The Game Census
X4: Foundations cover art

X4: Foundations

Egosoft · 2018-11-30

SteamGOG

ActionSimulationStrategy

Modes: Single player

Releases: Nov 30, 2018 (Linux), Nov 30, 2018 (PC (Microsoft Windows))

Your journey to building a vast space empire begins behind the controls of a single ship. Explore, trade, fight, and build as you rise to command fleets, stations, and entire economies in a living, fully simulated universe that reacts to every decision.

2,944
playing now
80%
positive of 30k reviews
Mostly Positive
steam rating
1,000,000–2,000,000
owners (SteamSpy est.)
141
twitch viewers (latest)
75/100
critic score (1 outlets, IGDB)
80/100
IGDB user rating (20 ratings)
341h
to beat · rushed 66h · completionist 1434h
gold
deck/linux tier (ProtonDB)
$49.99
steam price (US)

2,944 players in-game as of 2026-08-30 01:00 UTC (census sample)

X4: Foundations is a space trading and combat game developed by Egosoft and published in 2018. It is the seventh and most recent installment in the X series, following X Rebirth (2013). The game runs on Linux and Microsoft Windows.

Health check

Healthy
  • · 2,944 players in-game at the last census sample.
  • · 3,268 reviews in the last 8 weeks (~409/week).
  • · Review velocity up 31% vs the prior 8 weeks.
  • · Top 5% of 10,791 Action games in the census by review count.
Estimated sales: 749k–1.8M copies

Review-multiple estimate from 29,972 total reviews — how this is computed.

Current store prices

GreenManGaming$8.00-84%
lowest across shops (ITAD)$8.00-84%

Deal snapshots via CheapShark, refreshed daily.

All-time low: $4.00 at GreenManGaming (2025-12-22) · bundled 1×via IsThereAnyDeal

12-month high $49.99 · on sale 26 of 47 observed days (census price snapshots)

