Surviving Mars’ next expansion introduces terraforming

An important thing to remember about Surviving Mars is that it takes place on Mars, a planet that has a relentlessly hostile environment and requires people to mainly stay indoors. Well, no more: Suviving Mars’ second expansion, called Green Planet, is adding terraforming mechanics to the game.

You’ll be able to reshape the terrain and grow plants, eventually creating a breathable atmosphere. The trailer shows massive stacks releasing steam into the air and filling in ancient craters with water, with trees and grass eventually sprouting up around a colony. 

The paid expansion will arrive alongside a free update for all Surviving Mars players, and Paradox says this will “bring new layers of mid-to-late-game strategic depth” to the game.

Haemimont Games CEO Gabriel Dobrev says terraforming has been the community’s most-requested feature since the game launched.

“Terraforming the surface of Mars is something that has captivated gamers and the human imagination for as long as we can remember,” he said. “It’s something that we took special care to develop and make sure we got right.”

Details on the expansion are thin at the moment, but you can expect Green Planet to arrive in the next few months.