A new paradox game set in the modern day?

[Inapporpriate name 99]

Can Paradox consider something like this, like a mix of EU4, Viky and HOI4 set in the 21st century (start date could be like 1991 or 2020), kind of like the Millennium Dawn mod for HOI4 but better and made by the game developers. You could probably call it something like "United Nations" or "League of Nations"

 

[kviiri]

This keeps being asked over and over again and I'm sorry to say but it's a bad idea. Trying to treat contemporary political issues is not only complex, but controversial as heck. It'd be banned in China in no time.

 

[Nuklearius]

#

 

[captainroot]

It'd be banned in China in no time.

No problem: prior to 1991 many western things were banned in the USSR and that never stopped anyone in the West from releasing cool and interesting stuff for Western consumers. Why should we impose self-censorship and limit our own entertainment? So that Chinese censors are pleased and have less work to do? I say let them wallow in denial and let's have some games.

 

[Roxas15]

No problem: prior to 1991 many western things were banned in the USSR and that never stopped anyone in the West from releasing cool and interesting stuff for western consumers. Why should we impose self-censorship and limit our own entertainment? So that Chinese censors are pleased and have less work to do? I say let them wallow in denial and let's have some games.

Because companies nowadays act and sell much more global than they used to. In order to grow and satisfy your shareholders you need to expand further, which happened in last 30 years on a larger scale than before. that means that the chinese market is more important than ever.

 

[kviiri]

No problem: prior to 1991 many western things were banned in the USSR and that never stopped anyone in the West from releasing cool and interesting stuff for western consumers. Why should we impose self-censorship and limit our own entertainment? So that Chinese censors are pleased and have less work to do? I say let them wallow in denial and let's have some games.

No, so Chinese customers keep paying for Paradox products. Because, y'know. Paradox is not a charity or an artist troupe but a game company. Companies try to make profit. One can make better profits from a game that doesn't alienate one of the biggest markets in the world (which USSR certainly wasn't, back in the day, even if game companies of the game had a choice to sell there).

So yeah, very much a problem. And even setting aside the business side (which we really shouldn't, because Paradox is a company, not a charity) I reiterate that any representation of the time period is going to be extremely controversial and draw lots and lots of negative attention. It's simply something you cannot do right without angering a lot of people, and I reckon Pdox doesn't really want to do that.

 

[Tyrannohotep]

Never mind China. The Israel/Palestine mess alone would present a minefield for Paradox to portray, not to mention the toxicity it'd introduce into the player community.

I'd prefer Paradox to go further back in time instead. I'm surprised they've left the entire Bronze Age to modders so far. I would also recommend prehistoric times, except I've no idea how the mechanics of EU or Imperator would translate into a setting dominated by bands of hunter-gatherers.

 

[captainroot]

Because companies nowadays act and sell much more global than they used to. In order to grow and satisfy your shareholders you need to expand further, which happened in last 30 years on a larger scale than before. that means that the chinese market is more important than ever.

I agree in general, but there is a point where a line has to be drawn. Not all of us live in China, not all of us are Chinese citizens and we are not all bound by Chinese laws. There is an entire world besides China that can still generate revenue, so, in my humble opinion, not every business decision has to be "it's either China or nothing".

For example, HoI4 still sells well despite being banned in China shortly before "Waking the Tiger" DLC being published. Did it hurt sales? Certainly. Did it kill the game? Nope.

Doing business with PRC officials is tricky: it's hard to meet their requirements and one is never 100% sure that they won't change their mind due to "circumstances". Which is why no businessplan should rely entirely on a product being sold in China and why we, as gamers, should not allow Chinese laws and regulations become "party poopers" of modern gaming.

South Park's "Band in China" episode and South Park's creators' Tweet sum up the issue perfectly.

 

[Revshawn]

Because companies nowadays act and sell much more global than they used to. In order to grow and satisfy your shareholders you need to expand further, which happened in last 30 years on a larger scale than before. that means that the chinese market is more important than ever.

Yeah screw that. Haha. If I find out a game has been censored to please the Chinese censors I simply won't buy it. I know many of my friends who would do the same thing.

If you want to market a game to China, then just take out the offensive bits about China and market it as an individual game. The rest of the world is going to be a much bigger market than China. Paradox games are about world history. About all of us. China does not have a monopoly on that even if they think they do. And these are the kinds of people that would demand you censor a game because they depict the ROC as existing at some point in history.

 

[kviiri]

Paradox games are about world history. About all of us.

