Stellaris Dev Diary #410 - 4.3 Performance Comparisons
The 4.3 'Cetus' update delivers massive performance gains, reducing early-game year times from 30.5s to 11.5s, alongside a complete rework of the Eater of Worlds Covenant.
Key Changes
- 1Massive performance optimization reducing year simulation time by ~60%
- 2Complete rework of Eater of Worlds Covenant with new Doom Intensity mechanics
- 3Augmentation Centers now provide 400 jobs for Driven Assimilators
- 4Augmentor jobs changed from pop growth multipliers to flat bonuses
- 5Increased max damage scaling for weapons targeting large ships
- 6Councilor skill impact on Agenda speed has been reduced
- 7Synthetic Fertility origin now starts with Powered Exoskeletons
- 8Fixed Refugee Attraction mechanic which was previously non-functional
- 9Replaced Loyalty Circuits with Compliance Filters as an auto-modding trait
- 10Fixed cross-platform Cloud Save functionality
All Changes
🚀Performance(2)
- buffGame Engine: Major optimization reduces starting year time from 30.52 seconds (v3.14) to 11.54 seconds (v4.3).
- newBeta Branch: Added experimental performance branch to the Cetus Open Beta providing approximately 4% faster simulation speeds.
🌌Covenants(11)
- changeEater of Worlds: Significantly changed the Eater of Worlds Covenant Powers and Auras.
- changeEater of Worlds: The Doom power for the Eater of Worlds no longer immediately starts a war.
- changeEater of Worlds: Aura Intensification no longer summons ships from nothing; it now increments Doom Intensity.
- newEater of Worlds: The Doom power now manifests the 'Doom of the Eater' fleet based on Intensity levels.
- changeEater of Worlds: Fleet composition at 3-6 Intensity includes Teeth (escorts).
- changeEater of Worlds: Fleet composition at 6-12 Intensity includes Teeth (escorts) and Fangs (cruisers).
- changeEater of Worlds: Fleet composition at 12+ Intensity includes Teeth, Fangs, and Tusks (battleships).
- changeEater of Worlds: Doom Intensity is now capped at 50.
- changeEater of Worlds: The number of ships in the manifested fleet now depends on Doom Intensity.
- changeEater of Worlds: Manifesting a new fleet will instantly dismiss any currently active Eater fleet.
- changeEater of Worlds: The fleet now appears in orbit of a planet with a Sanctum of the Eater or the empire capital.
📈Economy & Pops(4)
- buffDriven Assimilators: Augmentation Centers now provide 400 jobs for Driven Assimilators.
- changeAugmentor: Augmentor jobs for regular empires now provide a flat bonus to pop growth instead of a multiplier.
- changeCompliance Filters: Loyalty Circuits has been replaced by Compliance Filters as an auto-modding trait.
- buffAugmentation Bazaars: Augmentation Bazaars can now pick Compliance Filters at game start.
⚙️Gameplay Systems(4)
- buffWeapons: Increased the maximum damage scaling for weapons that increase damage based on target ship size.
- nerfCouncilors: Reduced the effect that Councilor skill levels have on Agenda speed.
- changeImperious Architecture: Changed the scaling of Imperious Architecture.
- buffSynthetic Fertility: Synthetic Fertility empires now start the game with Powered Exoskeletons.
🐞Bug Fixes(5)
- fixRefugees: Fixed Refugee Attraction not working at all.
- fixCloud Saves: Fixed cross-platform Cloud Save system functionality.
- fixUI: Tidied up Cybernetics related tooltips for better clarity.
- fixDeep Space Citadel: Removed flickering from the buildable area for Deep Space Citadels.
- fixFire Oracles: Fire Oracles now only appear if the main species of an empire has habitability.
Summary
Performance Overhaul
The 4.3 'Cetus' Open Beta focuses heavily on technical optimization. Internal testing shows the new version starting nearly three times faster than version 3.14 (11.54 seconds per year vs 30.52 seconds). These improvements stem from foundational changes to planet and pop systems introduced in 4.0, now fully realized in 4.3. An additional experimental branch has been added to the beta, offering a further 4% performance increase.
Gameplay & Balance
Significant balance shifts target the Eater of Worlds Covenant, which now uses a 'Doom Intensity' system to manifest fleets rather than summoning ships from nothing. Additionally, pop growth mechanics for Augmentors have been shifted from multipliers to flat bonuses, and Driven Assimilators see a massive job increase at Augmentation Centers.
More from Stellaris
- 4.3.2 Open Beta is now on stellaris_test [checksum 171a]Mar 20, 2026
- Stellaris 4.3.1 hotfix release (checksum f646)Mar 19, 2026
- Stellaris Dev Diary #412 - 4.3.0 ‘Cetus’ Preliminary Release NotesMar 11, 2026
- Stellaris 4.3 "Cetus" Open Beta Updated (2026-03-06)Mar 6, 2026
- Stellaris 4.3 "Cetus" Open Beta Updated (2026-03-04)Mar 4, 2026