Europa Universalis IV

Last updated

Europa Universalis IV
EuropaUniversalisIV Packshot edited.png
Developer(s) Paradox Development Studio
Publisher(s) Paradox Interactive
Director(s) Johan Andersson
Producer(s) Linda Kiby
Designer(s) Johan Andersson
Programmer(s) Niklas Strid
Artist(s) Fredrik Toll
Composer(s) Andreas Waldetoft
Engine Clausewitz Engine
Platform(s) Windows, macOS, Linux
Release13 August 2013
Genre(s) Grand strategy
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Europa Universalis IV is a 2013 grand strategy video game in the Europa Universalis series, developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive as a sequel to Europa Universalis III (2007). [1] The game was released on 13 August 2013. It is a strategy game where players can control a nation from the Late Middle Ages following the Battle of Varna (1444), the final crusade, to the Napoleonic era with the timeline finishing on 2 January 1821 to coincide with the death of Napoleon on 5 May 1821. [2] Players navigate their nations with conducting trade, administration, diplomacy, colonization, and warfare.

Contents

Gameplay

The game has been formed to begin historically, with events occurring when they did in history. The game itself is an interactive map of Earth divided into the provinces that compose nations. Each of these provinces contribute to their country either positively or negatively, as provinces can both provide resources to a nation and serve as a point of unrest and rebellion. At the beginning of the game many provinces are considered "uncolonised" and are meant to represent possible land colonisable by other nations. The gameplay requires the player to lead a nation by finding a balance of military, diplomacy, and economy. The player does so through their choices as sovereign of their nation, and the spending of resources available to them: prestige, power projection, stability, gold (ducats), manpower, legitimacy for monarchies, republican tradition for republics, devotion for theocracies, horde unity for steppe nomads, meritocracy for celestial empires, and monarch power (administrative, diplomatic, and military).

Players can choose to conquer the world by military might, become a colonial superpower, establish trade dominance, etc. as one of over 500 different nations. These nations range alphabetically from Aachen to Zuni. [3] The game is a sandbox environment; while there is no strict rule on winning the game, the game of the player is over when the player's nation is removed, or annexed, from the map or the date reaches the year 1821. Diplomacy is a large aspect of the game, as creating alliances (or vassal states and tributaries), improving opinions, and preventing defensive coalitions are vital to a player's survival. Espionage can also be employed against enemy states to claim their territory or incite rebellion in their provinces, along with other dubious ends. Combat can be waged on both land and sea, during which the game attempts to simulate real-world factors such as morale, discipline, varying unit types with associated strengths and weaknesses, competency of leaders, terrain, and supply lines. Trade is also an important part of the game, where the world is divided into many trade nodes, and trade flows through each of the nodes and can be collected by merchants.

Many major religions, such as Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Sunni, and Shia, are present in the game and can provide distinct bonuses to their practitioners. Players can employ missionaries to convert their provinces or can engage in policies of universal religious freedom. For example, the Catholic faith makes use of the Papacy, which can allow a nation to have control over the Pope or to use its influence for other rewards. Native American and Aboriginal religions are also present in the game, most commonly utilizing a system of selecting a bonus for the lifetime of the present monarch.

Furthermore, many of the world's institutions, from feudalism to industrialization, are also present in the game. [4] Institutions normally begin around a certain year, and begin spreading through provinces. The rate of institution spread and where the institution spawns are malleable to player actions. The institution coincides with increasing the price of technology, as the lack of an embraced institution increases the cost of corresponding technological levels. Once reaching requirements, usually consisting of a ducat cost and a certain amount of institutions present in the player's provinces, the player can embrace the institution. An embracement gives an institution-specific nation bonus, as well as purging any technological maluses that the lack of institution may have incurred.

