Stardock Unveils Fantasy Strategy Game Elemental with Spore-like Mod Support

Sins of a Solar Empire (PC) publisher and The Political Machine 2008 (PC) developer Stardock today revealed its next major internal project, Elemental: War of Magic (PC).

A turn-based 4X strategy game focused on exploration, expansion, exploitation and extermination, Elemental sees players cast as the "only person in your kingdom with the ability to channel magic," allowing them to engage in traditional kingdom management, such as crafting new cities and spells, political negotiations, or exploring dungeons.

A variety of "ground-breaking" multiplayer modes will be included, such as a persistent universe mode in addition to the traditional skirmish modes.

Similar to EA Maxis' Spore (PC), Elemental includes integrated modding support, seamlessly delivering new maps, creatures, items, spells, and so forth to other players when they start the game and connect online.

Like all Stardock releases, Elemental: War of Magic will include no on-disc DRM when it arrives in Q1 2010 at $49.95, with a public beta beginning in spring 2009.