Stellaris 4.3 "Cetus" Open Beta Updated (2026-03-06)

Read this post on the Paradox forums! | Dev replies here!Hello everyone!We have another Open Beta update today.The Open Beta has successfully uncovered enough issues with the Factions and Ethics experiment that we've decided to remove it to let it cook some more, with a plan to release it in a future update. (Likely looking like a 4.5 timeframe so we can continue working on it through the summer.)This update will once again break save game compatibility. We are putting up a new [c]cetus_open_beta_broken_factions[/c] branch with the previous build if you wish to continue your games.The main Open Beta branch should once again be compatible with saves from last week or the rollback branch.We'll continue to use the 4.3 "Cetus" Open Beta Feedback form from earlier this week. If you experience a bug or other issue, please report it on the Bug Report Forums.Here are today's changes:4.3 ‘Cetus’ Open Beta Patch Notes 2026-03-06This update removes the experimental faction and ethic changes from 2026-03-04.BugfixFixed portrait system mechanics meddling with the global random accidentally left it 0 (All galaxies should no longer be identical.)Housing from Mining district modifiers now works correctly on Volcanic, Machine and Hive WorldsFixed some Purity traditions having the wrong effects for Wilderness.Fixed Biomorphosis situation showing Cloning and Mutation approaches for WildernessFixed empty tooltip for Purity Approach for Biomorphosis situation for WildernessThe Catastrophic Damage on a ringworld from a pre-FTL civilization with the Shattered Ring origin can now be repaired correctly.Fixed psionic job efficiency bonuses from Psi-Corps/Telepaths not applying correctly.Fixed the council position for Oppressive Autocracy to correctly provide job efficiency bonuses for enforcersFixed Oppressive Autocracy enforcers not promoting strata correctly.Fixed ship automation button flickeringFixed some issues with the tooltips of the Psi-Corps.Fixed Test Subjects not having a job upkeep while Test Subject Drones do.Fixed Experiment Engineer Drones not having the scaling upkeep that was granted to Experiment Engineers.Chor's Compass events can now no longer occur if the target planet already has the effects of the event in progress. Additionally, each empire can now only experience a Megacorpse concept once per decade.BalanceDistribute Living Metal decision now costs 250 Living Metal (was 700), but grants +10% Infrastructure Build Speed and -10% Infrastructure Cost and Upkeep for 5 years (was +10% Infrastructure Build Speed and -20% Job Upkeep for 5 years).Decreased the research (and upkeep) on rural jobs provided Natural Neural NetworkMaulers now get access to Siege computers with Swarm behaviour.Dry/Wet/Cold Climate mod traits for Cybernetic species are now habitability traits that allow reaching up to 125% Habitability.The Augmentation Bazaars building from the civic of the same name now counts as an Augmentation Center for the purposes of the Cybernetic ascension situation.All non-Endbringer psionic corporate empires now unlock the Psionic Offices branch office building. The building has been reworked to now provide:200 Empathic Marketer jobs. (Previously it added Telepath jobs if the host empire was psionic)Crime (if the branch office owner is a criminal syndicate).Only the Board of Psychics advanced authority gains +2% Aura Effectiveness.Base income of 5 unity (was 10 energy).+0.05 Trade from Traders to the planet (was +0.15 trade from Telepaths).Hidden modifier: Increases the chance the AI empires which host the building to take Psionic Ascension by +10% per building.Empathic Marketers are jobs that count as Traders for most purposes, but provide less Trade output in exchange for increasing the chance to draw psionic technologies. They also produce a small additional amount of unity if the host empire has undergone psionic ascension.Technocracy now provides +1 Scientist Cap, but -1 Official Cap and explains that the additional starting Scientist is the governor of your homeworld.Technocracy's council position no longer reduces Researcher upkeep, instead it provides cross-disciplinary research output to Researchers (with a corresponding increase in upkeep).Having a Zro deficit now grants:-75% Psionic Pop Job Efficiency+50% Shroud Delve Cost or Cooldown (depending on if you have Utopia or Shadows of the Shroud)-50% Psionic Weapons damageA 2% chance each month to suffer a Shroud Incursion. If you suffer a Shroud Incursion, another one cannot spawn for two years.Shroud-Forged now register as psionic pops for the has_psionic_species_trait check.Habitat dwellers can now build rare crystal extraction specializations in their mining districts and both exotic gas and volatile mote extraction specializations in reactor districts.Imperial Legion armies are no longer limitedThe -25% upkeep from Tankbound civics now applies to Automated Workforce instead of all jobs.Partially reverted the nerf to Pious AsceticHabitat capital buil

Mar 6, 2026 - 21:08

Stellaris 4.3 "Cetus" Open Beta Updated (2026-03-06)

Read this post on the Paradox forums! | Dev replies here!

Hello everyone!

We have another Open Beta update today.

