" title="Shoot 'em up">Shoot 'em up</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bullet_hell" title="Bullet hell">Bullet hell</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rail_shooter" title="Rail shooter">Rail</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twin-stick_shooter" title="Twin-stick shooter">Twin-stick</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tactical_shooter" title="Tactical shooter">Tactical</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Third-person_shooter" title="Third-person shooter">Third-person</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Survival_game" title="Survival game">Survival</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_royale_game" title="Battle royale game">Battle royale</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Survival_horror" title="Survival horror">Survival horror</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Beat_%27em_up" title="Beat 'em up">Beat 'em up</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hack_and_slash" title="Hack and slash">Hack and slash</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fighting_game" title="Fighting game">Fighting</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Platform_fighter" title="Platform fighter">Platform fighter</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maze_video_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Maze video game">Maze</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Pac-Man_clones" title="List of Pac-Man clones">Pac-Man clone</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Snake_(video_game_genre)" title="Snake (video game genre)">Snake</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stealth_game" title="Stealth game">Stealth</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td><td class="noviewer navbox-image" rowspan="10" style="width:1px;padding:0 0 0 2px"><div><a href="/wiki/File:Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-history.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-history.svg/60px-Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-history.svg.png" decoding="async" width="60" height="60" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-history.svg/120px-Video-Game-Controller-Icon-IDV-green-history.svg.png 1.5x" data-file-width="249" data-file-height="249" /></a></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Action-adventure_game" title="Action-adventure game">Action-adventure</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_clone" title="Grand Theft Auto clone">Grand Theft Auto clone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Metroidvania" title="Metroidvania">Metroidvania</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Adventure_game" title="Adventure game">Adventure</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Escape_room_video_game" title="Escape room video game">Escape room</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_graphic_adventure_games" title="List of graphic adventure games">Graphic adventure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Interactive_fiction" title="Interactive fiction">Interactive fiction</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Interactive_film" title="Interactive film">Interactive film</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Visual_novel" title="Visual novel">Visual novel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Walking_simulator" title="Walking simulator">Walking sim</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Digital_tabletop_game" title="Digital tabletop game">Digital tabletop</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Deck-building_game" title="Deck-building game">Deck-building</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Roguelike_deck-building_game" title="Roguelike deck-building game">Roguelike deck-building</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Digital_collectible_card_game" title="Digital collectible card game">Digital collectible card</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Puzzle_video_game" title="Puzzle video game">Puzzle</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hidden_object_game" title="Hidden object game">Hidden object</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sokoban" title="Sokoban">Sokoban</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tile-matching_video_game" title="Tile-matching video game">Tile-matching</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Role-playing_video_game" title="Role-playing video game">Role-playing</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Action_role-playing_game" title="Action role-playing game">Action role-playing</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Looter_shooter" title="Looter shooter">Looter shooter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soulslike" title="Soulslike">Soulslike</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dungeon_crawl" title="Dungeon crawl">Dungeon crawl</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_game" title="Massively multiplayer online role-playing game">MMORPG</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Monster-taming_game" title="Monster-taming game">Monster-taming</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roguelike" title="Roguelike">Roguelike</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Roguelike_deck-building_game" title="Roguelike deck-building game">Roguelike deck-building</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tactical_role-playing_game" title="Tactical role-playing game">Tactical role-playing</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Simulation_video_game" title="Simulation video game">Simulation</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Life_simulation_game" title="Life simulation game">Life</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dating_sim" title="Dating sim">Dating</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Farm_life_sim" title="Farm life sim">Farming</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/God_game" title="God game">God</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Social_simulation_game" title="Social simulation game">Social</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Virtual_pet" title="Virtual pet">Virtual pet</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Construction_and_management_simulation" title="Construction and management simulation">CMS</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Business_simulation_game" title="Business simulation game">Business</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/City-building_game" title="City-building game">City-building</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Government_simulation_game" title="Government simulation game">Government</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Sports_video_game" title="Sports video game">Sports</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Fishing_video_game" title="Fishing video game">Fishing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Racing_game" title="Racing game">Racing</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kart_racing_game" title="Kart racing game">Kart racing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sim_racing" title="Sim racing">Sim racing</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Vehicle_simulation_game" title="Vehicle simulation game">Vehicle</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Flight_simulation_video_game" title="Flight simulation video game">Flight simulation</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Combat_flight_simulation_game" title="Combat flight simulation game">Combat</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lunar_Lander_(video_game_genre)" title="Lunar Lander (video game genre)">Lunar Lander</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Space_flight_simulation_game" title="Space flight simulation game">Space</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Submarine_simulator" title="Submarine simulator">Submarine simulator</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Train_simulator" title="Train simulator">Train simulator</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vehicular_combat_game" title="Vehicular combat game">Vehicular