Technological advancements are invested in over time, and require the expense of monarch points. They provide benefits to the nation as detailed below:

Gameplay is influenced by random events that arise every so often for the player. These events can be either helpful or harmful. Some of these random events are driven by an individual country's history, while some can apply to any country and serve generally to enhance the "flavor" of the game. Some events are also motivated by various institutions that occur throughout the history of the game, such as the Industrial Revolution. Players can choose to play single-player mode versus the AI, or multiplayer over a LAN or the Internet against a mix of human and AI opponents. Single-player also has the option of "Ironman" mode, which locks several settings such as difficulty, and removes the control of saving the game from the player. This means that any mistakes are irreversible. It is, however, the only way to receive any of the game's many achievements.

Development

Early design discussions for Europa Universalis IV began shortly after the December 2010 release of Divine Wind, the final DLC for Europa Universalis III [5] with development, based on the Clausewitz Engine, beginning in earnest in about September 2011. [6] It was first announced to the public in August 2012, to coincide with a showing at that year's Gamescom, [7] after having been teased under the codename of "Project Truman". [8]

Throughout the game's development, Paradox Development Studio released weekly "developer diaries" via their online forums, in which they detailed some features of the game's development. [9] These included information about design philosophy, game mechanisms that were being implemented, and features from Europa Universalis III that were being removed.

During its development, Europa Universalis IV had a greater priority given to stability and quality control than previous games in the series. There had previously been a perception that Paradox's games were not worth buying until several updates or expansions had fixed stability issues. Studio CEO, Fredrik Wester, described this perception as being like "a slap in the face", motivating them to improve. [10] Another of Paradox's major goals was to retain the depth and complexity of their earlier grand strategy games while making them easier for a player to interact with. [11]

Before release, a preview version of the game was showcased through Let's Plays [ citation needed ] and via a multiplayer event for journalists. [12] A playable demo of the game was released on Steam on 9 August 2013 with the game itself being released on 13 August. [11]

Following its release, development of the game has continued under the same model that Paradox had previously used successfully for Crusader Kings II , with paid DLCs being released alongside, and helping to fund, additional free patches which add more features to the base game. [13] As of November 2021, eighteen expansions have been released for the game alongside many minor DLCs offering additional graphical or musical options. [14]

In September 2020, Paradox Tinto, a newly formed division of Paradox based in Barcelona, Spain, took over the development of the game led by leader Johan Andersson. [15] This team released all the expansions after 2020, while also focusing on bug fixes. [16]

Downloadable content

DLC timeline
2014Conquest of Paradise
Wealth of Nations
Res Publica
Art of War
2015El Dorado
Common Sense
The Cossacks
2016Mare Nostrum
Rights of Man
2017Mandate of Heaven
Third Rome
Cradle of Civilization
2018Rule Britannia
Dharma
Golden Century
2019
2020Emperor
2021Leviathan
Origins
2022Lions of the North
2023Domination
King of Kings
2024Winds of Change

Several downloadable content (DLC) have been released for the game. All DLCs are optional and may be applied to the base game in any combination. The most significant DLCs come in the form of expansions and immersion packs.

Expansions bring broader and considerable changes to the game as they introduce new and improved gameplay mechanics along with many kinds of flavor and various balance tweaks. While immersion packs are expansions of a smaller scale as they focus on specific regions to bring them better to life by granting more flavor.

There are also flavor packs (which add new events and minor mechanisms, usually specific to one nation), music packs (which add more backing music), and cosmetic packs (which affect unit models, portraits, and the map). There are also three e-books that have no impact on the game itself but coincided with the release of expansions.

In March 2021, Paradox unveiled an optional subscription service to play the game's vast library of DLCs without buying each expansion. [17]

Expansions are often accompanied by coinciding free patches to the game, which may adjust existing mechanisms or add new ones to the theme of the expansion.

