Patches & Updates (XCOM 2)

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Patches are software updates designed to fix bugs and performances issues and/or improve gameplay, game balance or system functionality for XCOM 2.

1st Patch[]

Released: 03/10/2016
Source: XCOM.com

Performance

Added Zip Mode gameplay option. While Zip Mode is enabled animation (like step outs & gremlin movements) speeds are significantly increased. Normal movement animations are moderately increased
Fixed an issue where shadow rendering during glam cam shot transitions was slowing down performance
Support for nVidia SLI and AMD Crossfire
Removed MSAA options from default presets and adjusted autodetect to target 40FPS instead of 30FPS
Reworked Light Clipping Manager
Particle Vertex Buffer Reallocation
Optimization to shadows in the Avenger
Enable triple buffering to fix VSync performance
Shadowed light fade out within Avenger; Disabled Post & Pre Mission cinematic lights not being used
Disabled shadow casting from character lights w/in Avenger
Reduced High Shadow Resolution - Reduce shadow resolution when set to HIGH to 1536, instead of 2048
Reduces the impact count of the Avatar Rifle
Removed a hitch that occurs when the camera enables/disables building visualizer
Deferred profile saves to next tick. This prevents multiple calls within the same frame from creating multiple requests to save the profile
After changing graphics settings, based on the selected preset, extra crew will be capped
Character head mesh optimized

Balance

Mimic beacon rebalance: Price increased to 75
Mimic beacons can no longer take cover, and are guaranteed to be hit by enemy shots
Wet Work is no longer retroactive
Graze is no longer a chance for 100% shots. Targets being shot by a concealed attacker cannot dodge

Gameplay

Added a new recommended Steam Controller configuration with support for additional actions
Fixed an issue where VIP units would take damage when their origin location was damaged
Fixed an issue where Promotion Earned text appeared before action is seen on screen
Fixed an issue where civilians pathed to the base of ladders and blocked XCOM units
Fixed an issue where Character Pool choices like Class, Attitude, and props did not save
Fixed an issue where weapons did not keep names and customizations upon tier bump
Fixed an issue causing some scan timers to go into negative time
Engineering items that are full squad upgrades are now designated in the UI
Fixed an issue where strategy project timers reset if players started building a radio relay immediately after making contact with a region
Fixed an issue with POIs not spawning when first visiting the Geoscape if Beginner VO is turned off
Removed start-of-turn hang during certain missions where enemy units had fallen out of the world. Auto-saves (and ironman saves) made in these situations should now be playable
Minimized action camera obstructions
Minimized camera look-at hopping during AI abilities
Fixed an issue where Psi abilities did not trigger death cams
Kill Zone now respects concealment status
Fixed an issue where the Ever Vigilant AWC perk did not work for Sharpshooters
Buildings don't cut down when tabbing through units
Fixed an exploit that skips the AI turn by spamming the END/BACKSPACE button while the Player's last action is being visualized
Rapid Fire and Chain Shot visualization optimized to get the second shot to fire faster
Fixed an issue where shot HUD wings would fail to re-open after taking an action that required the wings to close
Fixed an issue where crit chance would be negatively affected by shots with a success chance greater than 100
Optimized Return Fire hits causing long delays
Optimized AI reveals causing long hangs
Optimized Wait actions causing long timeouts
Optimized falling unit visualization to timeout faster
Updated the Geoscape save description to use the localized HQ time, instead of previously used GMT game time
Fixed an issue with an invalid spawn point on a specific Retaliation mission plot
Destroyed cover does not take reduce % to-hit on enemies

Systems

New option to only use Character Pool creations until the pool is exhausted
Bulletproofing bad saves from causing main menu crashes
Fixed an issue causing hitches in strategy
Fixed an issue where armor customizations did not save

Graphics

Unit Highlighting Flash when targeting units

Multiplayer

MULTIPLAYER: Fixes slow communications with internet players resulting in delays between actions, turns, and end-of-game screen.
Added camera rotation to MP

2nd Patch (Anarchy's Children)[]

