Get in loser, we’re going to conquer the galaxy! No, this isn’t about the Mean Girls starting a space empire, it’s about the space-faring grand strategy game Stellaris being free to try. The free Stellaris trial period is going on now and runs through the weekend, giving everyone a shot at ruling an empire of stars.
Stellaris, which first launched in 2016, has steadily grown over its lifetime, and the possibilities for the way you approach galactic conquest are just about endless. You’ll start by picking a civilisation to lead, each with its own guiding philosophies and traits, then set about exploring and expanding to new worlds, where you’ll encounter new opportunities and challenges in each one.
If you wind up enjoying the game, you can take advantage of some steep sale prices this weekend. The Stellaris base game is 75% off, putting it at $9.99 / £8.74. If you’ve already gotten into Stellaris, you can fill out your collection with discounts up to 50% on several of its DLCs, and 64% off the starter pack bundle, which includes the Utopia, Apocalypse, Leviathans Story Pack, and Synthetic Dawn Story Pack DLC.
Here’s a nice little teaser video from developer Paradox:
🎉 Stellaris is Free to Try until September 20th 🎉
Tell your friends to try out the pinnacle of space grand strategy for free on Steam.
As well, get 75% off Stellaris and up to 50% off selected DLCs, including 64% off the Starter Pack!
Get it here: https://t.co/zXuOVoPTgj pic.twitter.com/AeaE7k69pV
— Stellaris (@StellarisGame) September 14, 2021
If you want to literally play as Darth Vader, we have a list of the best Stellaris mods you can add to customise your experience. And if you need some help figuring out which are the best Stellaris DLCs, we’ve got you covered there too.
The ‘free weekend’ is going on now, and runs through September 20. The new 3.1 ‘Lem’ patch is out now, so it’s the perfect time to give it a whirl.