Stellaris is a sci-fi strategy game developed by Paradox Development Studio and released in 2016. The game was well-received by fans and critics upon release, who noted the RPG elements and high polish. The game also sold over 200,000 units within its first 24 hours and was Paradox Studios fastest selling game ever. It has sold over 3 million copies and received praise for its revolutionary development to 4X and strategy games.
Stellaris Premise
Stellaris puts players in charge of their ships as they battle for control of the galaxy. Starting the game, players will choose their empire or create their own. These customization options range from picking your species to ethics and civics. Once completed, the game will start, and you will have a single planet to work with. You will have mines, research stations, ships, and military vessels on this planet. Also, you’ll want to expand and colonize other areas to build your empire. You can achieve this through civil means like diplomacy or starting wars and battling your way to the top.
Players must manage their resources throughout the game: energy credits, minerals, alloys, food, and consumer goods. Note that Stellaris is not for the faint of heart, as it has a steep learning curve. The mechanics of the game are not complex. However, the amount of mechanics at your disposal can be overwhelming. Luckily, there are resources online to help you, from walkthroughs to video tutorials. Players who stick through the learning curve will find a deep and fulfilling game that rewards their patience and skill. There is also a large community of players, including a Reddit page with over 400,000 members.
Stellaris Main Characters
While Stellaris doesn’t feature main characters that talk with the player, there are a variety of species that the player can choose to play from. Based on the species and class the player chooses, they will have different abilities and traits. Such a large list and options to choose from means that players can customize their experience and have it fit their style of play.
- Anthropoid
- Avian
- Fungoid
- Humanoid
- Mammalian
- Molluscoid
- Reptilian
- Plantoid
- Lithoid
- Necroid
- Aquatic
- Toxoid
- Machine
Stellaris Titles in the Series
While fans are hoping for a sequel to the game, there has been no official announcement as of yet. But Stellaris has an extensive array of DLC packs, so any player looking for more from the base game can pick those up. Each pack will add a variety of things like species, stories, and enemies.
- Stellaris (2016)
- Plantoids (2016)
- Leviathans (2016)
- Utopia (2017)
- Synthetic Dawn (2017)
- Humanoids (2017)
- Apocalypse (2018)
- Distant Stars (2018)
- Megacorp (2018)
- Ancient Relics (2019)
- Lithoids (2019)
- Federations (2020)
- Necroids (2020)
- Nemesis (2021)
- Aquatics (2021)
- Overlord (2022)
- Toxoids (2022)
- First Contact (2023)
- Galactic Paragons (2023)
Stellaris Cheat Codes
| Code | Effect |
|---|---|
| debugtooltip | Reveals target’s id when hovering mouse cursor over it |
| activate_all_traditions | Activates all Traditions |
| activate_ascension_perk (name) | Activates the specified Ascension Perk |
| activate_tradition (tradition id) | Activates the specified Tradition |
| add_anomaly (anomaly id) | Adds (anomaly id) to the selected celestial body |
| add_opinion (source) (target) (amount) | Grants (relic id), writing all instead of the ID grants all relics. The same relic can be added multiple times |
| add_relic (relic id) | Grants (relic id), writing all instead of the ID grants all relics. The same relic can be added multiple times |
| add_ship (design id) | Creates a fleet with one ship of (design id) |
| add_spynetwork_value (target) (amount) | Adds specified amount of infiltration progress on specified target |
| add_trait_leader (leader id) (trait id) | Adds (trait id) to (leader id), entering only the leader ID reveals all trait IDs for that class |
| add_trait_species (species id) (trait id) | Adds (trait id) to (species id) |
