Endless Legend 2 is set to rival Civilization 7, and it's on Game Pass day one

It's been more than a decade since Endless Legend launched. In the time since, its reputation has only grown, cementing it as one of the best 4X games ever made, alongside Civilization 6, Stellaris, and Age of Wonders Planetfall. This has made anticipation high for the upcoming launch of its sequel, Endless Legend 2, which is due out very soon from original creator Amplitude and Manor Lords, 9 Kings, and Against the Storm publisher Hooded Horse. Now, we've learned that the sequel will be more widely available than previously thought, as the news has just been shared that Endless Legend 2's Early Access version will launch simultaneously on Steam, the Microsoft Store, and PC Game Pass.

In a preview of the game, Ken wrote that Endless Legend 2 appears to be "a worthwhile successor to the game that finally stole me away from Civ 5 more than a decade ago." The sequel has big shoes to fill, but may be capable of doing so, especially as it's refined over the course of an Early Access period that Amplitude plans to spend creating a new faction and multiplayer mode.

This doesn't mean that the preview version won't be worth checking out, even in its early state. Per its Steam description, Endless Legend 2 will launch in Early Access and Game Preview with "core gameplay systems, narrative quests and victory conditions, functional diplomacy and combat mechanics, and a total of five playable major factions" already included. The description also states that this version "is stable and enjoyable," despite still being a work in progress.

You won't have to wait long to give it a try for yourself. Endless Legend 2 launches in Early Access on Steam, the Microsoft Store, and PC Game Pass as a Game Preview on Monday September 22. 

While you're waiting for it to come out, there are plenty of great options to pass the time with our picks for the best strategy games and best fantasy games already available on PC. You can also strike up a conversation with other genre fans by heading on over to our community Discord server.