How about a sci-fi or modern era 4x game where increased population offers a diminishing return which quickly becomes negative.
EDIT:
Speaking of 4x games, how about one where you start out conquerig a single planet like Civilization or Master of Magic, but then move on to conquer other planets like in Master of Orion or Space Empires.
so most 4x games, yes
and in fact civilization does this as well
Which one?
EDIT:
As in which 0ne of my suggesti9ns?
EDIT:
"Which Civilization game(s) ?" too though
The first idea. More population, more problems. This has been in every Civ game. Unless I misunderstood.
Does an increase in population ever become objectively and exclusively detrimental? Or is it merely a matter of asymptotically diminishing benefits and/or unlocking new disaaters.
EDIT:
Also, I'd especially like to see a spacefaring 4x where population increase provides no material benefits even in the beginning of the game. It always struck me as bizarrely anachronistic that population would be strongly correlated with material .production in an interstellar civilization.
EDIT:
Actually, that gives me an idea, how about a deliberately anachronistic and/or fantastical space 4x. Like, for example, space travel could be achieved by strapping a bunch of skyrockets to a chair like Wan Hu....