XCOM Squad!?

[Biologist]

I agree that it doesn't make sense for an XCOM squad to be involved in international wars, but... it's not like Civ tries to be deadly serious. Even XCOM doesn't really do that, when you can have your soldiers with garish armor and hair colors. Besides, someone will likely make a mod to remove the XCOM squad from the game if you don't want it. Assuming it actually exists.

That said, a scenario where you play as one of the Council nations and have to work with XCOM to defeat an alien/GDR attack would be pretty fun.

 

[albie_123]

I'll probably just change the name to something else - while I like tongue in cheek humour, directly referencing another game is a bit much!

 

[Dreadnought]

Oh come on now, when's the last time anyone's built GDR? I'm assuming XCOM Squads are around the same tech level, meaning that you're about to get to space anyway by the time you can build them. So what if they're a little far out there? I doubt any of us will have reasonable chances of building them in normal games.

 

[Zango]

As long as they're nerfed a little (40 TILE DROP RANGE?) I won't mind too terribly. Or maybe if like the GDR they require an uncommon late game resource to build, like...

...

Uranium?

 

[Louis XXIV]

Clearly they need Alien Weapon Fragments to build.

 

[steveg700]

Looks awesome. Always fun to come here knowing some segment will be bothered over minutia.

 

[Matthew.]

I don't know as much about Firaxis as other companies (yes, I am one of those that got into the series with 5), but it isn't uncommon for other companies to have joke stuff for these type of events just for the events. Coming from someone who doesn't know how the company has operated in the past, it seems like just a joke to me. But if it is in the game it will be well after the game finishes, just like the GDR, so not really a concern to me either way.

And agreed that if they add a future unit a reference to XCom is better than trying to come up with some cheesy attempt to sound serious.

 

[WChrisMullen]

They should throw in references to Alpha Centauri while they're at it.

 

[nokmirt]

It's a joke but a good one.

 

[Sherlock]

VERY COOL!!!

Now I really want a science fiction turn based strategy 'Civ' style game.

 

[justinianI]

I think that it should be in! It's like the GDR because it won't affect the outcome of games. They'll put it super late in the tech tree, so that victory will have been achieved or is so close you can't really influence it with them.

I just think it's a fun unit to play around with if you want to go "one more turn" after the main game is over. It's for a futuristic world with GDRs and cyborg soldiers (they just happen to reference another game in their company with the name). Anyway, I think it's cool. They just need to let stealth bomber upgrade to a Drone for the after victory conditions too. I know that we already have Drones, but they would fit into the game well with GDRs and the not totally confirmed XCOM Squad. Alas, I think it's too controversial and touchy at this point.

 

[Louis XXIV]

They should throw in references to Alpha Centauri while they're at it.

Well, they do build a spaceship to Alpha Centauri, although I guess that's backwards because SMAC is a Civ sequel.

 

[steveg700]

VERY COOL!!!

Now I really want a science fiction turn based strategy 'Civ' style game.

I was really hoping they'd follow up the smokey scenario something equally fantastic this go around.

A "War of the Worlds" scenario would be great. Nations team up to fight off the invaders--or, in some cases, concede to the invaders and become vassals in exchange for alien technology.

 

[HaloCapella]

if there actually going to be XCOM there, then I think there should definitely be extraterrestrials.

An Alpha Centauri mod would be nice, like Civ4's Final Frontier.

 

[EulerMcE]

Alien abduction and terror random events are a shoe-in.

UFO crashes and landings can be late-game ancient ruins.

 

[sukritact]

As someone who loved X-Com, I'm tied between loving them and hating them. (I think I love them more)

 

[stealth_nsk]

First, the joke is good. There are much more lame samples of cross-game references. Like Dragon Age armor in Mass Effect.

Second, I have a feeling what the game could be moved to future slightly. See, they already confirmed changes in culture game, which most likely shift it forward. The diplomacy changes are also mentioned, so we could expect some shift in diplomatic victory as well. So if they done something with science victory too, the future war will be close.

 

[kingchris20]

Just watched the panel again, and I believe the XCOM SQUAD is for real!!! The way he was talking about the old WWII paratroopers and that there was really nothing for them to upgrade into as the future eras rolled in, and how they wanted to round off the combat in the late game, especially something against the GDRs!

Then it shows that it takes 1 MechInfantry and 3 XCOM SQUADs to take out a single GDR in one turn.

I believe it is real, additionally, they did not do all that work with the models and animations for the squad just for a giggle. That looks sweet when the paradrop in (40 tile range!!!), and their plasma rifles lookin good too!

Not a fan of the XCOM game, but I love the fact that we are getting a new late game unit!

Pic below is a bit fuzzy, but you can see the jet swooshing by (above "Next Turn"), and the XCOM units as they are landing.

Then on the second one, you can see the combat between the XCOM SQUAD and a GDR!

 

[Anfillius]

Considering the two games come out of the same building, it stands to reason that the "XCOM future" is what Firaxis has decided the future looks like. Since not all of us are good enough to end the game early, future units and/or techs would be welcome.

 

[Ellye]

By the way, I would easily pay money for a DLC that gave us an official sci-fi mod set in the X-COM universe, with aliens and such.

Balancing world peace while trying to band together against a threat from another planet?
Or perhaps research ultra-high linguistic techs to ally with the aliens and obliterate your earthly rivals?
With a bit of improvement to Civ5's diplomacy, this could be a really nice little future addition!