Released: 03/17/2016
Source: XCOM.com

Changes included in this patch:

Anarchy’s Children compatibility changes including soldiers now having four new slots to attach additional pieces of armor: left/right arm and left/right shoulder.
Players will now be able to press “Load Anyway” when loading a save when the mods used are not present
Fixed the sort order of available targets in shot HUD
Corrected an issue causing Grenadier’s demolition to fail to update the target’s cover status
Adds “Zip Mode” description text

3rd Patch (Alien Hunters)[]

Released: 05/12/2016
Source: XCOM.com

Downloading the patch introduces new bug fixes, balance tweaks, and performance optimizations on top of a rebalanced multiplayer experience and new modding functionality. Hop into a few MP games and let us know what you think of the new ability loadouts and point values!

Gameplay

Fixed an issue where the doom countdown timer was refilling after the Avatar bar filled up
Repeater no longer triggers after Stock damage or damage done over time
Mimic Beacons can no longer be reanimated
Mimic Beacons can no longer be targeted by Aid Protocol
Zombie Soldiers count towards “Soldiers Dead” counter
Evac zones can no longer be placed on a soldier
Fixed an issue where XCOM units were hitching after pod reveals
Fixed an issue where armor was not resetting properly after restarting the Avenger Defense mission
Fixed a crash that would occur after opening an ADVENT garage door
Soldiers equipped with the Hazmat Vest will no longer be affected by Acid Burn when pathing over Acid
Fixed an issue where loot was not being given to the player after killing an enemy next to a soldier with a hacked turret
Fixed multiple issues that would occur when a Gatekeeper is killed while affected by Chryssalid poison
Specialists can no longer receive the Phantom ability through the Advanced Warfare Center
Fixed an issue where certain AOE attacks could be used when selected while the unit was in movement
Grenade damage rebalance
- Plasma Grenade Dmg: 5-6 -> 4-5
- Acid Bomb Dmg: 5-6 -> 4-5
- Fire Bomb Dmg: 6-7 -> 5-6
- Gas Bomb Dmg: 5-6 -> 4-5
- Proximity Mine Dmg: 8 -> 6
- Gas Grenade Radius: 5 -> 4
- Gas Bomb Radius: 6 -> 5
- Proximity Mine Radius: 5-> 4
- Volatile Mix Ability no longer grants grenade radius bonus

Multiplayer

MP balance changes
ADVENT and Alien units with weapons have been given range bonuses/penalties
Fixed an issue where squads would be deleted when saving and editing Loadouts
Fixed an issue where new squads were not being created upon selecting “Save As New Loadout” in the Edit Loadouts Menu
Fixed an issue where weapon customizations were not saved when created in the Squad Loadout
Fixed an issue where the Stun Lancer’s charge attack was causing players to desync

Gameplay/Visualization

Fixed an issue where Skulljacked units floated too high in the air
Fixed an issue where weapons inappropriately remained in the hands of soldiers
Fixed an issue where grenades were causing environmental damage on their way to the target
Fixed an issue where XCOM soldiers and Psi-Zombies were able to share the same tile
Fixed multiple animation issues caused when carrying an unconscious unit
Fixed an issue where a soldier remained bound by a Viper’s Bind and Crush ability after killing it
Fixed an issue where explosions would occur early

Performance

Removed a hitch that would occur when building visibility is disabled/enabled
Fixed an issue causing lighting to appear dark when launching the title on specific AMD setups

Systems

Fixed an issue where the default setting for the Anarchy’s Children slider in the options menu was inconsistent between platforms
Fixed an issue where enemy weapons would continuously ragdoll after a unit was killed
Fixed an issue where the Loadout screen music plays after loading a Strategy save mid-mission
Fixed a crash that would occur when accessing the ADVENT Broadcast Network mission while mods were active on the Geoscape

UI

Implemented a ‘Select All Mods’ button
Extended the character length for bios
Adjusted some prewritten soldier bios
Fixed an issue where users could access locked customization options
Fixed an issue where the wrong options were sometimes appearing in the Gameplay tab in the Options menu
Fixed an issue where tooltips would not show when viewing the Options menu

