X-COM | |
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Genres |
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Developers |
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Publishers | |
Creators | Julian Gollop |
Platform of origin | PC |
First release |
UFO: Enemy Unknown March 1, 1994 |
Latest release |
XCOM 2 February 5, 2016 |
X-COM (sometimes stylized as X-Com) is a science fiction video game franchise featuring an elite international organization tasked with countering alien invasions of Earth. The series began with the strategy video game UFO: Enemy Unknown created by Mythos Games and MicroProse in 1994. The original line up by MicroProse included six published and at least two cancelled games, as well as two novels. The X-COM series, in particular its original entry, achieved a sizable cult following and has influenced many other video games; including the creation of a number of clones, spiritual successors, and unofficial remakes.
A reboot series entitled XCOM was published by 2K Games, beginning with the strategy video game XCOM: Enemy Unknown, developed by Firaxis Games and released in 2012 to critical and commercial success, with an expansion to Enemy Unknown, called Enemy Within, being released in 2013 alongside a prequel, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. A sequel, XCOM 2, has been released in 2016.
PlayStation 4
Windows
The X-COM core series consisted of four main games published by MicroProse: UFO: Enemy Unknown (also known as X-COM: UFO Defense, PC and Amiga in 1994, Sony PlayStation in 1995), X-COM: Terror from the Deep (PC in 1995, PlayStation in 1996), X-COM: Apocalypse (PC in 1997) and X-COM: Interceptor (PC in 1998). The premise of the franchise is that a alien invasion beginning in 1999 prompts the creation of a paramilitary organization codenamed X-COM (an abbreviation of "Extraterrestrial Combat Unit") by a coalition of funding nations. The player is charged with leading this secret force and tasked to engage and research the alien threat. The sequels, against new alien invasions, are set underwater (Terror from the Deep, set in 2040), in a futuristic megacity (Apocalypse, set in 2084), and in space (Interceptor, set in 2067 and making it a prequel to Apocalypse).