patch · May 11, 2026

Stellaris Patch 4.3.6 Integrates Past DLC and Adds Framerate Controls

Stellaris update 4.3.6 brings Utopia, Synthetic Dawn, and the Humanoids Species Pack directly into the base game, accompanied by rendering overrides and portrait customization tools.

Version 4.3.6 reworks the base game by bundling several major expansions into the core package. Alongside content integration, the release delivers framerate cap adjustments for high-end monitors, accessibility portrait toggles, and adjustments to leader mortality rules.

Base Game Additions

Utopia, Synthetic Dawn, the Humanoids Species Pack, and elements of the Galaxy Edition Upgrade are now included in the base game. Utopia brings megastructures, habitats, ascension perks, hive minds, and fanatic purifiers. Synthetic Dawn introduces machine intelligence empires, machine rebellions, and specific portraits. Humanoids adds ten portraits, select civics, the Clone Army origin, and a humanoid shipset. Players logging into a Paradox Account also unlock the Behemothkin portrait under Reptilians.

Portrait Customization and Accessibility

An Accessibility menu option handles Portrait Substitutions. Arachnophobia Mode replaces spider-like portraits with alternate client-side artwork, while Arachnophilia Mode applies the reverse effect. Neither setting alters multiplayer opponents. The system automatically loads custom substitution files placed in the designated substitution folder.

Technical Limits and Performance

Players using high-framerate hardware can bypass the default 90 FPS render limit by appending refreshCap=144 or another preferred value to the settings.txt file. Framerates floor at 30 and peak at monitor maximums, though higher values shift processing time from the simulation loop to the render loop. The patch also addresses specific out-of-sync triggers tied to species counts, indexes, and country resources.

Leader Lifespans and Code Tweaks

Leaders no longer suffer from an age cap preventing death. Old age calculations now apply a fixed multiplier at 120% of a species' lifespan, increasing mortality risk past that threshold. Modifications relying on the previous 100-point integer must update their definitions. Vipra the Vapor’s greeting audio also receives a fix.

Why this patch matters

Patch 4.3.6 expands the core game with three past expansions while giving players manual control over rendering caps and portrait visibility.