combat</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Falling-sand_game" title="Falling-sand game">Falling-sand</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Immersive_sim" title="Immersive sim">Immersive sim</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Strategy_video_game" title="Strategy video game">Strategy</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">4X</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Auto_battler" title="Auto battler">Auto battler</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Multiplayer_online_battle_arena" title="Multiplayer online battle arena">MOBA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Real-time_strategy" title="Real-time strategy">Real-time strategy</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Time_management_game" title="Time management game">Time management</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Real-time_tactics" title="Real-time tactics">Real-time tactics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tactical_role-playing_game" title="Tactical role-playing game">Tactical role-playing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tower_defense" title="Tower defense">Tower defense</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turn-based_strategy" class="mw-redirect" title="Turn-based strategy">Turn-based strategy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turn-based_tactics" title="Turn-based tactics">Turn-based tactics</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Artillery_game" title="Artillery game">Artillery</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Computer_wargame" title="Computer wargame">Wargame</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Grand_strategy_wargame" title="Grand strategy wargame">Grand strategy</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other genres</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cozy_game" title="Cozy game">Cozy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fitness_game" title="Fitness game">Fitness</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Horror_game" title="Horror game">Horror</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Survival_horror" title="Survival horror">Survival horror</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Incremental_game" title="Incremental game">Incremental</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Music_video_game" title="Music video game">Music</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rhythm_game" title="Rhythm game">Rhythm</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Non-game" title="Non-game">Non-game</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Party_video_game" title="Party video game">Party</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Photography_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Photography game">Photography</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Programming_game" title="Programming game">Programming</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Typing_game" title="Typing game">Typing</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related concepts</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Themes</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Advergame" title="Advergame">Advergame</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bish%C5%8Djo_game" title="Bishōjo game">Bishōjo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_video_game" title="Christian video game">Christian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comedy_in_video_games" title="Comedy in video games">Comedy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Educational_video_game" title="Educational video game">Educational</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Girls%27_video_games" title="Girls' video games">Girls</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Licensed_game" title="Licensed game">Licensed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Otome_game" title="Otome game">Otome</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sexual_content_in_video_games" title="Sexual content in video games">Sexual</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Eroge" title="Eroge">Eroge</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nonviolent_video_game" title="Nonviolent video game">Nonviolent</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Personalized_video_game" title="Personalized video game">Personalized</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Science_fiction_video_game" title="Science fiction video game">Sci-fi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Serious_game" title="Serious game">Serious</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Art_game" title="Art game">Art</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Climate_change_video_game" title="Climate change video game">Climate change</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Newsgame" title="Newsgame">News</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Player modes</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Multiplayer_video_game" title="Multiplayer video game">Multiplayer</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cooperative_video_game" title="Cooperative video game">Co-op</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Player_versus_player" title="Player versus player">PVP</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Single-player_video_game" title="Single-player video game">Single-player</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Production</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/AAA_(video_game_industry)" title="AAA (video game industry)">AAA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indie_game" title="Indie game">Indie</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Doujin_soft" title="Doujin soft">Doujin soft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fan_game" title="Fan game">Fan game</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Design</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Casual_game" title="Casual game">Casual</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hypercasual_game" title="Hypercasual game">Hypercasual</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Emergent_gameplay" title="Emergent gameplay">Emergent gameplay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Full-motion_video" title="Full-motion video">FMV</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gacha_game" title="Gacha game">Gacha</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kaizo" title="Kaizo">Kaizo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Masocore" title="Masocore">Masocore</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nonlinear_gameplay" title="Nonlinear gameplay">Nonlinear gameplay</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Open_world" title="Open world">Open world</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sandbox_game" title="Sandbox game">Sandbox</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Side-scrolling_video_game" title="Side-scrolling video game">Side-scrolling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twitch_gameplay" title="Twitch gameplay">Twitch gameplay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vertically_scrolling_video_game" title="Vertically scrolling video game">Vertically scrolling</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Minigame" title="Minigame">Minigame</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Toys-to-life" title="Toys-to-life">Toys-to-life</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Video_game_clone" title="Video game clone">Video game clone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Video_game_modding" title="Video game modding">Video game modding</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Video_game_remake" title="Video game remake">Video game remake</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://auth.wikimedia.org/loginwiki/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=4X&oldid=1284104955">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=4X&oldid=1284104955</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:4X_games" title="Category:4X games">4X 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