The Open Beta has successfully uncovered enough issues with the Factions and Ethics experiment that we've decided to remove it to let it cook some more, with a plan to release it in a future update. (Likely looking like a 4.5 timeframe so we can continue working on it through the summer.)

This update will once again break save game compatibility. We are putting up a new [c]cetus_open_beta_broken_factions[/c] branch with the previous build if you wish to continue your games.

The main Open Beta branch should once again be compatible with saves from last week or the rollback branch.

We'll continue to use the 4.3 "Cetus" Open Beta Feedback form from earlier this week. If you experience a bug or other issue, please report it on the Bug Report Forums.

Here are today's changes:

4.3 ‘Cetus’ Open Beta Patch Notes 2026-03-06

This update removes the experimental faction and ethic changes from 2026-03-04.

Bugfix

Fixed portrait system mechanics meddling with the global random accidentally left it 0 (All galaxies should no longer be identical.)
Housing from Mining district modifiers now works correctly on Volcanic, Machine and Hive Worlds
Fixed some Purity traditions having the wrong effects for Wilderness.
Fixed Biomorphosis situation showing Cloning and Mutation approaches for Wilderness
Fixed empty tooltip for Purity Approach for Biomorphosis situation for Wilderness
The Catastrophic Damage on a ringworld from a pre-FTL civilization with the Shattered Ring origin can now be repaired correctly.
Fixed psionic job efficiency bonuses from Psi-Corps/Telepaths not applying correctly.
Fixed the council position for Oppressive Autocracy to correctly provide job efficiency bonuses for enforcers
Fixed Oppressive Autocracy enforcers not promoting strata correctly.
Fixed ship automation button flickering
Fixed some issues with the tooltips of the Psi-Corps.
Fixed Test Subjects not having a job upkeep while Test Subject Drones do.
Fixed Experiment Engineer Drones not having the scaling upkeep that was granted to Experiment Engineers.
Chor's Compass events can now no longer occur if the target planet already has the effects of the event in progress. Additionally, each empire can now only experience a Megacorpse concept once per decade.

Balance

Distribute Living Metal decision now costs 250 Living Metal (was 700), but grants +10% Infrastructure Build Speed and -10% Infrastructure Cost and Upkeep for 5 years (was +10% Infrastructure Build Speed and -20% Job Upkeep for 5 years).
Decreased the research (and upkeep) on rural jobs provided Natural Neural Network
Maulers now get access to Siege computers with Swarm behaviour.
Dry/Wet/Cold Climate mod traits for Cybernetic species are now habitability traits that allow reaching up to 125% Habitability.
The Augmentation Bazaars building from the civic of the same name now counts as an Augmentation Center for the purposes of the Cybernetic ascension situation.
All non-Endbringer psionic corporate empires now unlock the Psionic Offices branch office building. The building has been reworked to now provide:
200 Empathic Marketer jobs. (Previously it added Telepath jobs if the host empire was psionic)
- Crime (if the branch office owner is a criminal syndicate).
- Only the Board of Psychics advanced authority gains +2% Aura Effectiveness.
- Base income of 5 unity (was 10 energy).
- +0.05 Trade from Traders to the planet (was +0.15 trade from Telepaths).
- Hidden modifier: Increases the chance the AI empires which host the building to take Psionic Ascension by +10% per building.
- Empathic Marketers are jobs that count as Traders for most purposes, but provide less Trade output in exchange for increasing the chance to draw psionic technologies. They also produce a small additional amount of unity if the host empire has undergone psionic ascension.
Technocracy now provides +1 Scientist Cap, but -1 Official Cap and explains that the additional starting Scientist is the governor of your homeworld.
Technocracy's council position no longer reduces Researcher upkeep, instead it provides cross-disciplinary research output to Researchers (with a corresponding increase in upkeep).
Having a Zro deficit now grants:
-75% Psionic Pop Job Efficiency
- +50% Shroud Delve Cost or Cooldown (depending on if you have Utopia or Shadows of the Shroud)
- -50% Psionic Weapons damage
- A 2% chance each month to suffer a Shroud Incursion. If you suffer a Shroud Incursion, another one cannot spawn for two years.
Shroud-Forged now register as psionic pops for the has_psionic_species_trait check.
Habitat dwellers can now build rare crystal extraction specializations in their mining districts and both exotic gas and volatile mote extraction specializations in reactor districts.
Imperial Legion armies are no longer limited
The -25% upkeep from Tankbound civics now applies to Automated Workforce instead of all jobs.
Partially reverted the nerf to Pious Ascetic
Habitat capital buildings now provide hunter seeker drones for both machine intelligences and hive minds. They no longer provide logistics drones for machine intelligences.

Find the rest of the 4.3 'Cetus' Open Beta ongoing release notes on the Paradox forums.

Thank you for playing Stellaris!

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