Modding/SDK

Game state classes can now be overridden
The ‘static’ scope keyword now works with override classes, allowing static functions to be overridden
The X2DownloadableContentInfo class has been to provide many new hooks for events such as mission start/end
The X2DownloadableContent class can now route ‘exec’ functions (console commands) allowing mods to implement their own cheats

4th Patch (Shen's Last Gift)[]

Released: 06/30/2016
Source: XCOM.com

This patch fixes a number of bugs in both the base game and the Alien Hunters DLC. The new balance changes includes additional bonuses to swords to make Rangers more effective in combat. Downloading this patch will also install the hooks needed for players to access the new SPARK and narrative-driven mission in Shen’s Last Gift.

Gameplay – Base Game

Fixed an issue where units would not have their mission starting abilities and Gremlins would not follow
Fixed an issue with Wet Work where kills were not being tracked for the correct unit
Fixed an issue where Burning and Poisoned damage was causing free kills
Damage caused by Psi abilities will now ignore armor
Faceoff may now only target units that are not mind-controlled (by the shooter’s team)
Fixed damage preview for abilities that modify damage based on incoming damage amount
Fixed an exploit where replacing a PCS would not always remove the value it gave when equipping
Magnetic Swords are now referred to “Magnetic” rather than “Conventional”
Fixed an issue where the unit flag would not properly show a unit as concealed when loading a save game
Fixed a crash that could occur after selecting an AOE ability and then another (disabled) ability
Fixed an issue where Proximity Mines were not damaging every unit in a group move situation
Blademaster grants +10 Aim to melee and Hunter’s Instinct grants +15 to melee crit
[MP] Matches will no longer immediately end for the user when winning during the transition before their turn

Gameplay – Alien Hunters

Fixes instances of Alien Ruler soft hangs
Avenger Defense no longer fails if a Ruler is in the evac zone
Fixed an issue where the Skulljack objective caused MECs to stop appearing in tactical
Fixed a crash that would occur after the Archon King completes an Icarus Drop
Alien Hunter weapons have range bonuses/penalties applied
Fixed an issue where Alien Rulers were missing health after increasing the difficulty during a playthrough
Fixed an issue where Alien Hunter weapons would be lost after upgrading through GTS
Central can no longer bleed out on the Nest mission due to it causing a soft-fail state
Removed Freezing Lash’s minimum range of 3 tiles which prevented units from using the ability when standing next to an enemy
Berserker Queen’s Faithbreaker ability no longer targets robotic units
Removed “Return to Resistance HQ” button from the Hunter Weapons POI complete popup to prevent players from getting into a state where project times are incorrect

Performance Improvements

Fixed an issue with Effects being ticked twice a frame
Optimizations to path solving memory footprint and performance
Fixed an issue where unnecessary game states were created on the Geoscape

System Support

Updates to allow Steam Workshop DLC to be enumerated before native script packages are loaded. Will allow mods that override XComGame.upk to work through Steam Workshop

Steam Controller

Removed button labels in save/load list that are not hooked up to anything

Modding

New flag bForceReselectAllGroupsForSpawn for use with multi-part mission schedules
Armor hit rolls have been deprecated as the game treats armor as 100% chance to absorb damage
- Armor is now handled directly by ApplyWeaponDamage
- ApplyWeaponDamage now has a bIgnoreArmor flag so that psionic abilities properly ignore armor
Tactical Quick Launch menu now supports the grenade slot correctly
Debug command X2ShowFullObject to display a game state object’s data
Bonus weapon ammo (e.g. Heavy Ordnance and Field Medic) is now handled through a delegate on ability templates: GetBonusWeaponAmmoFn
X2DownloadableContentInfo has new hooks:
- AbilityTagExpandHandler, so new localization tags can be added
- FinalizeUnitAbilitiesForInit, which allows special manipulation of a unit's ability list before the abilities are created in a tactical match
Effects now have the ability to be redirected from their initial target
- EffectShouldRedirect figures out who gets the redirected effect
New character template flag, bDiesWhenCaptured
Character templates can now have forced first, last, and nick names
Character templates can implement the delegate GetPhotographerPawnNameFn so as not to be forced to use soldier pawns for pictures in the strategy game
Countries can now be hidden from character customization
Deprecated X2AbilityMultiTarget_SoldierBonusRadius (though it continues to work for now). Base classes X2AbilityMultiTarget_Radius, _Cone, and _Line now support increasing the AOE range based on passive abilities in a generic fashion.
Effects may add projectiles to a volley conditionally by registering in the EffectsForProjectileVolleys array and implementing the function GetProjectileVolleyTemplate. Effects that are always on should still use the perk system, but this callback allows for game state checks to add or not add the projectile to a volley.
X2Effect_GenerateCover can now generate cover for mobile units, instead of forcing it to disappear when the unit moves

