XCOM 2 News

XCOM 2 is losing multiplayer and challenge mode on PC

Based on the replies when Firaxis announced it was "retiring services" for the multiplayer and challenge modes in XCOM 2, it seems like a lot of players didn't realize XCOM 2 even has multiplayer. It does! Or at least it does until March 28, when an update will remove it from the Steam version on PC. Guess we'll have to get the achievements before then...
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XCOM 2's multiplayer will be shut down this month

It's now six years after XCOM 2 released on Steam, and one of the best strategy games on PC is about to lose two big features. In a new update, developer Firaxis Games reveals it will shut XCOM 2's multiplayer and other online modes by the end of this month.

XCOM 2 is one of the best turn-based strategy games ever made, but it seems like the online side of the game may not be that popular. XCOM 2's multiplayer consisted of players taking control of humans and aliens to mix-and-match a squad, similar to the first game. An online leaderboard-based Challenge Mode was also added with the War of the Chosen expansion.

Unfortunately for fans of these modes, Firaxis has announced that it "will be retiring services for multiplayer and Challenge Mode for the Steam version" of XCOM 2 on March 28, 2022 - although this only applies to PC users as the Mac version won't be touched, apparently. On this date, XCOM 2 will receive an update that will remove both modes.

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Update on XCOM 2 Steam Multiplayer and Challenge Mode Services

As a heads up to the XCOM 2 community, we wanted to share that we will be retiring services for Multiplayer and Challenge Mode for the Steam version of the game. On March 28, an update to the Steam version of XCOM 2 will remove the functionalities; this won’t affect XCOM 2 on Mac.

The decision to retire these services isn’t something done lightly, but it does allow us to refocus our resources. We appreciate your support and thank you for your understanding.

XCOM 2 is having a free weekend, and it's super cheap too

For years now, we here at PC Gamer have maintained that XCOM 2 is excellent—one of the very best XCOM games, tactics games, and all-round games of the previous decade. It's a squad-building turn-based alien blaster with a ton of heart, and sees you leading a resistance to free Earth from its alien oppressors (so if you played its predecessor, Enemy Unknown, then you should probably know that, canonically, your efforts to protect the planet failed—sorry)...
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XCOM 2 and War of the Chosen are free to play this weekend

If you're wondering how to spend a couple hundred hours of free time this weekend, we have a great option for you: XCOM 2 and its massive expansion War of the Chosen are both free to play on Steam through February 14. You can get both the base strategy game and the expansion on deep discount if you decide you want to keep playing for the long haul, too.

XCOM 2 is high on our list of the best PC strategy games, and if you haven't had a chance to try it yet, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to find out what all the fuss has been about. It's huge, expanding on the original XCOM reboot in almost every way, and adding a bunch of new ideas that work phenomenally well.

It's expanded even further with the War of the Chosen DLC, which adds in a new bonds system for soldiers (similar in spirit to the system in Fire Emblem), a bigger cast of voiced characters for the story, and some tough-as-nails bosses called the Chosen who each have unique powers and abilities to push your squads to their limits.

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