NameAccompanying PatchTypeRelease DateDescription
Conquest of Paradise1.4Expansion11 January 2014Conquest of Paradise refers to the colonization of the Americas. It focuses on the New World and expands the mechanisms of tribal nations, most prominently Native American ones. It also adds a random new world generator that randomizes the landscape of the Americas. The accompanying 1.4 patch also adds colonial regions and new starting nations as well as many other small additions and fixes. [18]
Wealth of Nations1.6Expansion29 May 2014Wealth of Nations is named after the book by Adam Smith. It includes new mechanisms for trade and merchant republics. The most prominent additions also include trade companies, privateering, and construction of the Kiel, Panama, and Suez Canals. The accompanying 1.6 patch includes a new rival system, policies, extra ship designs, and expanded mechanics for the Hindu and Reformed religions. [19]
Res Publica1.7Expansion16 July 2014Res Publica, translated as "public affair" in Latin, is the root of the word republic. It focuses on governance and trade. New mechanisms pertaining to elections are introduced, along with election events for the Dutch Republic and a national focus. The Republican Dictatorship form of government is also added. The accompanying 1.7 patch includes extra idea groups and merchant republic factions. [20]
Art of War1.8Expansion30 October 2014Art of War is named after the book by Sun Tzu. It expands on the Thirty Years' War and the Napoleonic era, it improves diplomacy (especially surrounding conflict and peace treaties), expands vassal mechanisms, and adds new options for waging war. The accompanying 1.8 patch amongst other things overhauls rebel mechanisms, the trade node setup, and AI and gameplay improvements. Over 900 provinces were added, primarily in regions that previously lacked detail, such as Asia and Africa. [21]
El Dorado1.10Expansion26 February 2015El Dorado is named after the mythical El Dorado. It improves largely on the nations of Central and South America. This includes the new Nahuatl, Mayan, and Inti religions along with a "doom counter" for the Central American nations. Exploration and colonization of these areas are also expanded upon - for example, the Treaty of Tordesillas is added and conquistadors can explore into terra incognita to search for the Seven Cities of Gold. A custom nation designer is included. The accompanying 1.11 patch includes new events for Central and South America, improved terrain, and general improvements to gameplay. [22]
Common Sense1.12Expansion9 June 2015Common Sense is named after the pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. It focuses on diplomacy, religion, and internal development. New mechanics are introduced for the Protestant and Buddhist religions. Theocracies are also expanded upon. parliaments are added, with a special parliamentary government granted to England. The accompanying 1.12 patch includes improvements to the peace system, and a reworking of the fort and looting systems. The number of building slots was also decreased, but the existing ones made more powerful. [23]
The Cossacks1.14Expansion1 December 2015The Cossacks is named after the Cossacks of Eastern Europe and the Eurasian Steppe. It adds an estates system, new mechanics for the Tengri religion, and new horde government mechanisms. Other additions include new diplomatic actions such as threaten war and study technology, as well as the victory card system. The accompanying 1.14 patch adds many UI improvements and another reworking of the mercenary system. [24]
Mare Nostrum1.16Expansion5 April 2016Mare Nostrum, translated as "Our Sea" in Latin, was the Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea. As its name suggests, this expansion introduces new content connected to naval warfare, trade, and espionage. Now one can put ships on a naval blockade mission or on a hunting naval mission. One can also create trade leagues, offer condottieri to other countries to fight, and a new timeline feature where one can at any point through the campaign click it and watch how the world has evolved throughout the game. The accompanying 1.16 patch includes a major reworking of espionage, several new map modes, new systems for states and territories, and corruption, as well as various new provinces in Ireland and Africa. [25]
Rights of Man1.18

"Prussia"

Expansion11 October 2016Rights of Man refers to the book by Thomas Paine. It includes a new "great powers" system where the eight most developed and technologically advanced nations are listed as great powers and have access to new diplomatic abilities. The expansion pack also features new governments for Prussia and the Ottoman Empire, expanded mechanics for the Coptic and Fetishist religions, new mechanisms for revolutionary republics, ruler personalities, and leader traits. The accompanying 1.18 patch introduces "Institutions" and an accompanying reworking of technology. [26]
Mandate of Heaven1.20

"Ming"

Expansion6 April 2017Mandate of Heaven refers to the ancient Chinese political concept. It focuses on improving East Asia with the "Empire of China" mechanism, new meritocracy mechanisms, the ability of the Manchu tribes to raise banners, a new Japanese Shogunate system, and expanded mechanics for the Confucian and Shinto religions. The "Ages" mechanism is also introduced and it focuses gameplay on distinct historical periods. The accompanying 1.20 patch includes the "Ages" but with none of the in-game mechanisms, the new absolutism system, and province devastation. [27]
Third Rome1.22