Fall 2017 Update for XCOM 2: War of the Chosen[]

Released: 10/19/2017
Source: XCOM.com This new update institutes multiple bug fixes and optimizations that will facilitate a better overall experience for players. Challenge Mode has been updated to include new stats on the leaderboard, new player-to-player tracked events and retooled notifications.

Gameplay – Strategy Layer

Beta Strike now is applied to XCOM soldiers if the tutorial is enabled
Scientists and engineers can no longer be used while deployed on Covert Actions
Fixed base game soldier promotion abilities not being free in the Training Center if a cross-class ability is purchased first
Fixed a visual issue with the inventory menu after selecting a Grenadier's utility item or grenade slot in the Hangar
Fixed Resistance Order card duplication
Fixed a navigation issue caused by empty Resistance Order card slots
Tutorial: Players can now re-enter the Research screen if they’ve tried to exit during the tutorial.
Fixed an issue that prevented soldiers from being dismissible after completing Lost and Abandoned with the Tutorial enabled
Fixed the conventional weapon breakthrough tech causing "+1 Damage" to display on the claymore when viewed in the Armory
Soldiers in the Character Pool now generate with a background
Scavengers Resistance Order now only applies to resource-based POI rewards
Weapon color defaults to 20 now instead of -1 to prevent mismatched color previews
Camera outline and poster display update on screen change
Fixed an issue with SPARKs getting permanently stuck in a wounded yet "Available" state after going on Chosen Stronghold missions
Fixed the Lost World Dark Event to expire correctly
Fixed lingering cohesion glow after creating a new bond
Fixed an issue where faction soldiers in the Training Center promotion screen would not appear when cycling through soldiers
Removed references to Resistance HQ from strategy notifications
Removed the ability for soldiers to gain positive traits as part of the AWC post-mission negative trait recovery mechanic
Soldiers on Covert Actions no longer drop their equipped items when the player enters the squad select screen
Fixed Rescue Soldier missions sometimes appearing with no reward if you fail it the first time
Adding additional text to the Reaper's Silent Killer ability description
Fixed weapons with mods attached not upgrading to the next tier for soldiers who are deployed on ambush-able Covert Actions

