Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation receives Vulkan support, new co-op maps

When the Stardock team released Ashes of the Singularity, they were among the very first to support DirectX 12, so it’s no surprise that they are ready for AMD’s new hardware.   Today they are announcing their next big free update to the game, as well as Vulkan Support.  Beyond all of that, they are also putting up a 50% off sale on Steam this weekend.  If you need more convincing (beyond my review for the main game here, and the expansion here) then perhaps some of the V2.4 updates will do the trick:

“This is a major update for the game,” said Stardock CEO Brad Wardell. “Nearly every aspect has been improved from the UI, to balance, to modding capabilities. As a thank you to our multiplayer community, we’re also releasing a free DLC that includes maps that are specifically meant to play co-op with your friends.”

v2.4 also features UI changes, campaign and scenario updates, improvements to the overall gameplay experience, and more. Here are some details about the features that have been added:

• UI: A full menu reworking makes the game more accessible with new orbital ability icons, improved chat displays, and more.
• Campaign and Scenarios: Several scenarios and all three campaigns have been updated to refine difficulty levels, adjust to the changes of previous updates, and improve the user experience.
• Modding: Modders have access to more parts of the game and will benefit from several changes that makes modding more intuitive.
• Balance: Changes to air units, anti-air, drones, and dreadnoughts will improve strategic diversity. The Substrate receives some additional changes in order to differentiate themselves from the PHC.
• Vulkan Support: This graphics-rendering API offers enhanced OS compatibility and performance.
  Updated Benchmark: The benchmark has been updated so that players can see how well their PC runs under Vulkan.

As Mr. Wardell mentioned, the free co-op map pack will release alongside version 2.4, including 9 new maps, specifically designed for cooperative play.

The co-op maps and update will be completely free, releasing on August 24th, and the base game and expansion will see a 50% off sale on Steam from August 24th through the 28th.   In the mean time, take a look at the screenshots above to see if Ashes of the Singularity might just be the RTS you’ve been looking for.

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