"Russia"

Immersion Pack14 June 2017Third Rome refers to the idea that Muscovy (and later Russia) are the successors to Byzantium, thus making them the Third Roman Empire. This immersion pack adds the Tsardom government, new mechanics for the Orthodox religion, and a new Siberian frontier idea. The accompanying 1.22 patch adds flavor and new government types for Russian countries. [28]
Cradle of Civilization1.23

"Persia"

Expansion6 November 2017Cradle of Civilization refers to the Fertile Crescent, which is home to one of the ancient cradles of civilization. The expansion includes trading policies, army professionalism and drilling, the Mamluk government, and new mechanics for Islam along with its various schools. The accompanying 1.23 patch overhauls the Middle East and the Caucasus and adds new trade goods. [29]
Rule Britannia1.25

"England"

Immersion Pack20 March 2018Rule Britannia is named after Thomas Arne's song "Rule, Britannia!". This immersion pack adds the Anglican religion, missions for British countries, and naval doctrines. The accompanying 1.25 patch includes map changes to the British Isles, France, and the Low Countries along with a brand new mission system. [30]
Dharma1.26

"Mughals"

Expansion6 September 2018Dharma is named after the concept shared by the Indian religions. It introduces government reform mechanisms, a reworked policy system, and many new missions and flavor for Indian countries. The accompanying 1.26 patch overhauls South Asia and adds new estates along with a policies system. [31]
Golden Century1.28

"Spain"

Immersion Pack11 December 2018Golden Century is named after the Golden Century of Spain. This immersion pack focuses on mission trees and flavor for countries in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, as well as added colonization mechanisms and pirate governments. The accompanying 1.28 patch adds national ideas and events for Iberian and North African countries. [32]
Emperor1.30

"Austria"

Expansion9 June 2020Emperor is named after the title of Holy Roman Emperor. It features many large-scale reworks to the Holy Roman Empire (new reforms and imperial incidents), revolutions (centers of revolutions), and Catholicism (the Council of Trent and new papal abilities). The accompanying 1.30 patch includes extensive map changes across Europe, the new industrialization institution, reworked estates, and mercenaries systems, and extensive flavor events and mission trees for several different countries. [33]
Leviathan1.31

"Majapahit"

Expansion27 April 2021Leviathan is named after the book by Thomas Hobbes. It focuses on giving the player greater variety for playing "tall". The expansion focuses on new development interactions in your provinces as well as an overhaul to the favor system and colonial nations. The accompanying 1.31 patch provides map and gameplay overhauls of North America, Southeast Asia, and Oceania that include the introduction of Aboriginal Australians and Pacific Islanders along with enhancements to playing as the Native North American nations. Mechanics for the Alcheringa, Totemist, Zoroastrian, and Sikh religions are also expanded upon. [34]
Origins1.32

"Songhai"

Immersion Pack11 November 2021Origins refers to the "Out of Africa" hypothesis. It focuses on new mission trees and events for the African states of Mali, Songhai, Kongo, Ethiopia, Ajuuraan, Kilwa, and Mutapa. This immersion pack also adds mechanics for Judaism, new army sprites, new missionary models, and African themed music. The accompanying 1.32 patch includes flavor, new monuments, new formable countries, and map changes to sub-Saharan Africa. [35]
Lions of the North1.34

"Sweden"

Immersion Pack13 September 2022Lions of the North refers to the countries bounding the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It focuses on new mission trees and mechanics for Baltic and Scandinavian nations including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Gotland, Poland, Lithuania, Teutonic Order, Livonian Order, and Riga. New government reforms and unique unit types for nations in the area are also included. [36]
Domination1.35

"Ottomans"

Expansion18 April 2023Domination refers to the great powers of the early modern period. It focuses on new mission trees and mechanics for the Ottoman Empire, China, Japan, Russia, France, Spain, and Great Britain. Content for the minor nations of Prussia, Portugal, and Korea is also included. [37]
King of Kings1.36