| ai | Toggles the AI on or off |
| alloys (amount) | Adds (amount) of Alloys, default 5000 |
| branchoffice | Take ownership of a planet branch office |
| build_pops (amount) | Adds (amount) of robot pops to the selected planet, only works if the empire has the technology to build robot pops |
| cash (amount) | Adds (amount) of Energy Credits |
| colonize (colonizer pop id) | Starts the colonization process of the selected planet using a copy of the pop with the ID given |
| create_megastructure (megastructure id) | Creates a Megastructure in the current system |
| create_navy (amount) | Adds (ethic id) to the player empire; using more than 3 ethic points will remove low attraction ethics |
| damage (amount) | All ships in the selected fleet take (amount) hull damage |
| debug_nomen | AI empires always refuse player proposals |
| debug_yesmen | AI empires always agree to player proposals |
| effect add_building = (building id) | Adds (building id) to the selected planet, multiple planet unique buildings will be removed a month after being added |
| effect add_deposit = (deposit id) | Adds (deposit id) resource deposit or planetary feature to the selected celestial body |
| effect add_district = (district id) | Adds (district id) to the planet |
| effect add_planet_devastation = (amount) | Adds (amount) of Devastation to the selected create_archaeological_site, negative values lower it |
| effect country_add_ethic = (ethic id) | Adds (ethic id) to the player empire, using more than 3 ethic points will remove low attraction ethics |
| effect country_remove_ethic = (ethic id) | Removes (ethic id) from the player empire |
| effect create_archaeological_site = (archaeological site id) | Adds (archaeological site id) to the selected create_archaeological_site |
| effect set_primitive_age_effect = (age id) | Changes the age of a pre |
| effect shift_ethic = (ethic id) | Shifts the player empire’s ethics to (ethic id) |
| event (event id) | Triggers (event id) |
| engineering (amount) | Adds (amount) of Engineering tech points |
| federation_add_experience (amount) | Adds (amount) of Experience to the Federation |
| federation_add_cohesion (amount) | Adds (amount) of Cohesion to the Federation |
| federation_add_cohesion_speed (amount) | Adds (amount) of Monthly Cohesion to the Federation |
| federation_examine_leader | Triggers a Federation succession |
| finish_research | Finishes all active research |
| finish_special_projects | Finishes all special projects |
| finish_terraform | Finishes all terraforming processes |
| food (amount) | Reveals target’s id when hovering the mouse cursor over it |
| force_integrate (country_id) | Integrates (country_id) empire into the player’s empire |
| free_government | Toggles allow players to change governments without the time limit |
| free_policies | Toggles allowing players to change policies without restriction, including policies previously disabled |
| grow_pops (amount) | Adds (amount) of growing pops to selected planet |
| instant_build | Toggles instantly finishing constructions and upgrades Note: This also applies to enemy AI, so only used while paused |
| intel | Gives sight of the entire galaxy and disables first contact while active |
| influence (amount) | Adds (amount) of Influence |
| invincible | Player ships will not take damage |
| kill_pop (pop id) | Kills (pop id) pop |
| max_resources | Fills all resource storage |
| minerals (amount) | Adds (amount) of Minerals |
| minor_artifacts (amount) | Adds (amount) of Minor Artifacts |
| observe | Switches to observer mode, and use the play command to revert control Note: If the game is unpaused in observer mode the AI will take control of the player’s empire |
| own | Take ownership and control of the specified fleet, starbase, or planet |
| physics (amount) | Adds (amount) of Physics tech points |
| populate | Fills all Housing on the selected planet with pops WARNING: Will crash the game as of version 2.5 |
