The interstellar strategy-adventure Star Control: Origins is getting a four-part season pass called Earth Rising that will add "dozens of missions, new alien races, and a variety of ships" to the game. The expansion will leave the job of starship captain essentially unchanged—advance Earth's interests in the galactic community with a deft blend of diplomacy and violence—but the state of the galaxy itself sounds a whole lot more complicated.

"In the first part, Aftermath, players discover that not every alien is happy about the prospect of an expanding human empire," publisher Stardock said. "There are unknown enemies lurking in the shadows seeking to undermine Earth's ambitions, while others begin to react to the recent successes of the Earth captain and his primitive ship."

Earth Rising will provide new content for players who have finished the game's primary missions, but it also "expands the richness of the Star Control universe for first-time players," Stardock said.

The Earth Rising season pass will sell for $20, and will go live on December 11 with Aftermath. The second part is scheduled to come out later this winter, followed by part 3 in the spring of 2019, and part 4 in the summer.