Don't forget that there's no single "world history". Go far back enough, you have something of a consensus. But not for contemporary history. That's still too loaded with ideological and emotional burden to be really treated in a video game without getting tons and tons of cries of favoritism.

Essentially, you can't create a game about 1990's and 2000's without it being a statement in some way. The same is to lesser extent true of other historical games too, but far, far more people will react strongly to contemporary issues. As long as Paradox has any other game to make, they'd be wise to avoid this really hot topic.

 

[just_legeek]

This keeps being asked over and over again and I'm sorry to say but it's a bad idea. Trying to treat contemporary political issues is not only complex, but controversial as heck. It'd be banned in China in no time.

As a matter of fact, if paradox would announce a game set in the current time, China would ban it even before it is announced

 

[CassCD]

Just wait 50 years. I'm sure they'll make a game for this time period then.

 

[just_legeek]

Just imagine being old and that freacking rammer (2050 generation) of a grandson tells you Something like "OMG GRANDAD LOOK ! I just made Trump president in 2016 in this game so lol XD"
And now I imagine saying my grandad "lol I am Hitler and I am conquering the world in HOI IV xoxoxo"

 

[cristofolmc]

no

 

[Poliut]

Honestly, real world conflicts and controversies would probably be an issue only short-term into a game, as the AI would eventually solve those conflicts and create other ones.

 

[Nicolas-]

The notion that "modern day games would be controversial" is very short-sighted. Sure it'll be controversial if you simplify modern day politics so much to the point that everything leftist is good. But if you actually develop thorough mechanics that model nowadays economics and politics in a more accurate way, you can strike a balance that will please both ends of the isle.

If you're conservative, go ahead be fiscally conservative, limit immigration etc... but it'll have its downsides. If you're liberal, go on a public spending spree if you wish, but it'll have its own consequences. Ideally a player can choose between liberal or conservative policies based on the situation of his country, like if it's better for my country to reduce public spending, I won't say "oh no i'm liberal irl, i'm not going to cut spending on social warfare". It's a game after all.

Even Victoria 2 managed to implement these concepts in a pretty balanced way that wasn't controversial or all. So what exactly will be controversial about modern day? If you're so easily offended by politics in a video game, maybe simply don't buy the game.

And mind you there are games that did this; Realpolitiks, Geopolitical Simulator 3, Supreme Ruler. And the complaints that I've seen about these games are not that they are controversial, but mostly complaints about bugs, performance and lack of visual appeal.

 

[Denkt]

A game set between like 1950 to 2050 that play out like Victoria with focus on economy, diplomacy and politics rather than warfare and conquest seems like a good possibility. Paradox have already made several games set in WW2 which is about as controversial as it get so I don't see why they can't do a game after WW2.

 

[magriboy0750]

The notion that "modern day games would be controversial" is very short-sighted. Sure it'll be controversial if you simplify modern day politics so much to the point that everything leftist is good. But if you actually develop thorough mechanics that model nowadays economics and politics in a more accurate way, you can strike a balance that will please both ends of the isle.

If you're conservative, go ahead be fiscally conservative, limit immigration etc... but it'll have its downsides. If you're liberal, go on a public spending spree if you wish, but it'll have its own consequences. Ideally a player can choose between liberal or conservative policies based on the situation of his country, like if it's better for my country to reduce public spending, I won't say "oh no i'm liberal irl, i'm not going to cut spending on social warfare". It's a game after all.

Even Victoria 2 managed to implement these concepts in a pretty balanced way that wasn't controversial or all. So what exactly will be controversial about modern day? If you're so easily offended by politics in a video game, maybe simply don't buy the game.

And mind you there are games that did this, Realpolitiks, Geopolitical Simulator 3, Supreme Ruler. And the complaints that I've seen about these games are not that they are controversial, but mostly about bugs, performance and lack of visual appeal.

VIctoria 2 is about the 19th century however.It has less chance to be controversial than a modern GSG.The 19th century is still far away than the modern times.

 

[magriboy0750]

Personally,regarding the hints,i'm pretty sure the new GSG is a Cold War game.It's one of the most probable theses with the fantasy one.

 

[Nicolas-]

VIctoria 2 is about the 19th century however.It has less chance to be controversial than a modern GSG.The 19th century is still far away than the modern times.

But these political ideologies (right, left) have existed for centuries, under different names somtimes. And Victoria 2 modeled them in a balanced way to a certain extent. You can raise taxes on the rich if you want, it'll have its own benefits (increased short-term cash flow) or you can reduce taxes on the rich and it'll have some other benefits (like increased investment). I mean arguably 19th and 20th century can be a lot more controversial, especially when you try to include things like segregation and slavery.