| planet_class (celestial body id) | Changes the selected celestial body to (celestial body id) |
| planet_happiness (amount) | Adds a modifier with (amount) Happiness to the selected planet |
| planet_size (size) | Changes the (size) of the selected planet, can go above regular sizes but above 78 will move the planet backwards |
| play (empire ID) | Switches player control to empire (empire ID) |
| remove_trait_leader (leader id) (trait id) | Removes (trait id) from (leader id) |
| remove_trait_species (species id) (trait id) | Removes (trait id) from (species id) |
| research_all_technologies (Boolean) | Instantly researches all non |
| research_technology (technology id) | Instantly research (technology id) |
| resource (amount) (resource) | Adds (amount) of (resource) |
| skills (amount) | Adds (amount) of skill levels to every leader under player control |
| skip_galactic_community_cooldowns | Disables cooldown when proposing resolutions from the same group |
| society (amount) | Adds (amount) of Society tech points |
| survey | Surveys all planets, requires at least one science ship |
| techupdate | Re |
| unity (amount) | Adds (amount) of Unity |
| unlock_edicts | Unlocks all edicts |
Major Events
| Code | Event | Message |
|---|---|---|
| akx.8888 | The Horizon Signal | Starts the Horizon Signal event, selected ship must have a leader and be in a black hole system |
| anomaly.95 | Voyager 1 | Starts the Solar Coordinates event if the Sol system exists in the galaxy |
| anomaly.186 | Limbo | With the right technology and AI policies you can resurrect them as a new colony or as a new empire |
| anomaly.2523 | Gigantic Skeleton | Gain a Skeletal Giant army |
| anomaly.3085 | The Prince | Event with small but permanent opinions effects |
| colony_mod.101 | Titanic Life Study: Success | Ability to recruit Titanic Beast armies |
| crisis.50 | Rise of the Sentinels | Doesn’t require the crisis but will add its sound effects |
| crisis.71 | Sentinel Fleet Donation | Doesn’t require the crisis or the Sentinels |
| crisis.105 | Long live the Queen! | Spawns the Domesticated Prethoryn Queen |
| crisis.2400 | Cybrex Return | Doesn’t require the crisis |
| crisis.4550 | Star-Eater Firing | The current system is destroyed |
| fallen_empires_tasks.1 | A patronizing or machine Fallen | Empire sends a random gift |
| galactic_features.301 | Fallen Empire mothballed fleet | |
| galcom.16 | The Birth of the Galactic Community | Option to instantly create or join the Galactic Community |
| nomad.1 | The Nomads | Will not spawn if a Sentry Array is completed |
| precursor.98 | Vultraum Home System Located | Spawns the Vultraum Home System |
| precursor.598 | Yuht Home System Located | Spawns the Yuht Home System |
| precursor.1098 | First League Home System Located | Spawns the First League Home System |
| precursor.1598 | Irassian Home System Located | Spawns the Irassian Home System |
| precursor.2098 | Cybrex Home System Located | Spawns the Cybrex Home System |
| story.107 | Amoebas Pacified | |
| story.207 | Crystals Pacified | |
| action.96 | Birth of the Galactic Market | |
| origin.5605 | Teachers of the Shroud | Unlocks the Shroud Beacon starbase building |
| leviathans.3103 | Dreadnought Repaired | |
| utopia.3000 | Enter the Shroud | Works even if still on cooldown |
| utopia.3021 | Avatar (army) | |
| utopia.3190 | The Chosen One | |
| utopia.3304 | Whisperers in the Void | Ability to form a covenant |
| utopia.3305 | Composer of Strands | Ability to form a covenant |
| utopia.3306 | Eater of Worlds | Ability to form a covenant |
| utopia.3307 | Instrument of Desire | Ability to form a covenant |
| syndaw.545 | A Question | Begins the AI-Related Incidents situation |
| syndaw.1000 | Machine Uprising | Requires the AI-related incidents situation and at least 1 robot pop |
| marauder.85 | Mercenaries Become Available | Trigger multiple times for each Marauder empire |
| distar.172 | Neural Symbiosis | Option to get the Brain Slug Host trait for some pops and leaders |