"Byzantium"

Immersion Pack6 November 2023King of Kings is named after a ruling title employed primarily by monarchs based in the Middle East. It focuses on new mission trees and mechanics for Persia, the Mamluk Sultanate, and the Byzantine Empire. Content for Aq Qoyunlu, Qara Qoyunlu, Georgia, Karabakh, Yemen, and Najd is also included. [38]
Winds of Change1.37

"Inca"

Expansion8 May 2024Winds of Change refers to the formation and collapse of empires during the early modern period, particularly in the Americas, Central Europe, and Central Asia. It focuses on new mission trees and mechanics for the Aztecs, Maya, Inca, Netherlands, Venice, Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, Timurids, and Mughals. [39]

Mods

Aside from the official expansion packs, third-party mods are available on sites such as the Steam Workshop. [40] The mods can change the game's settings, add or remove features and game mechanisms, add new land masses to the "random new world" generator, and make graphical improvements. Popular mods include "Extended Timeline", which expands the game's scope from 2 AD to the year 9999, the Game of Thrones adaptation "A Song of Ice and Fire" and The Elder Scrolls adaptation "Elder Scrolls Universalis", to complete overhauls like "MEIOU & Taxes" and fantasy total conversions such as "Anbennar". [40]

Reception

Europa Universalis IV was met with very favourable reviews, receiving a score of 87/100 on aggregate website Metacritic. [41] Critics praised the improvements from Europa Universalis III, especially the new mechanisms and graphics. [46] [42] T. J. Hafer of PC Gamer described the game as an "engrossing simulation that conquers the common ground between your average Civilization V player and the long-time devotees of grand strategy". [45] Negative feedback focused on the tutorials, combat mechanisms, and bugs. Nicholas Pellegatta acknowledged these bugs and other issues were likely to be addressed in later patches and expansions. [47]

In 2013, Europa Universalis IV won "Best Strategy" and "Best Historical" in Game Debate's 2013 awards. [48]

During the 17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Europa Universalis IV for "Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year". [49]

The 2021 expansion Leviathan was the worst-rated title on the Steam platform at launch, with only 7% positive reviews. Players complained about a multitude of bugs and untested or incomplete features. [50]

Sales

As of February 2014, Europa Universalis IV had sold over 300,000 copies. [51] By January 2016, over 900,000 games were registered on Steam. [52] As of 21 June 2016, over 1 million copies have been sold. [53] As of February 2021, the game has over 2 million owners. [54]

Spin-offs

In May 2014, Paradox released a book, Europa Universalis IV: What If? The Anthology of Alternate History, a collection of short stories inspired by the game and its period, including one by Harry Turtledove. The book was released as an ebook, as DLC for the game, [55] and as a physical edition. [56]

In May 2018, at their PDXCon convention, Paradox announced that board games were being developed based upon four of their franchises, stating that they were on a "mission to expand the IP". [57] The Europa Universalis game (eventually named Europa Universalis: The Price of Power) was designed by Eivind Vetlesen of Aegir Games and has a solo mode by David Turczi. Jonathan Bolding of PC Gamer described a preview version as "something between a high player count Twilight Imperium and A Game of Thrones with a dash of Napoleon in Europe ". [58]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Europa Universalis</i> 2000 grand strategy video game

Europa Universalis is a grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published in 2000 by Strategy First.

<i>Europa Universalis II</i> 2001 grand strategy video game

Europa Universalis II is a grand strategy game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Strategy First, based on world history spanning a timeline between 1419 through 1820. It was released on December 11, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradox Interactive</span> Swedish video game publisher

Paradox Interactive AB is a video game publisher based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company started out as the video game division of Target Games and then Paradox Entertainment before being spun out into an independent company in 2004. Through a combination of expanding internal studios, founding new studios and purchasing independent developers, the company has grown to comprise nine first-party development studios, including their flagship Paradox Development Studio, and acts as publisher for games from other developers.