Review momentum

PositiveNegative
2.3k2.3k20182026Week of 2018-11-01: 399 positiveWeek of 2018-11-01: 136 negativeWeek of 2018-12-01: 2,268 positiveWeek of 2018-12-01: 867 negativeWeek of 2019-01-01: 179 positiveWeek of 2019-01-01: 133 negativeWeek of 2019-02-01: 68 positiveWeek of 2019-02-01: 57 negativeWeek of 2019-03-01: 107 positiveWeek of 2019-03-01: 74 negativeWeek of 2019-04-01: 44 positiveWeek of 2019-04-01: 34 negativeWeek of 2019-05-01: 43 positiveWeek of 2019-05-01: 39 negativeWeek of 2019-06-01: 71 positiveWeek of 2019-06-01: 35 negativeWeek of 2019-07-01: 96 positiveWeek of 2019-07-01: 41 negativeWeek of 2019-08-01: 57 positiveWeek of 2019-08-01: 30 negativeWeek of 2019-09-01: 25 positiveWeek of 2019-09-01: 23 negativeWeek of 2019-10-01: 55 positiveWeek of 2019-10-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2019-11-01: 367 positiveWeek of 2019-11-01: 24 negativeWeek of 2019-12-01: 220 positiveWeek of 2019-12-01: 35 negativeWeek of 2020-01-01: 138 positiveWeek of 2020-01-01: 35 negativeWeek of 2020-02-01: 94 positiveWeek of 2020-02-01: 24 negativeWeek of 2020-03-01: 132 positiveWeek of 2020-03-01: 21 negativeWeek of 2020-04-01: 458 positiveWeek of 2020-04-01: 142 negativeWeek of 2020-05-01: 202 positiveWeek of 2020-05-01: 52 negativeWeek of 2020-06-01: 157 positiveWeek of 2020-06-01: 60 negativeWeek of 2020-07-01: 128 positiveWeek of 2020-07-01: 48 negativeWeek of 2020-08-01: 100 positiveWeek of 2020-08-01: 34 negativeWeek of 2020-09-01: 122 positiveWeek of 2020-09-01: 25 negativeWeek of 2020-10-01: 96 positiveWeek of 2020-10-01: 31 negativeWeek of 2020-11-01: 156 positiveWeek of 2020-11-01: 35 negativeWeek of 2020-12-01: 130 positiveWeek of 2020-12-01: 55 negativeWeek of 2021-01-01: 157 positiveWeek of 2021-01-01: 40 negativeWeek of 2021-02-01: 103 positiveWeek of 2021-02-01: 31 negativeWeek of 2021-03-01: 340 positiveWeek of 2021-03-01: 95 negativeWeek of 2021-04-01: 186 positiveWeek of 2021-04-01: 64 negativeWeek of 2021-05-01: 138 positiveWeek of 2021-05-01: 59 negativeWeek of 2021-06-01: 102 positiveWeek of 2021-06-01: 38 negativeWeek of 2021-07-01: 118 positiveWeek of 2021-07-01: 42 negativeWeek of 2021-08-01: 106 positiveWeek of 2021-08-01: 36 negativeWeek of 2021-09-01: 108 positiveWeek of 2021-09-01: 30 negativeWeek of 2021-10-01: 72 positiveWeek of 2021-10-01: 20 negativeWeek of 2021-11-01: 172 positiveWeek of 2021-11-01: 45 negativeWeek of 2021-12-01: 137 positiveWeek of 2021-12-01: 49 negativeWeek of 2022-01-01: 158 positiveWeek of 2022-01-01: 62 negativeWeek of 2022-02-01: 139 positiveWeek of 2022-02-01: 45 negativeWeek of 2022-03-01: 323 positiveWeek of 2022-03-01: 93 negativeWeek of 2022-04-01: 184 positiveWeek of 2022-04-01: 66 negativeWeek of 2022-05-01: 147 positiveWeek of 2022-05-01: 49 negativeWeek of 2022-06-01: 98 positiveWeek of 2022-06-01: 42 negativeWeek of 2022-07-01: 149 positiveWeek of 2022-07-01: 65 negativeWeek of 2022-08-01: 115 positiveWeek of 2022-08-01: 40 negativeWeek of 2022-09-01: 81 positiveWeek of 2022-09-01: 24 negativeWeek of 2022-10-01: 89 positiveWeek of 2022-10-01: 39 negativeWeek of 2022-11-01: 144 positiveWeek of 2022-11-01: 31 negativeWeek of 2022-12-01: 197 positiveWeek of 2022-12-01: 99 negativeWeek of 2023-01-01: 199 positiveWeek of 2023-01-01: 50 negativeWeek of 2023-02-01: 113 positiveWeek of 2023-02-01: 44 negativeWeek of 2023-03-01: 181 positiveWeek of 2023-03-01: 54 negativeWeek of 2023-04-01: 389 positiveWeek of 2023-04-01: 140 negativeWeek of 2023-05-01: 235 positiveWeek of 2023-05-01: 53 negativeWeek of 2023-06-01: 131 positiveWeek of 2023-06-01: 36 negativeWeek of 2023-07-01: 203 positiveWeek of 2023-07-01: 91 negativeWeek of 2023-08-01: 137 positiveWeek of 2023-08-01: 62 negativeWeek of 2023-09-01: 173 positiveWeek of 2023-09-01: 43 negativeWeek of 2023-10-01: 140 positiveWeek of 2023-10-01: 39 negativeWeek of 2023-11-01: 193 positiveWeek of 2023-11-01: 42 negativeWeek of 2023-12-01: 161 positiveWeek of 2023-12-01: 50 negativeWeek of 2024-01-01: 236 positiveWeek of 2024-01-01: 78 negativeWeek of 2024-02-01: 121 positiveWeek of 2024-02-01: 35 negativeWeek of 2024-03-01: 121 positiveWeek of 2024-03-01: 28 negativeWeek of 2024-04-01: 257 positiveWeek of 2024-04-01: 60 negativeWeek of 2024-05-01: 209 positiveWeek of 2024-05-01: 53 negativeWeek of 2024-06-01: 338 positiveWeek of 2024-06-01: 99 negativeWeek of 2024-07-01: 322 positiveWeek of 2024-07-01: 111 negativeWeek of 2024-08-01: 196 positiveWeek of 2024-08-01: 49 negativeWeek of 2024-09-01: 197 positiveWeek of 2024-09-01: 74 negativeWeek of 2024-10-01: 182 positiveWeek of 2024-10-01: 58 negativeWeek of 2024-11-01: 210 positiveWeek of 2024-11-01: 21 negativeWeek of 2024-12-01: 272 positiveWeek of 2024-12-01: 54 negativeWeek of 2025-01-01: 170 positiveWeek of 2025-01-01: 43 negativeWeek of 2025-02-01: 261 positiveWeek of 2025-02-01: 64 negativeWeek of 2025-03-01: 268 positiveWeek of 2025-03-01: 78 negativeWeek of 2025-04-01: 238 positiveWeek of 2025-04-01: 78 negativeWeek of 2025-05-01: 189 positiveWeek of 2025-05-01: 59 negativeWeek of 2025-06-01: 154 positiveWeek of 2025-06-01: 43 negativeWeek of 2025-07-01: 217 positiveWeek of 2025-07-01: 69 negativeWeek of 2025-08-01: 350 positiveWeek of 2025-08-01: 156 negativeWeek of 2025-09-01: 221 positiveWeek of 2025-09-01: 58 negativeWeek of 2025-10-01: 218 positiveWeek of 2025-10-01: 52 negativeWeek of 2025-11-01: 343 positiveWeek of 2025-11-01: 47 negativeWeek of 2025-12-01: 299 positiveWeek of 2025-12-01: 155 negativeWeek of 2026-01-01: 554 positiveWeek of 2026-01-01: 162 negativeWeek of 2026-02-01: 224 positiveWeek of 2026-02-01: 79 negativeWeek of 2026-03-01: 227 positiveWeek of 2026-03-01: 85 negativeWeek of 2026-04-01: 215 positiveWeek of 2026-04-01: 44 negativeWeek of 2026-05-01: 215 positiveWeek of 2026-05-01: 50 negativeWeek of 2026-06-01: 380 positiveWeek of 2026-06-01: 148 negativeWeek of 2026-07-01: 307 positiveWeek of 2026-07-01: 124 negativeWeek of 2026-08-01: 171 positiveWeek of 2026-08-01: 71 negative
Weekly review counts (Steam review histogram). Positive above the line, negative below.

