4X
Arts & Entertainment abbreviation · Video Game
| Stands for | Explore, expand, exploit, exterminate |
|---|---|
| Categories | Arts & Entertainment |
4X stands for Explore, expand, exploit, exterminate, a video game abbreviation.
Strategy subgenre in which players build an empire from small beginnings, exploring the map, expanding territory, exploiting resources and exterminating rivals. Civilization and Stellaris are classic 4X games.
Example: One more turn: the 4X game kept me up until 3 a.m.
Usage notes
Coined by writer Alan Emrich in a 1993 Computer Gaming World preview of Master of Orion. 4X games are usually turn-based, though some, such as Stellaris, run in real time. The genre is famous for its "one more turn" pull.