Briefly longtime Paradox fan, can't claim to be an original one but I started with Hearts of Iron 2.
On the forums lately there seem to have been a few melt downs and banning around various things Paradox has done. This is a polite attempt to give you a sanitized version of what people are saying on Discord and Teamspeak from players going back to around EUIII in most cases along with a few new players (say since CK II).
Put simply the reason people are upset with you is various reasons but the TLDR version is you are ruining your own games. Most of my 100 odd Pdox steam friends play various Paradox games and these are patterns that are turning up across all of the regardless if its CK II, EUIV, or Stellaris. The following reasons are why.
1. Releasing buggy bare boned games. Paradox games have always been a bit of a buggy hot mess but the fans kind of understand. That and 10 years ago social media wasn't such a thing. Paradox was a small indie developer making niche games that were kind of unique. But now it seems that they are holding back features that should have been in the base game IMHO. On release CKII, EUIV, and Stellaris were lacking putting it mildly. Sword of Islam for example should have been in the base game. I would make the same argument for Utopia with Stellaris (which was very bland on release), while EUIV got better fast. Of course it doesn't help that now we have alot of DLC which leads to part 2.
2. To much DLC (and poor quality DLC)
It seems now that Paradox is more or less trying to milk the fan base. Note I am a fan of DLC up to a point but there is such a thing as to much and some of these games now have an excess of 12+ DLCs. I really liked EUIII and it had 4 expansions and I think that is about the right number, perhaps no more than 6 DLCs. This is also not helped by the fact that the DLC is becoming increasingly niche and hit or miss. The last great DLC in EUIV for example was The Art of War IMHO and that was 3+ years ago IIRC. I get it that P'dox has to make money but EUIV in particular has basically been ruined with numerous MP groups collapsing and fatigue setting in. Rather than by more DLC people just stopped playing and moved on to Stellaris or other non Paradox games. I'm sure you may have some sales figures that may argue otherwise but that can also be a short term fix as it only takes one or 2 bad decisions to have forums and social media up in arms. When you like more than 2 Paradox titles you have to start making decisions over what ones to support. For example own HoI4, have not played it or bought a single DLC for it. Time IRL is the factor not the depth of a wallet. The more stuff you add the more complex the game becomes and in some cases we are more or less paying money for DLC that adds a new button.
3. Game altering/wrecking DLCs/updates.
The state of EUIV, Stellaris and CKII is very different from release and since a lot of players don't have all the DLC this makes MP games very lopsided as often only few players know how to play. Even worse is if you don't keep up with all the DLC and then return to a game the changes may be so severe you are almost playing a new game. Paradox games are also complex enough that learning a heap of new mechanics in say CKII, Common Sense+ EUIV or 2.2 Stellaris takes time. That is time a lot of casual players don't have so some of my older steam friend who liked EUIII or early EUIV/CKII no longer know how to play the games. Rather than learn they just generally go and play something else. The hard core may buy everything, the casuals IDK. I'm hardcore I suppose but struggle with CKII because once EUIV landed I played that instead but now EUIV is basically ruined (as in not fun to play or keep up with) I don't know how to play CKII that well and the map expansions seem to slow everything down and move the game further away from what I liked on release through to around the Old Gods. This is also assuming everything actually works. Stellaris 2.2 is a hot mess right now and it took me several weeks to relearn enough but some players just quit. Of greater concern is the number of bugs in the game that either slow things down, down work, or make the game freeze and you can't even ctrl alt delete it and shut the program down I have to reset the computer. In effect you took something we may have liked and then ruined it (Common Sense+, Rajas of India+, Megacorps+) or the game barely functions especially late game (Stellaris).
So that is basically it or at least the main reasons. There is just to much, quality is going down across all of your titles (HoI4 IDK) and even Stellaris that had very good DLC has released a bit of a turkey that has broken the game and/or does not play nice with previous DLCs you sold us (robot empires now sucking, the L-Sector/distant stars rework sucking/getting nerfed etc). Paradox tends to have some loyal fanatical fans but there are limits. Generally none of us wants to see Paradox turn into the next EA/Activision/Bethesda but that is where things seem to be heading and I am sure short term you are fine but yeah there is some genuine anger/frustration/resignation towards your games from long time fans. That residual good will is being burnt up, for me its more apathy than rage YMMV. I am vaguely interested in the new Rome game but it seems the advice would be wait until the 1st DLC is on sale along with the base game.
