If you have acquired the build labeled xcom2warofthechosenupdatev20181009incl exclusive, here is how to confirm its legitimacy:
One of the specific fixes in this update related to the Hunter’s Lodge. Players utilizing the Tactical Legacy Pack or pre-order content often encountered issues where their new cosmetic armor sets would not apply correctly to soldiers of all tiers, or would glitch during cinematics. The October 9th patch rectified the "Soldier Localization" issues, ensuring that the exclusive armors and weapons could be equipped and displayed properly without causing UI crashes. This allowed players to take their squads into battle looking exactly how they wanted, a small but vital detail for player immersion.
Unlike earlier unstable releases, v20181009 focused on quality-of-life and performance:
Despite its stability, this build has quirks:
The update XCOM 2: War of the Chosen Update v20181009 , often bundled with the "Tactical Legacy Pack," was a major technical and content milestone for the game. It primarily focused on fixing long-standing performance issues and adding a massive wave of nostalgic DLC content for veteran fans of the franchise. Key Highlights of the Update Performance Overhaul
: This patch significantly improved load times and frame rate stability, addressing the "stuttering" issues many players experienced in the base War of the Chosen expansion. Tactical Legacy Pack
: The "exclusive" draw of this specific version was the inclusion of the Legacy Pack, which added: Legacy Ops
: A series of consecutive tactical missions that tell the story of what happened between XCOM: Enemy Unknown
: A mode allowing you to play classic maps from the 2012 reboot and the original 1994 game. Skirmish Mode xcom2warofthechosenupdatev20181009incl exclusive
: A tool to create custom missions with specific enemies, squad layouts, and objectives. New Cosmetics & Music
: It introduced the "Old School" soundtrack option, allowing players to swap the modern score for the synth-heavy music of the original XFO: Enemy Unknown Why This Version Matters
For many players, this specific update made the game "complete." It bridged the narrative gap between the two modern XCOM games and provided the highest-tier equipment skins
(like the classic Kevlar armor and Plasma weapons) that are widely considered the best-looking gear in the game. Common Issues & Fixes
If you are running this specific build, keep the following in mind: Mod Compatibility
: Many older mods from the Steam Workshop broke with this update. If you experience crashes, ensure your mods are tagged as "WOTC Compatible" or "T.L.P. Updated." Save File Bloat
: The update fixed a bug where save files would grow too large over time, but it may not retroactively fix saves created
the patch. Starting a new campaign is recommended to see the full performance benefits. or tips for the new Skirmish mode One of the specific fixes in this update
, released around October 9, 2018. In the context of game releases, "exclusive" typically indicates that the package contains all previous updates or specific content bundled by a particular release group.
The primary features included in this update (and the major October 2018 "Tactical Legacy Pack" update it aligns with) are: 1. Tactical Legacy Pack Content
This update was most notable for adding the Tactical Legacy Pack, which bridged the gap between XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2.
Legacy Ops: A series of consecutive tactical missions where Central Officer Bradford recounts the resistance's rise.
Archives: Access to 28 new maps, including remastered maps from the original XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM: Enemy Within.
Skirmish Mode: A tool to create custom tactical missions with adjustable maps, squad loadouts, and objectives. 2. Equipment and Cosmetics
Classic Gear: Unlockable "Legacy" versions of weapons and armor from previous games.
New Customization: Added new soldier attitudes, helmets, and armor patterns. Despite its stability, this build has quirks: The
Photobooth Backgrounds: New backgrounds and poses for soldier posters. 3. Technical Improvements
Bug Fixes: Resolved various stability issues and gameplay bugs present in earlier versions of War of the Chosen.
Performance Optimization: Includes the "v20181009" code refinements intended to improve loading times and frame rates during intensive tactical combat. 4. Integrated Soundtrack
Music Selector: The ability to play the game with the original XCOM 2 score, the XCOM: Enemy Unknown score, or a new "Tactical Legacy" score inspired by the 1994 X-COM: UFO Defense.
The keyword incl exclusive is not just SEO filler. Several digital storefronts stripped content from War of the Chosen to keep file sizes down. The version you are researching includes:
| Content Item | Base WotC (2018) | v20181009 (Incl Exclusive) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Pre-order Legacy Outfits (10 armor torsos) | ❌ Missing | ✅ Included | | Sid Meier’s Sunglasses (cosmetic) | ❌ Missing | ✅ Included | | Reaper "Elite" Camo Skin | ❌ Delisted | ✅ Included | | Tactical Legacy Pack (7 new maps) | ✅ Present | ✅ Present | | Original Soundtrack (Vol 2) | ❌ | ✅ As DLC folder |
For modders, the "exclusive" tag also implies that the XComGame.u file is unencrypted. Later 2019 patches introduced a rudimentary DRM that encrypted localization files, breaking many voice pack mods. v20181009 allows you to freely edit XComGame.int without a third-party unpacker.
The update also included surreptitious tweaks to the AI, specifically regarding the "Ruler" enemies (from the Alien Hunters DLC integration). Prior to this patch, the Rulers could sometimes "cheat" their action economy, reacting to moves they shouldn't have seen. The update polished the Ruler Reaction behavior, ensuring a fairer, albeit still deadly, challenge for the player.
Additionally, the patch addressed a frustrating bug where soldiers would sometimes refuse to enter cover correctly on specific map tiles, leaving them exposed to enemy fire. Fixing these "pathing" errors ensured that soldiers died due to the player's tactical errors, not the game's geometry.