Firaxis Games announced Sid Meier’s Starships yesterday, a new turn-based strategy game set in the same universe as Civilization: Beyond Earth.

The game explores what comes next in the Beyond Earth story, challenging players with the task of building an armada and exploring the galaxy to spread your influence. After customizing a fleet of starships, players can expect to engage in turn-based tactical space combat across several campaigns that feature distinctive star maps and dynamically generated missions. Sid Meier's Starships will also include cross-connectivity with Beyond Earth, allowing users that own both games to enhance their experience in both titles.

“When designing Starships, I was intrigued by the idea of exploring the next chapter in the story of Civilization: Beyond Earth. What happens after we colonize our new home and eventually build starships to take to the stars? What has become of our long-lost brothers and sisters from the planet Earth?” said Sid Meier, director of creative development at Firaxis Games in an official statement. “My goal was to create an experience that focuses on starship design and combat within a universe filled with interstellar adventure, diplomacy, and exploration.”

Sid Meier's Starships is set to release on PC, Mac and iPad in early 2015. You can check out the game's announcement trailer and screenshots below.