Slitherine and Matrix Games announce Pandora: First Contact, a science-fiction 4X strategy game set on the planet of Pandora, though the potential for this to include unobtainium or dlithium crystals are probably just inferences we're drawing from the title and from watching too many sci-fi movies. As of now they expect to release this at the end of this spring, and signups to beta test are already being accepted on this page. The Pandora: First Contact product page has details and screenshots, and here's a blurb:

Epsom, UK, January 31, 2013 – After decades of exploration, mankind has finally found a new hope. A new planet to conquer and colonize. They call it Pandora. From the frozen ice lands of the north, to vast deserts and lush tropical forests in the south, the planet is vast and hosts a wide variety of eco-regions. It is the perfect last resort for mankind. But it is far from being desolate, with indigenous life already covering the planet, but how will they react to alien invaders?

Pandora: First Contact is the latest science fiction 4X turn-based strategy game published by Slitherine (www.slitherine.com) and Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and developed by Proxy Studios (www.proxy-studios.com). The game follows in the footsteps of classics like Alpha Centauri and Galactic Civilizations, but it also creates a completely new world of its own, with hundreds of creatures, settings, technological innovations and a never-seen-before range of deadly weapons. In development for now more than two years, Pandora: First Contact is something really novel in the genre of civilization-style games.

“We are very excited about this new project”, said Iain McNeil, development director of Slitherine. “This year’s line-up is shaping to be very attractive to a wide range of players and we are proud to bring such an intense, immersive and engaging sci-fi strategy game to our audience worldwide”.