The Birth of a Legend
Ten years ago, in the autumn of 2011, the development team at Paradox Development Studio faced an important decision. After the completion of Sengoku, the question was which project to tackle next. It quickly became clear: it should be a sequel to the successful Europa Universalis III. With the goal of delivering a 25% better user interface, improved multiplayer, better graphics, and new features, the development of Europa Universalis IV began in late 2011.
The creation of the game was not only a challenge in terms of design and programming. The team also had to develop new features and overhaul some of the existing features from EU3. Despite these challenges, EU4 became a huge success. It became the best-selling game by Paradox up to that point and received excellent reviews.
Expansions and Developments
The first expansion for EU4 - the American Dream - followed shortly after its release. However, it wasn't until Conquest of Paradise, the first major expansion, about six months after release, that Europa Universalis IV was able to fully unfold its depth.
Wealth of Nations and Res Publica were the next two expansions, designed based on the experiences from the previous releases. With El Dorado and Common Sense, additional exciting mechanics were added, making the gameplay even more diverse.
A New Chapter with Paradox Tinto
In 2018, an expansion called Dharma was released, which was not particularly well-received. However, despite setbacks, the team remained committed and worked on the "final" expansion, "Emperor". Meanwhile, Paradox had decided to establish a new studio in Barcelona: Paradox Tinto.
With Leviathan, an expansion with good ideas was finally released - but the launch was disastrous. However, Tinto was able to prove that they can learn from mistakes and released Origins and Lions of the North, two successful immersion packs that focused on Africa and the Baltic region, respectively.
Looking to the Future
After ten years of innovation, the question naturally arises: What does the future hold for Europa Universalis IV? The development team has already promised further releases - so we can be excited! For those who want to dive into the world of EU4 themselves or upgrade their Steam Key, we provide all the necessary information and keys.
