Races

Races are the defining element of Master of Orion.

Lore
=In game races=

AI Controlled
=Race development by game=

Master of Orion (1993)
Races in the original 1993 game:
 * Alkari
 * Bulrathi
 * Darloks
 * Humans
 * Klackons
 * Meklar
 * Mrrshan
 * Psilon
 * Sakkra
 * Silicoids

Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares (1996)
The sequel inherited all the ten races from the original, added three more, and allowed for creating your own custom race.

Returning races:
 * Alkari, Bulrathi, Darloks, Humans, Klackons, Meklar, Mrrshan, Psilon, Sakkra, Silicoids

New races:
 * Elerians
 * Gnolams
 * Trilarians
 * Custom race

Master of Orion III (2003)
The next game removed several staple races (on the pretense of them not being alien enough), modified existing ones, and grouped them into several species.

Races grouped by species:
 * Humanoid (Humans, Evon, Psilon)
 * Cybernetik (Meklar, Cynoid)
 * Saurian (Sakkra, Raas, Grendarl)
 * Ichthytosians (Trilarians, Nommo)
 * Etherean (Imsaeis, Eoladi)
 * Geodic (Silicoids)
 * Insecta (Klackons, Tachidi)
 * Harvester (Ithkul)

Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars (2016)
The reboot will feature the ten classic "civilizations" as well as adding a new, Terran, faction.

Returning civilizations: The three civilizations that were introduced in MoO2 were reintroduced into MoO4 in a subsequent DLC release: Master of Orion:  Revenge of Antares: New civilizations:
 * Alkari, Bulrathi, Darloks, Humans, Klackons, Meklar, Mrrshan, Psilon, Sakkra, Silicoids
 * Elerians, Gnolams, Trilarians
 * Antarans (non-playable)
 * Terran Khanate

Magnate & Independent Races
Both MoO3 and MoO4 contain races not selectable as a starting race which instead present themselves as single-planet colonies scattered across the map. MoO3 introduced the concept as a way for players to gain access to more diverse racial traits, MoO3 expanded on the concept by adding diplomatic and quest-giving capabilities to the independent races.

Magnate Races in MoO3 (2003)
MoO3 was originally planned to include 32 races; this was later cut back to 16 due to time constraints. Some of the cut races as well as the removed staple races were retained in the game in the form of marginalized magnate races.

Magnate races without a specified species: Magnate races without a specified species:
 * Avian (Alkari)
 * Fungal (Phaigour)
 * Gargantua (Rhea)
 * Metashifters (Darlock)
 * Non-Corporeal (Brye Ehts)
 * Plant (Audrieh)
 * Protoplasmic (Ajadar)
 * (Bulrathi, Elerians), (Gnolam), (Mrrshan),

The magnate races were not selectable as a starting race; instead single colonies of magnate races were scattered across the map. The magnate population would be taken over and integrated into the empire after a successful Colonization of their starting planet.

Independent Civs in MoO4 (2016)
Just as Magnates in MoO3, Independent civilizations occupy a single planet in a given system and have no ambitions of expanding into interstellar space. Once you encounter them, your civilization is given the option to complete their quests. This increases their affinity for you. If the relationship with a given empire is maxed out, then the civilization will offer annexation.

As of now there are 9 independent races in Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars:
 * Akirian
 * Degonite
 * Eldritch
 * Glis
 * Nyunyu
 * Nyemorian
 * Thersonian
 * Yar-ssian
 * Zarkonian