Mario + Rabbidsmay have been the turn-based game to get the most attention at the big E3 press conferences, but it wasn’t the only title representing the genre. Firaxis Games revealed a massive newXCOM 2expansion,War of the Chosen, which is so large that it almost becameXCOM 3.
War of the Chosenis an incredibly ambitious expansion that goes far beyond just adding a few new maps and skins to the existing game. ThisXCOM 2DLC will include brand new features that are so complex that the development team actually thinks they could have been the basis for a full sequel.
Here is what Jake Solomon from Firaxis Games had to say about the scope ofWar of the Chosenand how close it came to becomingXCOM 3instead of an expansion pack…
“We definitely talked about that… We have a lot of features that could have been the basis for a sequel, but for us a sequel also requires an entirely new narrative. … We’re very systems-oriented and so, for us, this is an opportunity to make a new experience, a new game. But we’re not going to totally replace the narrative.”
The lengthly expansion will introduce three main enemy figureheads across the traditional storyline. Each new enemy has a distinct personality and fighting type that introduces an additional layer of complexity to the gameplay…
Although it would’ve been exciting to see a new numbered installment in theXCOMfranchise, it seems like most fans are more than happy about diving into a lengthly new expansion instead. BothXCOMandXCOM 2were very well received by critics, so hopefully the latest expansion follows in that same tradition.
What do you think of the first look atWar of the Chosen? Do you plan to pick up the massive expansion? Let us know in the comments!
XCOM 2: War Of The Chosenwill release on July 05, 2025 for PC. It’s not currently known if it will be available on console for the same date.