<i>Crusader Kings</i> (video game) 2004 video game

Crusader Kings is a grand strategy game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive in April 2004. An expansion called Deus Vult was released in October 2007. A sequel using the newer Clausewitz Engine, Crusader Kings II, was released in February 2012, and another sequel, Crusader Kings III, was released on September 1, 2020.

<i>Europa Universalis III</i> 2007 grand strategy video game

Europa Universalis III is a grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. The game was released for Microsoft Windows in January 2007, and was later ported to Mac OS X by Virtual Programming in November 2007.

<i>Europa Universalis: Rome</i> 2008 video game

Europa Universalis: Rome is a grand strategy game developed by Paradox Development Studio. Published by Paradox Interactive and released in 2008, it became the fourth installment in the Europa Universalis series. It was the second game to be based on Paradox's Clausewitz Engine.

<i>Victoria II</i> 2010 grand strategy video game

Victoria II is a grand strategy game developed by the Swedish game company Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. It was announced on August 19, 2009, and released on August 13, 2010. It is a sequel to Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun.

<i>For the Glory</i> 2009 video game

For the Glory is a grand strategy wargame that is based on Europa Universalis II and Paradox's Europa Engine. It was developed by Crystal Empire Games, a studio composed of members of the Europa Universalis II modification "Alternative Grand Campaign / Event Exchange Project" (AGCEEP) team, and published by Paradox Interactive. It was announced on September 4, 2009 and was released November 10/11, 2009. The game is available for Windows.

<i>Crusader Kings II</i> 2012 video game

Crusader Kings II is a grand strategy game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. Set in the Middle Ages, the game was released on February 14, 2012, as a sequel to 2004's Crusader Kings. On October 18, 2019, the video game became free to play. A sequel, Crusader Kings III, was released on September 1, 2020. Crusader Kings II stood out from earlier Paradox games in that it attracted a more widespread audience, contributing to the growth of the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradox Development Studio</span> Swedish video game developer

Paradox Development Studio (PDS) is a Swedish video game developer founded in 1995. It is closely associated with its parent company and video game publisher, Paradox Interactive. It is best known for its grand strategy wargame series Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Victoria, Crusader Kings, Stellaris, and Imperator.

<i>Hearts of Iron IV</i> 2016 video game

Hearts of Iron IV is a grand strategy computer wargame developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released worldwide on 6 June 2016. It is the sequel to 2009's Hearts of Iron III and the fourth main installment in the Hearts of Iron series. Like previous games in the series, Hearts of Iron IV is a grand strategy wargame that focuses on World War II. The player can control any country in the world, starting either in 1936 or 1939. Players have the option of following a nation's historical path, or leading a non-historical path.

<i>Victoria 3</i> 2022 video game

Victoria 3 is a 2022 grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. It is a sequel to the 2010 game Victoria II and was released on 25 October 2022.

<i>Cities: Skylines</i> 2015 city-building video game

Cities: Skylines is a 2015 city-building game developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive. The game is a single-player open-ended city-building simulation. Players engage in urban planning by controlling zoning, road placement, taxation, public services, and public transportation of an area. They also work to manage various elements of the city, including its budget, health, employment, traffic, and pollution levels. It is also possible to maintain a city in a sandbox mode, which provides more creative freedom for the player.

<i>Stellaris</i> (video game) 2016 video game

Stellaris is a 4X grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. In Stellaris, players take control of an interstellar civilization on the galactic stage and are tasked with exploring, colonizing, and managing their region of the galaxy, encountering other civilizations that they can then engage in diplomacy, trade, or warfare with. A large part of the game involves dealing with both scripted and emergent events, through which new empires alter the balance of power, powerful crises threaten the galaxy, or event chains tell the story of forgotten empires. It was released worldwide for Windows, macOS, and Linux on May 9, 2016 and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as Stellaris: Console Edition on February 26, 2019.

<i>Surviving Mars</i> 2018 video game

Surviving Mars is a city building survival video game initially developed by the Bulgarian studio Haemimont Games, and later by Abstraction Games, and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released on Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on March 15, 2018. The player serves as an overseer who must build a colony on Mars and ensure the survival of the colonists. A spiritual successor, Surviving the Aftermath, was released in 2021.

