From Press Release:
We’re excited to announce the release of the Diplomacy Update (8.00) for X4: Foundations, alongside our brand-new DLC, the X4: Envoy Pack!
The Diplomacy Update is a major free update for all players of X4: Foundations, bringing significant gameplay enhancements and improvements. At the same time, the X4: Envoy Pack is now available for purchase, priced at $7.99 / 7,99 € / £6.99. This DLC introduces two versatile new ships – the Envoy and the Cypher – and more. Be sure to continue reading to learn more about what the major update and the new DLC have to offer!
We’ve also launched two new Steam bundles – both with a 10% bundle discount:
- X4: Envoy Bundle (containing the X4: Envoy Pack as well as its soundtrack)
- X4: Ship Pack Bundle (containing the X4: Hyperion Pack and the X4: Envoy Pack)
Thank you for being part of the X4 universe. Your continued support means the world to us – and we can’t wait to hear what you think of the new update and DLC!
Diplomacy – Influence the X Universe Like Never Before
At the core of the 8.00 update for X4: Foundations is the new Diplomacy system, which will make the sandbox and economy simulation elements of X4: Foundations shine in new ways. The Diplomacy system is a deeply integrated new gameplay feature, built around three main components:
Embassy Room – A Convenient Way to Interact
A new embassy facility can be unlocked at your Player Headquarters (PHQ). Once unlocked, this room becomes the hub for your diplomatic endeavours. Here, Diplomats take their seats at a roundtable, offering quick access to faction representatives from across the galaxy.
- Unlockable via research at the PHQ
- Accessible through a new UI tab, alongside Research and Terraforming
- Requires friendly relations to accept faction diplomats
- New “Factions and Relations” menus to give a better overview
Agents – Specialists in Diplomacy and Espionage
Agents are a new class of hireable NPCs who can be specialised in negotiation or espionage. Once recruited and assigned a ship, agents can be sent on a wide range of diplomatic operations – to negotiate player relations, spy on enemy ships, or even sow chaos from the shadows.
Key agent mechanics include:
- Experience system with six ranks, from Recruit to Spymaster
- Specialised missions: improve relations, forge ceasefires, steal blueprints, initiate diplomatic interference, and more
- Resource-driven actions: missions require a mix of credits, influence, and special items such as hacking tools or bribes
- Cooldowns and risks: operations take time and may carry injury or failure risks depending on mission difficulty and agent skill
You start with the ability to control two agents, and can expand this to eight through research and progression.
Diplomatic Interference – Shape Inter-Faction Politics
Perhaps the most game-changing element is that you can now trigger and influence dynamic diplomatic standing between NPC factions. Changes in faction relations can have an extraordinary impact on the galaxy, as alliances, trade partners and supply chains shift.
These events are based on real inter-faction relations (ally, neutral, hostile, etc.) and cover scenarios such as:
- Trade disputes
- Cyber attacks
- Suspicions of espionage
- Peace talks
- Territorial claims
As a player, you can:
- Influence the event using an agent to steer the result in your favour
- Enable Protocol Null to sow chaos and trigger periodic inter-faction events
- Do nothing and observe the outcome
Events can lead to shifting alliances, wars, ceasefires, or changes in strategic resource access, making the universe feel more alive and reactive to your decisions.
X4: Envoy Pack
The X4: Envoy Pack expands the universe of X4: Foundations with:
- The Envoy, a new stealth-ready frigate jointly developed by the Argon Federation and Teladi Ministry of Finance
- The mysterious Cypher, an unauthorised variant often found in pirate hands
- A new mission chain in your Open Universe that leads to the discovery and unlocking of the Envoy
- A new gamestart that immediately draws you into the Envoy’s storyline
- A brand new sector, waiting to be explored in the Open Universe
- New musical additions that enhance the X4 soundtrack and deepen the atmosphere of your journey through space
Operate from the Shadows with the Envoy
- The most prestigious ship for Diplomacy in X4: Foundations, significantly reducing agent operation durations (as introduced in the 2025 X4 Diplomacy Update)
- A fully explorable interior – only the second of its kind among M-size ships
- A new Cloak stance, optimised for radar evasion and covert manoeuvres
- Faction camouflage protocols, allowing visual deception when piloting these ships
- Exclusive engines, shields and main forward-mounted weapons, unavailable to other ships
Designed for infiltration, reconnaissance, and misdirection, the Envoy is a new mid-sized warship that brings a fresh tactical dimension to the X4 universe. It features a sleek silhouette, exclusive subsystems, and an immersive submarine-inspired interior that reinforces its role as a stealth operator in hostile space.
The Envoy offers immersion through function and purpose. It is also only the second “full interior” M-class ship introduced into X4: Foundations, following the luxurious Astrid from the X4: Tides of Avarice expansion. From the moment you ascend the dockside boarding ramp, you can walk through the ship’s atmospheric interior all the way up to the cockpit, and enjoy a rare level of interactivity for ships of this class.
Its Cloak stance lets you suppress radar visibility and improve manoeuvrability – at the cost of top speed, acceleration, engine boost, and all weapon systems. In this mode, both the ship’s main and secondary weapons are fully disabled, with retractable turrets concealed from view. When subtlety is no longer an option, deactivating the Stealth stance restores the Envoy’s full combat capabilities.
Disguise and Deceive
Activate faction camouflage protocols to display the identity of another faction, misleading observers and delaying identification. Whether you’re slipping past enemy blockades or staging an ambush under false colours, the Envoy offers unmatched versatility for commanders who favour stealth operations over brute force.
Enter the Cypher
A rogue variant of mysterious origin, the Cypher offers enhanced speed and agility over the Envoy, making it a fast-moving presence in combat.
Fully compatible with the Envoy’s exclusive engines, shields, and primary weapons, the Cypher is often fitted with a versatile mix of Teladi and independently sourced technology. It also features identity-masking protocols, allowing it to mimic the transponder signature of other factions – the perfect choice for commanders who favour mobility, adaptability, and a more unconventional approach.
New Bundle: Cosmic Constructors
Build across galaxies with the ultimate duo in space-faring ingenuity! Whether you’re building a Dyson Sphere that envelops a star or forging a fleet empire that spans the galaxies, the infinite cosmos carries humanity’s ultimate dream. Dyson Sphere Program and X4: Foundations proudly present their new bundle – Cosmic Constructors. Master the journey from micro to macro; from solo builder to stellar empire – everything lies in your hands!
Grab the bundle now and enjoy a 10% discount as you embark on your cosmic journey! 
