Alongside the often-talked-about espionage element, Paradox also unveiled another huge gameplay element coming to Stellaris: the ability to become the end-game crisis event.

As Paradox has describes:

Nemesis is an expansion to Stellaris in which the player will be able to determine the fate of a destabilizing galaxy. Adding espionage tools, a path to power as the Galactic Custodian to combat endgame crises – or the Menace option to BECOME the endgame crisis – Nemesis gives you the most powerful tools ever available in Stellaris.

Ultimately, you will have to make the choice between chaos or control, to take charge of a galaxy spiraling into crisis. Will you find a way to take power through diplomacy or subterfuge, or will you watch the stars go out one by one?

In order to become the endgame crisis, you’ll need to select a new ascension perk, “Become the Crisis”. Once selected, you’ll be granted access to a new mechanic detailing your crisis level, your objectives, and all-new perks. Continue down this dark path and you’ll be granted “Menace”, a resource that allows you to gain power and increase your capability of consuming the galaxy.

Eventually, you’ll become powerful enough to truly threaten the galaxy’s many inhabitants, and that’s where Paradox says “things get interesting”.

You can read more about it in this week’s Stellaris dev diary, but no word on an exact release date has been given yet.

Of course, the moment we find out more about its release date or details of the upcoming expansion, we will let you know.

Sounds like some absolutely diabolical stuff and we certainly approve!