<i>Age of Wonders: Planetfall</i> 2019 video game

Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a 4X turn-based strategy video game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Paradox Interactive. Planetfall is the fifth Age of Wonders game and a spin-off due to the sci-fi setting. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2019 and later for MacOS.

<i>Imperator: Rome</i> 2019 video game

Imperator: Rome is a 2019 grand strategy wargame developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. It is a spiritual successor to Europa Universalis: Rome (2008). It received generally positive reviews from critics, however development and support for the game was suspended by May 2021.

<i>Crusader Kings II: Sunset Invasion</i> 2012 video game DLC

Crusader Kings II: Sunset Invasion is a DLC for the 2012 grand strategy video game Crusader Kings II, developed by the Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive, which adds a fictional Aztec invasion of Europe to the game.

<i>Crusader Kings III</i> 2020 video game

Crusader Kings III is a grand strategy role-playing video game set in the Middle Ages, developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive as a sequel to Crusader Kings (2004) and Crusader Kings II (2012). The game was released on PC on 1 September 2020 and on the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 on 29 March 2022 in most regions.

<i>Cities: Skylines II</i> 2023 city-building video game developed by Colossal Order

Cities: Skylines II is a 2023 city-building game developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive. The game is a sequel to 2015's Cities: Skylines and expands upon many of its simulation factors such as simulated city and population sizes with improved traffic AI and management schemes. It was released for Windows on October 24, 2023, and is scheduled for release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in Q2 2024. Critical reception praised its gameplay but criticized its performance requirements and other technical flaws.

