PCGame

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Turn-based sci-fi strategy balancing squad combat and base management

Firaxis Games, Feral Interactive (Linux) · Published by 2K, Feral Interactive (Linux) · Released Oct 8, 2012

Strategy

Reviews
Very Positive
92% of 42K
Recent reviews
Very Positive
90% of 88 in 30 days
Players
478
daily peak, Nov 7, 2026
Steam Deck
Playable
Last update on Steam
12 years ago
Feb 26, 2014
Minimum PC
HD 2600 XT
2 GB RAM · 20 GB disk
Full requirements

Metacritic: 89/100 (critic reviews)

What is XCOM: Enemy Unknown?

A turn-based strategy game about defending Earth from an alien invasion. You move soldiers through tactical missions, then manage XCOM headquarters by recruiting troops, researching technology, expanding the base, and allocating resources.

For you if...

  • +you enjoy difficult battles with lasting soldier losses
  • +you like balancing tactical missions with base management
  • +you accept chance-driven combat and plans going wrong

Not for you if...

  • −you want forgiving combat with predictable attack outcomes
  • −you dislike managing resources, research, and squad recovery
  • −you prefer real-time action over turn-based planning

What players say

92% of 41,527 reviews are positive · 90% of 88 in the last 30 days

Players praise the tense, replayable tactical combat and the attachment created by persistent soldiers. Common complaints focus on frustrating missed shots, awkward camera and tile selection, and recurring launch failures, crashes, freezes, and campaign-blocking bugs.

Players over time

▼ -6% vs a month ago

Players online on Steam, one sample a day.

Highest since Sep 2026: 806 players on Sep 21, 2026.

Show the data
DayPlayers
Nov 7, 2026478
Nov 6, 2026436
Nov 5, 2026443
Nov 4, 2026517
Nov 3, 2026478
Nov 2, 2026566
Nov 1, 2026540
Oct 31, 2026507
Oct 30, 2026459
Oct 29, 2026465
Oct 28, 2026505
Oct 27, 2026331
Oct 27, 2026491
Oct 26, 2026525
Oct 25, 2026586
Oct 24, 2026519
Oct 23, 2026478
Oct 22, 20260
Oct 21, 2026469
Oct 20, 2026497
Oct 19, 2026542
Oct 18, 2026558
Oct 17, 2026534
Oct 16, 2026492
Oct 15, 2026463
Oct 14, 2026488
Oct 13, 2026549
Oct 12, 2026568
Oct 11, 2026570
Oct 10, 2026501
Oct 9, 2026486
Oct 8, 2026546
Oct 7, 2026479
Oct 6, 2026526
Oct 5, 2026574
Oct 4, 2026560
Oct 3, 2026550
Oct 2, 2026468
Oct 1, 2026492
Sep 30, 2026474
Sep 29, 2026519
Sep 28, 2026556
Sep 27, 2026575
Sep 26, 2026522
Sep 25, 2026486
Sep 24, 2026510
Sep 23, 2026429
Sep 23, 2026552
Sep 22, 2026525
Sep 21, 2026806

How many players finish XCOM: Enemy Unknown?

32% of Steam players have unlocked «Humanity's Savior», the achievement for finishing the main story.

Share of everyone who owns the game on Steam, including those who barely played it. Updated weekly.

Screenshots and trailer

XCOM: Enemy Unknown screenshot 1

XCOM: Enemy Unknown system requirements

Minimum: HD 2600 XT, 2 GB RAM, 20 GB of disk space.

As published by the developer.

Can my PC run XCOM: Enemy Unknown?

Tell us your graphics card once and every game page will answer this for you.

Set up my PC →

Minimum

OS
Windows Vista
Processor
2 GHz Dual Core
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT / ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT or greater
Memory
2 GB RAM
Storage
20 GB HD space
Notes
Broadband Internet connection

Recommended

OS
Windows 7
Processor
2 GHz Dual Core (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or Athlon X2 2.7 GHz)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce 9000 series / ATI Radeon HD 3000 series or greater
Memory
4 GB RAM
Storage
20 GB HD space
Notes
Broadband Internet connection

Does XCOM: Enemy Unknown have co-op or multiplayer?

Yes: multiplayer (mode not specified). It also has a single-player mode. Crossplay with other platforms is declared.

Does XCOM: Enemy Unknown run on Steam Deck?

Playable Playable: it runs on Steam Deck with some adjustments.

  • Default controller config not fully functional
  • Sometimes shows mouse, keyboard or non-Deck controller icons
  • Some text entry requires manually opening the on-screen keyboard
  • In-game text is legible on Steam Deck
  • Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck
  • External controllers are not supported for the primary player

PC version details

DRM
None declared on Steam
Controller
Full controller support
Platforms
Windows, Linux
Achievements
85
Steam features
Cloud saves, Family Sharing, Trading cards
Age rating
17+
Languages
Full audio: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish - Spain, Russian, Polish. Text only: Korean, Japanese, Traditional Chinese.

Does XCOM: Enemy Unknown use AI-generated content?

No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.

Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Nov 6, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam

Tags

Recent updates

3 DLC available.

Games like XCOM: Enemy Unknown