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In game the word itself is titled as all caps which leads me to assume that it's an abbreviation for something.

For example, X-COM (XCOM) is all caps, and stands for "Extraterrestrial Combat Unit".

What does ADVENT stand for? Searched through the XCOM archives and have found no reference to what it exactly stand for.

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    "Advent" is an actual word though, unlike "XCOM". It means "the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event", according to Google.
    – DarthPizza
    Commented Feb 15, 2016 at 7:13
  • 2
    Somewhat relevant gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/254897/…
    – Neon1024
    Commented Feb 15, 2016 at 12:18
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    Aliens Deliberately Violating Earth and the Native Terrans
    – DCShannon
    Commented Feb 15, 2016 at 13:51

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ADVENT is a word meaning approach or arrival. It also has significance in Christian cultures, where Advent is the season before Christmas, where followers anticipate the coming of Christ.

As the plot of XCOM 2 unfolds, the Commander discovers that ADVENT forces are working towards...

...the completion of the Avatar Project.

The goal of this is to...

...create a new series of bodies for the Elders that are far more healthy than their decaying Ethereal ones. (link - beware further spoilers)

I suspect the name ADVENT was deliberately chosen with this in mind, as...

...it reflects both the impending arrival of the Elders to Earth, and heralds their new Avatar forms whose advanced psionic powers could be viewed as godlike.

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  • Though I like this thought, ADVENT have been a part of the series for far longer than XCOM2 was announced/planned. It seems unlikely that it was chosen with the plot-twists for the second game in mind.
    – Jeeva
    Commented Feb 22, 2016 at 20:40
  • Really? This is the first I'd heard of them. Where do they appear previously?
    – raveturned
    Commented Feb 23, 2016 at 12:18
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    Oh, hell. Embarrassing - I'm thinking of EXALT, and apparently am very easily confused by five-six uppercase letters. I'm an idiot, sorry.
    – Jeeva
    Commented Feb 23, 2016 at 12:19
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    I did wonder, but no worries. :) Incidentally, I loved EXALT as a name - as a word it means to raise up or ennoble, which ties to their aims of evolving humanity using alien tech. More literally though, they're a secret human paramilitary organisation competing directly with XCOM - or an XCOM alternative. X-ALT. :D
    – raveturned
    Commented Feb 23, 2016 at 12:41
  • EXALT actually sets a precedent for ADVENT here. Both seem to be acronyms, but are in reality chosen for its semantical meaning. EXALT sought to elevate themselves, ADVENT works to bring forth a new era. Very similar to a quote from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: "What does S.H.I.E.L.D. stand for, Agent Ward?" "Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division." "And what does that mean to you?" "It means someone really wanted our initials to spell out "shield"."
    – Flater
    Commented Sep 1, 2017 at 11:44

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