Fantastic sci-fi 4x board game Eclipse is coming to PC

Android version is also planned

One of 2011’s hottest board games was Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy. It blended classic space 4X gameplay with a European-style board game mechanic governing the economy. I was fortunate enough to get a copy during its initial print run, and I keep it proudly on the off chance I’ll get an opportunity to play it.

See, the thing with it is there are a lot of little bits and baubles to deal with. Hundreds of wooden cubes, dozens of cardboard chits, and a small army of plastic spaceships. It’s an endeavor just to bust it out, let alone convince other people to commit a few hours into learning and playing it.

Perhaps the digital version will alleviate some of those concerns! It will at least decrease the setup and takedown time, and it looks like it streamlines some of the bookkeeping involved. Though it probably hurts the experience a bit to lose the tactility of the physical dice and map, if it means playing it more it’s worth it.

Developer Big Daddy’s Creations has brought other tabletop games to the digital space, like Neuroshima Hex and Caylus. Eclipse is available on iOS right now, with plans for an Android version soon. It is currently seeking approval on Steam Greenlight for both Mac and Windows.