Tactical strategy game Phoenix point, created by the lead designer of the XCOM series, has received a major update dubbed “Firebird.” The complete overhaul integrates popular features and fixes from a community-created mod, “Terror From The Void,” demonstrating a growing trend of developer-community collaboration in the gaming industry. The update arrives alongside a notable price reduction, with the standard edition currently available for $9.59 and the complete edition for $12.45.
Phoenix Point, the spiritual successor to the original XCOM series and created by the same lead designer, Julian Gollop, has received a significant update from Snapshot Games. The new patch isn’t a minor adjustment; it’s a comprehensive overhaul of the game, directly incorporating feedback and content from a popular community-created mod called Terror From The Void.
Dubbed the Firebird update, the revision was developed in collaboration with the team behind Terror From The Void. The result is a substantial improvement to the tactical strategy experience, and comes at an opportune time as the game is currently available for purchase at more than half its standard price. Players can acquire the standard edition for $9.59, or the complete edition, including all DLC, for $12.45 – representing discounts of 60% and 53% respectively. This move underscores the growing trend of developers embracing and integrating community contributions.
Community-Driven Enhancements
“For over three years, the TFTV team has tirelessly updated and refined their version of Phoenix Point,” Snapshot Games stated in an announcement. “In fact, many of the changes in this update were directly inspired by TFTV.” Importantly, this isn’t a move to supplant the mod; the studio worked closely with the modders during development to ensure full compatibility, even with existing TFTV campaigns.
The Firebird update focuses on improving the campaign’s pacing and progression. “One of the main issues we identified was that the campaign, especially in the mid-to-late game, tended to drag, becoming repetitive and diluted,” Snapshot explained. To address this, research times have been reduced and the construction times for key, end-game faction buildings have been halved. The goal is to allow players to reach more compelling decision points sooner, without sacrificing the game’s depth.
Resource scarcity has also been rebalanced, as the original system proved overly punishing, leading to “tedious cycles rather than meaningful strategic choices.” Production costs for ammunition and the construction of key structures have been slightly reduced to alleviate pressure in the early game. Recurring missions to defend havens are now more consistently challenging, with a more accurate calculation of difficulty to ensure “logical and fair battles,” while improved defensive options allow havens to better defend themselves.
Numerous combat encounters have been tweaked to improve their utility and threat level within the overall game structure. Rescue missions have been rebalanced to “preserve tension” without introducing random, instant-death scenarios for soldiers that made them overly punitive. Ambush missions, conversely, are now more frequent and rewarding, offering both loot caches and skill points.
All five of Phoenix Point’s DLC packs have received revisions and rebalancing, with a particular focus on Festering Skies and Corrupted Horizons. The former now offers “more meaningful ways to interact with, hinder, and counter the Behemoth’s behavior.” Unit behavior has also been revised. In essence, the update represents a significant refresh of the game, bringing substantial changes to the core experience.
