XCOM 2 Modding on OpenMods

Firaxis's tactical with Modbuddy and the Long War legacy

XCOM 2 (2016) is Firaxis's tactical sequel. Modding is officially supported via the XCOM 2 Modbuddy SDK, distributed through Steam Workshop, and has a fifteen-year legacy stretching back to XCOM: Enemy Unknown's modding scene.

The headline community project is Long War 2, a comprehensive overhaul that became practically a different game. The community is mature; the catalogue is large; the modding patterns are well-documented.

The toolchain

• XCOM 2 Modbuddy: official authoring tool, free in Steam Tools library.
• Alternative Mod Launcher (AML): community mod launcher, replaces the vanilla launcher's mod management with a more capable UI.
• Steam Workshop: primary distribution.
• config/ modding: many XCOM 2 mods are config-file edits rather than full mods.

What you'll find on OpenMods

XCOM 2 mods live primarily on Workshop. GitHub hosts source for some larger mods including Long War 2. OpenMods catalogues GitHub-published XCOM 2 mods.

Practical notes

• Long War 2 is the canonical overhaul. Months of replayability. Read its documentation before installing.
• AML is recommended over vanilla launcher. Better mod-list handling, conflict detection.
• War of the Chosen expansion matters. Most modern mods assume WotC. Vanilla XCOM 2 mods are mostly legacy.
• Mid-campaign mod changes corrupt saves. Strict rule.