Players online

6.0k2.4k2026-08-06 21:00 — 4,085 players2026-08-07 05:00 — 2,495 players2026-08-07 13:00 — 4,316 players2026-08-07 21:00 — 4,571 players2026-08-08 05:00 — 3,217 players2026-08-08 13:00 — 5,241 players2026-08-08 21:00 — 5,154 players2026-08-09 05:00 — 3,544 players2026-08-09 13:00 — 5,885 players2026-08-09 21:00 — 4,955 players2026-08-10 05:00 — 2,675 players2026-08-10 13:00 — 4,349 players2026-08-10 21:00 — 4,372 players2026-08-11 05:00 — 2,684 players2026-08-11 13:00 — 4,349 players2026-08-12 21:00 — 3,993 players2026-08-14 05:00 — 2,502 players2026-08-15 12:00 — 4,683 players2026-08-16 20:00 — 5,124 players2026-08-18 04:00 — 2,415 players2026-08-19 11:00 — 3,199 players2026-08-20 19:00 — 4,614 players2026-08-22 02:00 — 2,849 players2026-08-23 10:00 — 4,285 players2026-08-24 18:00 — 4,503 players2026-08-26 02:00 — 2,512 players2026-08-27 10:00 — 2,695 players2026-08-28 17:00 — 4,000 players2026-08-30 01:00 — 2,944 players
Concurrent players, hourly average, last 30 days (census samples).

