As we approach the 2.96 release, we are focused on addressing gameplay bugs, quality of life improvements, and DLC updates.
Patch Activation Instructions
To enable the patch, please follow these steps:
- Select Galactic Civilizations IV from your Steam Library list.
- Right-click and select Properties.
- Select the BETAS tab.
- From the dropdown, select Insider and click Close. (If you don't see this option, restart Steam.)
- Steam should pull down the changed files. If you ever want to return, do the same as above but select default.
Please note: The opt-in (Insider Build) is an early preview of the next update, and you might experience bugs or other issues.
Key Features
- Gameplay Bug Fixes: Resolved issues related to techs, leader recruitment, wealth anomalies, civilization traits, and abilities.
- Quality of Life Improvements: Enhanced UI, clarified confusing text, improved camera scrolling, and updated default map settings.
- DLC Updates: Gameplay and UI improvements for the Tales of the Arnor and Megastructures DLCs.
v2.96 Changelog (April 10th, 2025)
AlienGPT
- Added AlienGPT 2.0
- Alien images are cached as part of the install.
- Added the ability to browse through all alien images.
- AlienGPT is now smarter, enhancing writing and image selection.
Auto for Ships
- Auto survey now correctly identifies surveyable anomalies.
- Auto mine now correctly identifies asteroid fields.
Custom Civ
- Fixed an issue where Custom Civilizations with Random citizens don’t maintain the random citizen if used in multiple games.
Missions
- Fixed a bug during The Opportunity Mission where players were unable to scan the Navigator's planet.
Ships
- Ship designs with the Precursor Particle Beam will no longer become locked and unable to build.
- Fixed a bug where freighter ships could occupy the same tiles as planets.
- If you redesign an existing ship and change its class, it will now properly remove the old class’s ability.
UI
- Resized the Alterian citizen role UI.
- Added Approval Icon for Lagoon Tiles.
War
- If a player is in a permanent war with another civilization, players cannot speak, trade, or end the war.
v2.96 Changelog (March 31st, 2025)
Gameplay
- Advanced ship design mode is now on by default.
- Fixed Capital City not increasing population correctly.
- Anomalies that give wealth have reduced turns to survey and are more likely to occur.
- Artifact anomaly turns to survey reduced from 8 to 5.
- Minister of Justice crime reduction benefit doubled.
- Gave ship sensor range a minimum of 1.
- Removed duplicate Egalitarian Awareness buff from Radiated Ability.
- Fixed Farmer Civilization Trait to give the correct Farmer Bonus.
- Shipyards after an invasion will now display correct build times instead of N/A.
- Prevented players from offering more credits than they own in a trade.
Leaders
- Leadership recruiting is given higher priority by AI to utilize factions more effectively.
- Increased odds that a new leader will show up each turn by 20%.
- Fixed a bug where leadership recruitment cost was negative.
Techs
- Beacon reconstruction lab adjacency bonus for tech increased from 1 to 3.
- Added Tech requirements for Commercial Starliner and Orbital Destination Resort.
- Fixed The Opportunity Mission Logistics Tech Tree to appear correctly.
Map Settings
- Default map settings changed from Binary to Singular Sectors.
- Default map settings changed from Medium to Small map size.
- Default map settings changed from starting near another civ to starting further away.
Misc
- Fixed stuck camera scrolling issues.
- Sped up scrolling in and out of the map with the mouse wheel.
Text
- Added missing "(We are at War)" text to Korath war declaration.
- Added missing descriptions for resource tooltips.
- Fixed loading screen tooltip to say, “You can rebind useful hotkeys in the Key Bindings section of the Options menu."
- Corrected probe tooltip to say “Ignored by pirates, space monsters, and precursor sentinels.”
- Added clarifying text onto Techs that unlock Galactic Challenges.
- Fixed tutorial pop-up to explain Executive Orders and Control.
UI
- Fleet/Ship context panel now shows combat rating and related stats first.
- Tweaked the planet window to give more space for the planet improvements list.
- Fixed the scientist tech tree tooltip to show the correct information.
- Fixed the “Customize your Civilization” screen from disappearing after clicking back and forth between the Civilization Select Screen.
- Prevented abilities in the “Customize your Civilization” screen from duplicating when changing them.
- Updated Defeat Video with new music and scene.
- Fixed a bug where you could take a Leader out of the Leaders screen.
- The Pause Menu no longer opens when the Automation screen is open.
Tales of the Arnor DLC
Gameplay
- Fixed Citizen Stat effects for Systemic Processing Overload event.
- Fixed effect for The Nexus of Computation Event.
- Fixed and Buffed Supply Attrition Bonus for Prime of Colony Oversight.
- Increased Supply Attrition Bonus for Prime of Colony Oversight from -0.1% to -0.5% per point of resolve.
- Removed Liberate option from the Tales of the Arnor Missions.
- Fixed a bug where if you locate a minor Civilization before you locate the Iconians, the objective to locate the Iconians is completed.
Tech Tree
- Cybernetic ability techs don't show up in the tech tree for synthetic Civilizations.
- Added Urbanite techs to the Nyx Tech Tree.
- Added Exotic World Colonization to the Nyx Tech Tree.
- Holometric Culture Vistas unlocks Entertainers for the Nyx.
Localization
- Fixed Polish localization issues.
Multiplayer
- When a player joins a multiplayer game and owns Tales of the Arnor DLC, they do not need to exit and reenter the lobby to see the Nyx as a Civilization option.
UI
- Added clarifying text that Synthetic races do not have access to the Cybernetic Ability and tech tree unlocks.
- Updated Computational Core description to indicate that it needs to be built before certain Improvements and Districts.
- Fixed incorrect text for Lost Weapon Jammer anomaly event.
- Fixed bug where the Free Will tech does not show up in the Tech Library.
Megastructures DLC
Stellar Nexus
- Fixed Blue Nexus: Quantum Mirror intelligence buffs.
UI
- Added new icons to represent Megastructures in the tech tree.
