Jupiter's Forge, a new Expansion DLC for Offworld Trading Company, has been announced in a press release from publisher Stardock. Jupiter's Forge will be set on Io, one of Jupiter's many moons. The change in setting isn't just cosmetic; players will have to contend with an entirely different environment. Being a volcanic planet and all (hence the "forge" in the expansion's title), water is quite difficult to come by. The unique challenges of Io will change player's priorities and provide a different and more difficult test compared to Mars. Consequently, the resource system is a bit different than standard play; new resources like Basalt will allow you to build new structures that make use of these materials.

Two new factions are being introduced in this expansion. The Penrose Collective features the ability to found two headquarters at the outset of the game and upgrade them at the same time. A "claim swapping" ability allows them to trade land for more favorable parcels, and the versatility of the collective allows them to use Silicon in place of Steel for construction. The other new faction is called The Diadem Trust; they have a particular slant towards end-game strength. Their advanced buildings (such as Patent Labs and Optimization Centers) are capable of more production than their competition. Their unique philosophy puts them completely outside of the patent race - The Diadem Trust is able to purchase patents at any time, regardless of whether or not another player already owns them.

Finally, alongside the two new factions comes a new 1000 Map challenge and a brand spanking new campaign. The Jupiter's Forge Expansion DLC for Offworld Trading Company will be available sometime in Spring 2017. In the meantime, you can add it to your wishlist on Steam. If you don't yet own Offworld Trading Company, you can pick it up in the $15 tier of The Humble Intergalactic Bundle (along with a bunch of other neat space games).

What do you think of Offworld Trading Company? Do you think the new features being added in the Expansion will make it worthwhile to pick up? Let us know in the comments below!

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