Gameplay – Tactical Layer

Chosen will be activated only if someone on XCOM team has been revealed
Fixed a bug where the fog of war fails to update or disappear when the player's Codex creates a clone during a mission
Fixed an issue where detection tiles would disappear for faction soldiers after loading a save while in concealment
VIPs using hunker down no longer break concealment
Berserk Rangers no longer attack squadmates
Fixed visualization of Archon patrol pathing
Units now take claymore damage when a claymore is detonated underneath them while on a destructible floor during tactical gameplay
ADVENT Priests triggering Sustain while standing in the evac zone no longer fails the mission
Alien Rulers get a 1.5X HP boost when Beta Strike is enabled
Fixed an issue where Purifiers became unresponsive after their clone made from Shadowbind was destroyed
Bladestorm and Retribution excludes teammates as valid targets
Enemy reinforcement visual indicator no longer disappears
Chosen can no longer turn into cocoons from Chryssalid poison
Spectres hit with Stasis will no longer prevent shadowbound units from recovering when the Spectre is killed
Fixed missing flyover for Lightning Reflexes
Gremlins only reveal hidden units after a hack attempt is made
Changed Skirmisher Ionic Ripjack stun chance to 25%
Darkclaw now gains the effects of equipped ammo
Brutal Chosen strength temporarily decreases soldier Will
Fixed ambient lighting not being applied in some non-tactical areas
Targetable enemy indicator refreshes correctly after navigating tactical menus
Fixed an issue where help text and other pop-ups would not trigger during the tutorial
Units provided by the Volunteer Army & Double Agent Resistance Orders will no longer count as units lost during a campaign
Updated Mimic Beacon behavior for Purifier, Priest, Spectre, and shadowbound units
Added AI AoE finder updates to enable AoE attacks on Mimic Beacons
Fixed an issue preventing Mimic Beacons from being attacked more than once by purifiers
Skulljack now kills units instantly if Beta Strike is enabled
Shredded armor no longer reappears after reloading a save
Fixed an issue where Skirmishers could use Wrath to move to an area, but not perform a melee attack
Fixed infinite visualization hang when X2Action_WaitForAnotherAction fails to receive the event trigger it is registered for
Fixed issue with claymores not being immediately targetable by the Reaper
Reduced Chosen Hunter pistol range
Skulljack no longer prevents a unit from becoming concealed
Supply Extraction loot now recovered if XCOM evacs from the mission
Fixed a loss of functionality caused by simultaneously entering a rescue circle and triggering a Lost pod during a Rescue Stranded Resistance Agents mission
Fixed crash caused by too many Lost on screen at one time
Restricting spawns in the corners of some parcels to prevent Chosen from being stuck if they spawn in the corner of a map
Slightly reducing the aim of Retaliation civilian militia and Volunteer Army soldiers
Shadowbound units don't get abilities granted from Sustaining Spheres. This matches up with shadowbound units not getting built in Sustain ability from units either
Prevent Chosen Kidnap / Extract on special units that come from HQ via Double Agent or Volunteer Army
Fix for an indefinite hang when a unit gets the burning status effect when moving for a Skullmine action during tactical gameplay
Holy Warrior effects no longer persist after the Priest is removed from the mission
Chosen Sarcophagus health displays correctly after loading a save game while the shield is up
Bluescreen Rounds no longer affect destructibles
Updated Shadowbind to remove the Parthenogenic Poison from the target
Decoupled GameStateUnit and asynchronous pawn load requests to prevent hung levels and crashes on level load
Fixed crashes related to GetAllViewersOfTarget
Fixed crashes related to GetAllVisibleToSource
Fixed crashes related to GetAllViewersOfLocation
Fixed crashes caused by for large block of LoadMap crashes
Fixed GetWorldInfo crashes on RenderThread
FixedProtection against IsAudible crashes from effects

Challenge Mode

Added new event notifications:

5 Enemy Kills
Concealment Broken
First Soldier Wounded
Killed a Sectopod or Gatekeeper
Lost a Sectopod or Gatekeeper
Completed Mission

Challenge Mode replay improvements: show the reaper roll, skip challenge points banners, disable mission narratives
Added user score and total players to Challenge Mode squad select screen
Changed Challenge events to display completion percentages of total players for an event
ADVENT soldiers now take an action when their shadowbound clone is killed
Enemy units will now move or take actions when the player Shadowbinds another enemy unit in the same pod
Challenge Mode replays will now automatically start playing
Fixed an issue where Focus drops were not occurring in Challenge mode
Additional score break down and stats to leaderboard
Consolidated the objective and enemy score decrease messages into one message when appropriate
Fixed an issue causing Challenges to auto-complete

Misc

Modding - Added files to improve compatibility between the game and uncooked content
Character Pool now checks base game and expansion directories for available pools
Fixed Character Pool lighting when on Stronghold shell screen
Fixed a crash with the Character Pool trying to access a version of a unit that no longer exists
Added a button to open the local Photobooth directory from the game
Class pose filtering is skipped when doing a memorial shot
Additional crash and bug fixes