Sci-fi colony sim RimWorld getting Ideology DLC and big free update "in about two weeks"

RimWorld, the acclaimed sci-fi colony sim from Ludeon Studios, has announced a second paid expansion, titled Ideology, which'll be arriving in the next few weeks alongside a substantial free content update for all players.

Following on from last year's Royalty DLC, Ideology aims to enhance RimWorld's celebrated core by providing the tools needed to fashion a specific belief system for your colony. "You can play as tree-worshipping cannibals who carve skulls into every piece of furniture," explains developer Tynan Sylvester on Steam, "or blind tunnelers who shun the light, or transhumanists obsessed with perfecting the human form using exotic technology. Or be nudists, or drug-stupor mystics, or piratical raiders, or charity-focused givers, or pain-loving animal sacrificers, or dance-party techno ravers, or rustic ranching cowboys, or many many more."

Sylvester says it'll be possible to mix and match different core elements of a colony's belief system in Ideology, and that customisation can be taken even further if desired, with the expansion enabling players to individually adjust preferences in the following categories: precept, ritual, special social role, venerated animal and weapon, culture and style, unique building, tattoo, clothing, background narrative, god, and, perhaps most importantly of all, beard (more on those shortly!).

Additionally, Ideology introduces an "Indiana Jones roguelike-type" quest category - challenging players to infiltrate perilous ancient structures and steal treasure - plus spacedrone hacking, terminal-worshipping tribal villages, a new archonexus ending, and dryads. The latter are new creatures that have symbiotic relationships with special trees "and who can be controlled and grown in different castes to do different things".

That's not everything though, and Sylvester says more on RimWorld's Ideology expansion will be revealed as its launch approaches.

Ideology's arrival will be accompanied by a free new content update, known as update 1.3, for all players. This includes an animal overhaul - giving each species a more focussed role - plus a variety of animal-related tools, including new fences and pens, egg boxes, and a new straw matting terrain type to complete the ranch-y aesthetic.

Additionally 1.3 brings a rework for the faction goodwill system, a new breach-style raid system for enemies, various UI and quality of life improvements, beards(!), improved character rendering, and more - as detailed in the full changelog. Those wishing to check out 1.3 early can do so right now courtesy of RimWorld's Steam beta branch, and the final release will be accompanied by the Ideology expansion "in about two weeks".

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