Price history

$50.21$4.992018-10-012026-08-232018-10-01 — best price $49.992019-04-01 — best price $49.992019-07-09 — best price $49.992019-10-21 — best price $49.002019-12-23 — best price $44.992020-02-06 — best price $39.202020-03-30 — best price $49.992020-06-04 — best price $34.992020-08-03 — best price $44.992020-11-02 — best price $49.992020-12-31 — best price $32.492021-03-19 — best price $49.992021-05-27 — best price $29.992021-08-05 — best price $29.992021-10-08 — best price $49.992021-12-01 — best price $49.992022-02-07 — best price $49.992022-04-21 — best price $48.782022-06-24 — best price $19.992022-08-14 — best price $16.502022-10-19 — best price $19.992022-12-19 — best price $19.992023-02-20 — best price $49.992023-04-12 — best price $24.992023-05-23 — best price $49.992023-07-23 — best price $19.992023-09-12 — best price $49.992023-11-22 — best price $24.992024-01-16 — best price $19.992024-03-07 — best price $19.992024-04-18 — best price $49.992024-06-19 — best price $14.992024-11-02 — best price $49.992025-03-20 — best price $49.992025-08-18 — best price $12.002025-12-18 — best price $4.992026-04-17 — best price $49.992026-08-10 — best price $49.992026-08-23 — best price $8.00
Lowest recorded price across tracked stores, per day (census snapshots).

Twitch viewers

19802026-08-26 19:15 — 30 viewers2026-08-26 21:34 — 51 viewers2026-08-27 01:34 — 13 viewers2026-08-27 04:34 — 0 viewers2026-08-27 07:33 — 6 viewers2026-08-27 10:34 — 22 viewers2026-08-27 13:34 — 24 viewers2026-08-27 16:34 — 50 viewers2026-08-27 19:34 — 9 viewers2026-08-27 23:34 — 20 viewers2026-08-28 02:34 — 9 viewers2026-08-28 05:34 — 8 viewers2026-08-28 08:34 — 5 viewers2026-08-28 11:34 — 7 viewers2026-08-28 14:34 — 25 viewers2026-08-28 17:34 — 38 viewers2026-08-28 20:34 — 83 viewers2026-08-28 23:34 — 18 viewers2026-08-29 02:34 — 25 viewers2026-08-29 05:34 — 13 viewers2026-08-29 08:34 — 8 viewers2026-08-29 11:34 — 7 viewers2026-08-29 14:34 — 12 viewers2026-08-29 17:34 — 0 viewers2026-08-29 20:34 — 41 viewers2026-08-29 23:34 — 31 viewers2026-08-30 02:34 — 31 viewers2026-08-30 05:34 — 20 viewers2026-08-30 08:34 — 0 viewers2026-08-30 11:34 — 7 viewers2026-08-30 14:34 — 124 viewers2026-08-30 16:35 — 141 viewers
Hourly Twitch viewers (census snapshots).

Completion

60+
achievements tracked
62.8%
earned "Crash Course"
13.9%
median achievement earned by

Global achievement rates from Steam.

Details

WindowsLinuxFull controller supportSingle-playerSteam AchievementsFull controller supportSteam Trading CardsSteam WorkshopAdjustable Text SizeCamera ComfortColor AlternativesCustom Volume ControlsPlayable without Timed Input15 DLC

13 supported languages: English, German, French, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese - Brazil, Spanish - Spain, Traditional Chinese, Russian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish - Latin America…

Console footprint

PlatformPlayers trackedCompletionTrophies/achievements
Steam (Steam)13,3830%172

Players tracked by Exophase (achievement/trophy trackers) — a sample of the player base, not total sales.

Where its players are

Share of Steam reviews by language (top languages measured) — a proxy for where the player base lives.

Player tags

3DSpaceFlightEconomySandboxTradingStrategySpace SimCapitalismOpen World

Census log

Computed from census-recorded observations only — dates are observation dates.

Recent updates

Players also track

StarMadeCities: SkylinesStar Control®: OriginsUnclaimed WorldSol 0: Mars ColonizationForce of NatureAge of Wonders: PlanetfallIris.Fall

Similarity via IGDB.

Official site ↗Discord ↗Wikipedia ↗Reddit ↗Speedruns ↗