References

  1. Haas, Pete (10 August 2012). "Grand Strategy Game Europa Universalis 4 Coming In 2013". Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  2. "How Paradox's Crusader Kings II to Europa Universalis IV save converter will work". PC Gamer. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  3. "Countries - Europa Universalis 4 Wiki". eu4.paradoxwikis.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  4. "Institutions - Europa Universalis 4 Wiki". eu4.paradoxwikis.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  5. "Europa Universalis IV - Development Diary #0 - Our Vision". Paradox Interactive Forums. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  6. Dumitrescu, Andrei (15 August 2012). "Gamescom 2012 Hands-Off: Europa Universalis IV". Softpedia . Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  7. Parrish, Peter (10 August 2012). "Paradox reveals Europa Universalis 4, to be shown at Gamescom". PC Invasion. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  8. Smith, Adam (10 August 2012). "Paradox 'Truman' Announcement at 3PM UK Time". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  9. "Developer diaries - Europa Universalis 4 Wiki". eu4.paradoxwikis.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  10. Smith, Adam (20 August 2012). "Learning From The Past: Europa Universalis IV". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  11. 1 2 Pitcher, Jenna (9 August 2013). "Europa Universalis 4 demo hits Steam". Polygon . Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  12. Smith, Adam (31 May 2013). "The End of Days: Europa Universalis IV Diary Part On". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  13. Hafer, T.J. (5 April 2018). "Paradox, It's Time for Crusader Kings 2 to End". Strategy Gamer. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  14. Hafer, T.J. (11 December 2018). "Europa Universalis IV: DLC Buying Guide". Strategy Gamer. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  15. Dahlgren, Lisa. "Paradox Tinto is the new home of Europa Universalis". Gamereactor UK. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  16. "Europa Universalis 4 is getting more DLC and "unprecedented" levels of bug fixes". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  17. Wales, Matt (18 March 2021). "Paradox launches optional Europa Universalis 4 subscription service today". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  18. Hafer, T. J. (18 January 2014). "Europa Universalis IV: Conquest of Paradise Review". PC Gamer. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  19. Hannley, Sean (17 June 2014). "Review: Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 30 August 2020.[ permanent dead link ]
  20. Davies, Ryan (7 August 2014). "Europa Universalis IV: Res Publica Review". Game Grin. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  21. Parrish, Peter (30 October 2014). "Europa Universalis IV Patch 1.8 accompanies Art of War release". PC Invasion. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  22. Hafer, T. J. (21 February 2015). "The Lost Cities and Secret Bears of Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado". IGN. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  23. Hannley, Sean (16 July 2015). "Review: Europa Universalis IV: Common Sense". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  24. Roberts, Samuel (12 November 2015). "Europa Universalis IV's Cossacks expansion gets release date". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  25. Morrison, Angus (1 March 2016). "Rule the waves in EU4's new xpac, Mare Nostrum". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  26. Bonacchi, Stefano (21 October 2016). "Europa Universalis IV: Rights of Man Patch 1.18 Revolutionizes EU4 Gameplay". Game Skinny. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  27. O'Connor, Alice (6 April 2017). "Europa Universalis IV: Mandate of Heaven released". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  28. Barrett, Ben (15 June 2017). "Europa Universalis IV is improving the Russian empire with Third Rome expansion, out now". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  29. Bailey, Dustin (3 October 2017). "Europa Universalis IV expands on the Middle East with Cradle of Civilization DLC". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  30. Apolon (10 February 2018). "Europa Universalis 4: Rule Britannia Will Transform The British Isles". Player One. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  31. Caldwell, Brendan (7 September 2018). "Europa Universalis IV packs its trunk for Dharma expansion". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  32. Rodriguez, Jason (15 December 2018). "Europa Universalis IV: Golden Century Review". PC Invasion. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  33. Talbot, Carrie (9 June 2020). "Europa Universalis 4: Emperor arrives today – here's what it adds". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  34. Wales, Matt (30 March 2021). "Europa Universalis 4's Leviathan expansion gets April release date". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  35. Robinson, Joe (19 October 2021). "Europa Universalis 4 gets more DLC next month". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  36. Boudreau, Ian (22 August 2022). "Europa Universalis 4 DLC Lions of the North release date revealed". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  37. Nelson, Will (6 March 2023). "Europa Universalis 4 DLC to overhaul some of the most popular nations". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  38. Allsop, Ken (12 September 2023). "Grand strategy giant Europa Universalis 4 gets big Middle East update". PCGamesN. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  39. McHugh, Alex (16 April 2024). "Grand strategy legend embraces the changing face of history in new DLC". PCGamesN. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  40. 1 2 Hospodar, Mark (5 January 2022). "13 Best Mods For Europa Universalis 4". Gamerant. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  41. 1 2 "Europa Universalis IV". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
  42. 1 2 Brown, Fraser (26 August 2020). "Review: Europa Universalis IV". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  43. Shannon, Daniel (8 October 2013). "Europa Universalis IV review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  44. Kaiser, Rowan (15 August 2013). "Europa Universalis IV Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 18 August 2013.
  45. 1 2 Hafer, T.J. (13 August 2013). "PC Gamer EU4 Review". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  46. Bitterman, Tom (14 October 2013). "Europa Universalis IV". Gaming Nexus. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  47. Pellegatta, Nicholas (15 August 2013). "Recensione Europa Universalis IV". Everyeye.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  48. "Europa Universalis IV". Game Debate. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  49. "2014 Awards Category Details Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences . Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  50. "New Expansion Is Steam's Worst-Rated Launch Ever". Kotaku. 28 April 2021. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  51. Aziz, Hamza (2 May 2014). "How Paradox Interactive found success in a niche market". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  52. "Europa Universalis IV". Steam Spy. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  53. "Paradox Interactive Announces Grand Successes for Grand Strategy Titles" (Press release). Stockholm: Paradox Interactive. 21 June 2016. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017.
  54. "Europa Universalis IV". Steamspy. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  55. "Europa Universalis IV: Anthology of Alternate History Steam Store DLC". Steam. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  56. Härenstam, Tomas, ed. (2014). Europa Universalis IV: What If? the Anthology of Alternate History. Paradox Interactive. ISBN   978-91-87687-44-0.
  57. Bolding, Jonathan (19 May 2018). "Paradox board games are coming: Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings, and more". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  58. Bolding, Jonathan (8 June 2018). "The Europa Universalis board game is shaping up to be a monster". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.

Further reading