| distar.212 | Death of the Matriarch | Rewards for defeating the Tiyanki Matriarch, with Leviathan Transgenesis it unlocks the Polymelic trait |
| distar.260 | Wild Eukaryotes | Creates a pre-sapient species with the Docile Livestock trait on the world |
| distar.1001 | Paradise Lost | Creates a nearby system with a Gaia World and a Stone Age primitive civilization |
| distar.1081 | Azizians | Option to enable the recruitment of Azizian armies on a random owned world |
| distar.2050 | Alien Entity | Spawns the Enigmatic Cache in the galaxy |
| distar.3014 | The Nivlac | Creates an empire with a permanent -100 opinion modifier |
| distar.3016 | The Nivlac | Creates an empire with a permanent +100 opinion modifier |
| distar.3055 | Alien Box Opened | Gain one of three free traits |
| distar.5006 | The Voidspawn | The selected celestial body is turned into a cracked world from where a Voidspawn hatches |
| distar.5012 | Gargantuan Evolution | Rewards for defeating the Voidspawn with Leviathan Transgenesis |
| graygoo.400 | A Quiet Stroll | Encounter Grey |
| ancrel.4000 | Whispers in the Stone | Creates the Whispers in the Stone archaeology site |
| ancrel.4058 | The Sentinels | Option to gain Sentinels armies |
| ancrel.6130 | Zarqulan’s Chosen | Allows colonizing Holy Worlds and gives +150 permanent opinion from Holy Guardians |
| ancrel.10050 | Secrets of the Yuht | Unlocks the Initiate Yuht Cleansing Process decision |
| aquatics.120 | The Time Has Come | Option to unlock the Dragon Hatchery starbase building |
| paragon.3999 | Arrival | Spawns Talon |
Galaxy Changes
| Code | Event | Message |
|---|---|---|
| crisis.199 | Prethoryn Scourge | Spawns crisis |
| crisis.1000 | The Unbidden | Spawns crisis |
| crisis.1100 | The Aberrant | Doesn’t require the Unbidden |
| crisis.1200 | The Vehement | Requires the Unbidden |
| crisis.2000 | The Contingency | Spawns crisis |
| fallen_empires_awakening.1 | Sleepers Awake | You must select a Fallen Empire with the play command |
| galactic_features.401 | Space Storm Hits Galaxy | |
| galactic_features.403 | Space Storm Dissipates | |
| war_in_heaven.1000 | War in Heaven | Will awaken two fallen empires |
| utopia.3308 | End of the Cycle | Option to form a covenant |
| utopia.3320 | The Reckoning | Requires accepting the covenant in the previous event to work properly |
| fallen_machine_empire.1 | Ancient Caretakers Awaken | Must select the Ancient Caretakers with the play command beforehand or YOU will awaken |
| marauder.500 | The Drums of War | Must select a Marauder Empire with the play command beforehand |
| distar.232 | Junk Ratlings | Creates the Ketling species |
| distar.236 | Junk Ratlings | Creates the Ketling Star Pack empire |
| distar.11000 | Spawn L-Cluster | Spawns a sealed L-Cluser |
| distar.13000 | The L-Cluster (L-Drake) | Doesn’t require the L-Cluster but will open every L-Gate as well |
| graygoo.1 | The L-Cluster (Gray Tempest) | Requires L-Cluster to work |
| graygoo.100 | The L-Cluster (Dessanu Consonance) | Requires L-Cluster to work |
Stellaris Cheat Code FAQ
Does Stellaris have cheat codes?
Yes. Stellaris features cheat codes in the form of console commands. Players can choose from an extensive list of commands that will change and alter their gameplay. However, this is only available on PC and Mac, so console players are out of luck. Although the feature is wanted, it is unlikely to come to consoles as it’s not a high priority.
How do I enable Cheats in Stellaris?
Simply press the tilde key (~) on your keyboard to access the in-game console. Shift+Alt+C works as well. Once you open the console, type in the command you wish to use, and it should work instantly. Also, some commands require prerequisites for them to work, but you should usually be able to use them without issue.
Can I use cheat codes in Stellaris multiplayer?
No, and yes. Some commands on the console don’t affect gameplay and can be used in multiplayer games. However, other commands typically used in single-player that alter gameplay are not allowed.