Slitherine announces Polaris Sector, a science fiction game they say will offer fresh take on the 4X strategy genre. An official product section for the game provides details and screenshots, and though they are not yet committing to a release window more specific than "next year," on this page they are accepting applications from prospective beta testers. Here's word:

With Polaris Sector, developer SoftWarWare is bringing a fresh take on the 4X genre. Obviously, exploring systems with hundreds of stars, exploiting resources and negotiating treaties with other alien factions are essentials for building an empire. However this time players will have to give special attention to the mechanics of technological progress and warfare. Their engineers and scientists provide a high level of flexibility and ultimately the players will have a plethora of options for designing warships and finding the right balance between fundamental and applied sciences. Will they be visionary enough to build weapons and research technologies that will make the difference in battles fought decades from now?

This ambitious sci-fi strategy game is now ready to enter the beta. And we invite players to help us test it! By signing up for the beta, players will have a chance to be selected to be one of the lucky few who will be able experience Polaris Sector before release and help us with the final touches, ensuring a smooth release next year.