Xenonauts 2 Leaves Early Access With 1.0 Launch and Milestone 7

A full release paired with a major patch

Xenonauts 2 has officially reached version 1.0 and left Early Access. In its Steam announcement, the developer says the full launch arrives alongside Milestone 7, a substantial update that bundles content additions, interface work, technical improvements, and balance changes. That makes this more than a symbolic version bump. For a strategy title built in the shadow of classic X-COM, the 1.0 label matters because it signals that the project’s core campaign structure and systems are now considered feature-complete enough for a full commercial release.

The update itself is broad. Official notes mention new UI background art tied to campaign progression, interceptor paperdoll visuals, new Praetorian aliens, revamped Farm maps, additional Scout UFO maps for each biome, and an Extended Mode toggle. The same post also highlights performance improvements across loading, save handling, and AI turns. In other words, this is not just a content drop for existing fans. It is also an attempt to make the full game read more cleanly and play more smoothly for newcomers arriving at launch.

Important caveats for returning players

The biggest practical warning is save compatibility. The developer says Milestone 7 breaks Milestone 6 saves, though a Legacy branch is available for players who need to keep older campaigns intact. That is a meaningful detail because it implies fairly deep structural changes behind the scenes. The balance pass is also notable, with changes touching Operation Points, the Colossus Battlesuit, Stalker Stealth Armour, several alien behaviors, and AI logic. Those adjustments should have visible effects on tactical pacing and squad planning.

The studio also framed 1.0 as a transition point rather than the end of development. Post-release plans include stability work, a roadmap update, stronger modding support, free updates, and potential paid DLC. For turn-based strategy players who were waiting for Xenonauts 2 to settle before jumping in, this launch is the clearest signal yet that the game has entered its next phase.