Best 4X Games On Steam In 2025

If you're a fan of deep strategy, empire-building, and tactical decision-making, then 4X games (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate) are where the real challenge begins. In 2025, Steam is packed with incredible 4X titles that let you command civilizations, manage intergalactic empires, or lead your people through complex political landscapes. Whether you're new to the genre or a seasoned strategist, this guide highlights the best 4X strategy games on Steam right now. Let's get to it.

Stellaris:

Hailing from Paradox Development Studio and Tantalus Media this game allows you to create and experience the story of your very own space faring civilization. The sheer quantity of choices and decisions you can make through just one playthrough is staggering. The only unfortunate downside however is that classic to Paradox games, you're going to have to purchase tons of DLC to experience the game to it's fullest, luckily however if you're curious and want to dip your toes in without making a massive financial dedication off the bat, there's a subscription model that you can subscribe to on a month to month basis that gives you access to all the DLC.

Stellaris to this day remains one of the strongest and most ambitious 4X titles that you can find on steam, it constantly seeks to improve itself and offer a more in depth and immersive experience to the players. The game itself is set in a procedurally generated universe filled to the brim with alien species, ancient mysteries and political intrigue to uncover, there's vast and expansive tech trees to research and event-driven storytelling that allows you to tailor the way your civilisation's story unfolds throughout the course of the game.

Ongoing developer support and the steady introduction of new DLCs keeps this game fresh and interesting for both veterans and newcomers alike as well as a strong modding community to help you tailor the experience to exactly what you're looking for. If you're a sci fi fanatic or looking for a wonderful experience to lose some time to, then this is the game for you!

Pros: Replayability, massive modding support, constant updates & expansions

Cons: Steep learning curve, potential late game performance issues, requires DLC for full experience

Age of Wonders 4

Developed by Triumph Studios this standout fantasy 4X strategy game introduces players to a stunning mix of deep empire-building mechanics, rich custom civilization lore and tactical turn based combat. What sets Age of Wonder 4 apart from others in the genre is the ability to create highly customisable factions, players are able to mix and match racial traits, magical affinities and government types to create truly unique and interesting civilisations to play as in their game.

You could create mole people with a strong affinity to burning things or angelic elven folk who specialise in diplomacy and the finer points of governance. Your imagination is the only limit to the vast choices you can make. The game has a strong realm generation tool that gives you the freedom to shape the world you'll set out to conquering, making each campaign you play distinct from others and deeply personalised.

Age of Wonder's deep and tactical turn based combat makes terrain, unit placement and abilities crucial to the success of combat situations. This in turn makes your battles and skirmishes feel much more interactive and skill driven compared to some of the more auto-resolved encounters in other games of the genre.

Pros: Deep customisation, tactical battles, highly replayable

Cons: AI can be inconsistent, UI can feel cluttered, quite DLC dependant

Crusader Kings 3

Also coming from Paradox Studios is a medieval and historically based 4X game, it's defining point is the character driven stories that go hand in hand with your empire building. It's not exactly a traditional 4X but still does so through slightly different lenses of dynasties, politics and personal ambition. In Crusader Kings 3 you rule as a noble dynasty and manage everything from terratorial conquests to arranging powerful marriages, assassination plots, feudal contracts to the oddities and whims of your characters personality traits.

This character simulation engine is where the game really shines, it offers strong and emergent storytelling like nothing else in the genre and makes you feel emotionally connected to your characters and those around you. In 2025 Crusader Kings 3 remains one of the most immersive grand strategy games on Steam and is bolstered by a list of major and engaging DLC's.

Whether you choose to be an ambitious Irish count looking to unite all of Ireland or a devout Ethiopian queen dedicated to restoring the old faith, Crusader Kings 3 gives you the tools you need to shape history as you see fit - or burn it to the ground and start all over.

Pros: Strong emergent storytelling, deep dynasty & realm management, roleplaying opportunities

Cons: Not a traditional 4X structure, steep learning curve, relies on long-term gameplay investment

Endless Legend

Endless Legend was developed by Amplitude Studios, it's a rich and atmospheric fantasy 4X strategy game that continues to earn it's place amongst the best in Steam, with a sequel in production. The game offers deep, stylish and mechanically innovative choices for players looking to conquer a unique and impressive magical world.

What set's this game apart from the competition is it's faction design, each of the game's races are fundamentally unique, not just in terms of their visuals and lore but in how they play and interact with the world around them. From the vampiric Broken Lords, who rely on dust to sustain them instead of food to the monstrous Necrophages, who cannot make peace with any of the other factions. The game encourages players to employ vastly different strategies based upon what faction they chose to play in their campaign.

Combat is a hexagonal grid based system and seasonal mechanics change the way you play in order to stay one step ahead of the other factions. Strong narrative threads weave the story together and blends classic 4X elements into RPG-like storytelling and deep world building. It offers a perfect middle ground between the likes of Civilization 6 and Age of Wonders 4 and is a must play for anyone who's a fan of the fantasy genre of games.

Pros: Unique game world, blend of narrative and gameplay, beautiful design

Cons: AI is often passive or inconsistent, combat can grow repetitive

From galaxy-spanning space operas to deeply personal medieval dynasties and imaginative fantasy realms, the 4X strategy genre continues to thrive in 2025. Whether you're exploring alien worlds in Stellaris, crafting your dream fantasy empire in Age of Wonders 4, forging your bloodline in Crusader Kings III, or unraveling the mysteries of Endless Legend, there's a perfect 4X experience for every kind of strategist on Steam.