The Fantasy Flight Games edition of Cosmic Encounter was released in 2008. It included improved components, including stackable plastic ships and mobile mini-boards for the planets and game areas (as opposed to the large fixed boards of previous editions), support for up to 5 players (up to 8 with expansions), 50 aliens (many returning from previous editions but some all-new), improved rules with clarifications and the all-new Technology variant.
42nd Anniversary Edition[]
In 2018, in honor of the upcoming 42nd anniversary of Cosmic Encounter, Fantasy Flight Games re-released their edition of the game as an anniversary edition. This edition included several new features, such as translucent plastic ships, a "Learn to Play" comic to allow players to quickly jump in without having to read the rulebook, a set of Cosmic Combo cards that list themed sets of aliens to be played together, corrections for many cards' texts based on the official FAQ, and a re-release of the Demon alien sheet and flare card, which had formerly been available only as promos.
Aliens[]
This edition includes 50 aliens, 13 of which are brand-new in this edition:
The 42nd Anniversary Edition includes the above aliens plus 1 more:
Expansions[]
The Fantasy Flight Games edition currently has a total of 6 expansions and 2 promotional aliens:
| Expansion | Year | New aliens | New player color | New variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmic Incursion | 2009 | 20 | Orange | Reward deck |
| Cosmic Conflict | 2010 | 20 | Black | Hazard |
| Cosmic Alliance | 2012 | 20 | White | Large group; Team Cosmic |
| Cosmic Storm | 2013 | 25 | Space stations | |
| Demon (promo) | 2014 | 1 | ||
| Cosmic Dominion | 2014 | 30 | New reward deck; ship markers | |
| Cosmic Eons | 2016 | 30 | Hidden Alliances; Essence aliens | |
| Booster (promo) | 2019 | 1 | Pink (ships only) |
With all expansions included, the Fantasy Flight Games edition currently includes 196 aliens (197 if you can get your hands on the Booster promo) and supports up to 8 players. If the translucent ships from the 42nd anniversary edition are included, the game can unofficially support up to 13 players.
Trivia[]
- The box cover image has gone through a number of changes across Fantasy Flight Games' various printings:
- The cover of the first printing simply shows the game's logo on a textured background.
- The cover of the second printing depicts Parasite in the foreground and (clockwise from top) Mirror, Virus, Warpish, Fodder, Reincarnator and Will in the background.
- The cover of the 42nd Anniversary Edition (the third printing) depicts Sorcerer in the foreground and (clockwise from top) Citadel, Tick-Tock, Vacuum, Cudgel and Will in the background.