On the forums lately there seem to have been a few melt downs and banning around various things Paradox has done. This is a polite attempt to give you a sanitized version of what people are saying on Discord and Teamspeak from players going back to around EUIII in most cases along with a few new players (say since CK II).
Put simply the reason people are upset with you is various reasons but the TLDR version is you are ruining your own games. Most of my 100 odd Pdox steam friends play various Paradox games and these are patterns that are turning up across all of the regardless if its CK II, EUIV, or Stellaris. The following reasons are why.
1. Releasing buggy bare boned games. Paradox games have always been a bit of a buggy hot mess but the fans kind of understand. That and 10 years ago social media wasn't such a thing. Paradox was a small indie developer making niche games that were kind of unique. But now it seems that they are holding back features that should have been in the base game IMHO. On release CKII, EUIV, and Stellaris were lacking putting it mildly. Sword of Islam for example should have been in the base game. I would make the same argument for Utopia with Stellaris (which was very bland on release), while EUIV got better fast. Of course it doesn't help that now we have alot of DLC which leads to part 2.
2. To much DLC (and poor quality DLC)
It seems now that Paradox is more or less trying to milk the fan base. Note I am a fan of DLC up to a point but there is such a thing as to much and some of these games now have an excess of 12+ DLCs. I really liked EUIII and it had 4 expansions and I think that is about the right number, perhaps no more than 6 DLCs. This is also not helped by the fact that the DLC is becoming increasingly niche and hit or miss. The last great DLC in EUIV for example was The Art of War IMHO and that was 3+ years ago IIRC. I get it that P'dox has to make money but EUIV in particular has basically been ruined with numerous MP groups collapsing and fatigue setting in. Rather than by more DLC people just stopped playing and moved on to Stellaris or other non Paradox games. I'm sure you may have some sales figures that may argue otherwise but that can also be a short term fix as it only takes one or 2 bad decisions to have forums and social media up in arms. When you like more than 2 Paradox titles you have to start making decisions over what ones to support. For example own HoI4, have not played it or bought a single DLC for it. Time IRL is the factor not the depth of a wallet. The more stuff you add the more complex the game becomes and in some cases we are more or less paying money for DLC that adds a new button.
3. Game altering/wrecking DLCs/updates.
The state of EUIV, Stellaris and CKII is very different from release and since a lot of players don't have all the DLC this makes MP games very lopsided as often only few players know how to play. Even worse is if you don't keep up with all the DLC and then return to a game the changes may be so severe you are almost playing a new game. Paradox games are also complex enough that learning a heap of new mechanics in say CKII, Common Sense+ EUIV or 2.2 Stellaris takes time. That is time a lot of casual players don't have so some of my older steam friend who liked EUIII or early EUIV/CKII no longer know how to play the games. Rather than learn they just generally go and play something else. The hard core may buy everything, the casuals IDK. I'm hardcore I suppose but struggle with CKII because once EUIV landed I played that instead but now EUIV is basically ruined (as in not fun to play or keep up with) I don't know how to play CKII that well and the map expansions seem to slow everything down and move the game further away from what I liked on release through to around the Old Gods. This is also assuming everything actually works. Stellaris 2.2 is a hot mess right now and it took me several weeks to relearn enough but some players just quit. Of greater concern is the number of bugs in the game that either slow things down, down work, or make the game freeze and you can't even ctrl alt delete it and shut the program down I have to reset the computer. In effect you took something we may have liked and then ruined it (Common Sense+, Rajas of India+, Megacorps+) or the game barely functions especially late game (Stellaris).
So that is basically it or at least the main reasons. There is just to much, quality is going down across all of your titles (HoI4 IDK) and even Stellaris that had very good DLC has released a bit of a turkey that has broken the game and/or does not play nice with previous DLCs you sold us (robot empires now sucking, the L-Sector/distant stars rework sucking/getting nerfed etc). Paradox tends to have some loyal fanatical fans but there are limits. Generally none of us wants to see Paradox turn into the next EA/Activision/Bethesda but that is where things seem to be heading and I am sure short term you are fine but yeah there is some genuine anger/frustration/resignation towards your games from long time fans. That residual good will is being burnt up, for me its more apathy than rage YMMV. I am vaguely interested in the new Rome game but it seems the advice would be wait until the 1st DLC is on sale along with the base game.
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