So I pretty much hate this game for all the same reasons that have been stated by every other hater a thousand times already, BUT, I think I might have a semi-enjoyable time if I were just alone in the universe and focused on exploring and colonizing and overcoming the difficulties associated with expansion and stuff. I would like to do this without every AI declaring war on me for no good reason. I know there's a mod out there called "endless space sandbox" but it seems to be more of a "god mode" to me, rather than a sandbox, not to mention outdated. So is there a way to enable having 0 other players at all? Thanks.

To my knowledge there is not. The minimum amount of empires is 2, and locking/unlocking the AI slot has no effect.



If I were you I would try to find a mod for it (I dont know of any though)

I could suggest you start a small galaxy with 1 enemy. Take harmony as your faction as your approval will stay @ 50% so you can expand faster than the AI and set the AI faction to something like automations who is not as warlike as some of the other factions