ConsulCaesar: One good thing about Paradox is these free updates. Another good thing is that their releases now come Day One to GOG. That's what happens when you outsource your beta testing to your players. :/
On the other hand, I've read good things about Stellaris' evolution in the last years, and I would like to try it myself, but I'll probably wait for the Super Complete Definitive Gold GOTY Collection Edition.
From the reply above your post., it's clear the free updates are not actually a good thing, if they are applying DLC features only to the AI, it puts base game owners at a disadvantage to strong arm purchase of DLC,
Exhodos: Damn, I was waiting for a Definitive / Complete Edition of Stellaris, I guess I'll wait more and more...
You're Joking, right?
This is PI (Paradox Interactive), you ain't got a chance in hell.
PI's entire business model is sell bare bones, base game, and keep throwing DLC at it, it's essentially the same model as a live service business model, but using DLC.
It's due to the business model, that I never consider buying anything they publish.
Just look at these prices, for a 4 year old game
In the UK I see these
Full Price is £184.26 with 60% off £73.56
Adding new DLC Full Price is £199.73 with 60% off £89.05
In Dollars (According to GOG), that comes to
Full Price is $229.53 with 60% off $90.85
Adding new DLC Full Price is £248.84 with 60% off £110.16
Those prices are extortionate, and the content provided is not worth that 4 years after a bare bones launch.
Even those discounted prices are way to much, especially when It's clear the DLC is actually required, due to "free updates", adding DLC powers to AI, but not the player. Even Free updates are design to strong arm you into buying all the DLC.
I'd find this more acceptable, if when each new DLC came out, the old DLC was added to base Game.
The real fans willing to buy each DLC when new, would still buy them, but new customers coming later would get a reasonable price, for old content.
Look how much CDPR ask for The Witcher 3 Complete Edition, that's fair pricing, and I paid full price for that game, but I'd still be condemning CDPR, if they were still sold it at full price four years after release, like PI are doing.
The only way, I'd find there games of value, is if old DLC rolled into base game, as new ones were released.
So Full price £45 ($60) gets you base game, and a 60% discount is £18 ($24). With latest DLC sold separately for a fair price of about half what PI sell them for, but they could likely get away with there current rip off price, as most other DLC (Microtransactions) do.
It may (or may not) be a great game, bur it sure as hell isn't worth £200, no game is.
No matter how many microtransactions/DLC they sell.