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To increase the size of your Core AIC Area, progress through the relevant story and regional-development systems, then speak with the AIC Steward and buy an area expansion using regional stock bills. A Basic Expansion Core is different: it unlocks a phase of the Basic AIC Plan; it does not purchase more build area.
How to expand the Core AIC Area
- Progress the story and develop the AIC. In the early quest “Paving the Way,” the steps include opening the AIC Factory Plan, researching Gearing Tech, completing the Gearing Unit simulation, and placing the unit in the Core AIC Area. The END Wiki quest entry records the quest sequence and dialogue.
- Use the Basic Expansion Core for its plan unlock. When the item becomes available, use it to unlock the next phase of the Basic AIC Plan. This advances factory development but does not expand the Core AIC Area.
- Earn regional stock bills. Gryphline’s Beta Test II announcement describes regional stock bills as part of the Regional Development System and says they can be spent to upgrade Core AIC Areas. See Gryphline’s DEV Comm//02 announcement, November 1, 2025.
- Visit the AIC Steward and purchase an area expansion. Select the Core AIC Area expansion option and check the current bill cost and prerequisites shown in your game. The AIC Steward reference describes expansions as sequential purchases.
The exact current costs, dimensions, and tier-by-tier prerequisites are not established in the available references. Use the Steward’s in-game menu for the values that apply to your region, account, and game version rather than relying on an unverified cost chart.
Expansion Core vs. area expansion
| Option | What it does | How it is obtained or used |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Expansion Core | Unlocks the next phase of the Basic AIC Plan; it does not buy more Core AIC build area. | A mission item used for AIC Plan progression. The Basic Expansion Core reference describes its plan-unlock function. |
| Core AIC Area expansion | Increases the central area available for building. | Purchased from the AIC Steward with regional stock bills. |
| Building elsewhere on the map | Lets you place facilities outside the central area; it does not increase that area’s size. | Gryphline’s March 2, 2026 update says facilities can be constructed anywhere on the map using materials, without returning to the Core AIC Area or a Sub-PAC. See the official DEV Comm. |
Do you need a larger base to build more facilities?
Not necessarily. Gryphline’s March 2026 update allows facility construction anywhere on the map using materials, without returning to the Core AIC Area or a Sub-PAC. That changes where facilities can be placed; it does not remove the separate Steward purchase for expanding the central area. A larger Core AIC Area can still help if you prefer to organize more of your layout in one place.
What to check before buying an upgrade
- Confirm you are selecting a Core AIC Area expansion, not a Depot Bus upgrade.
- Check the bill cost and prerequisites displayed by the AIC Steward; later tiers may require earlier purchases.
- For Depot Bus upgrades, the Steward reference says Depot Bus research in the AIC Factory Plan is required. It also describes conditions involving area expansion for bus additions outside the current area; check the current game UI for the exact requirements.
- If the option is unavailable, continue the relevant story and AIC Plan progression, then check the Steward again.
Why the Expansion Core is easy to mistake for an area upgrade
In the “Paving the Way” quest, AIC guide Pocus explains that the Expansion Core provides a more advanced factory development plan. The item is connected to AIC development, but the item’s stated function is to unlock an AIC Plan phase. The area-size purchase is a separate action at the AIC Steward, paid for with regional stock bills.
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