Is Paradox moving away from Grand Strategy genre slowly & quietly?

[Comrade Jiggy]

I am relatively new to the Paradox family of games, but despite my limited engagement with Paradox, I found Paradox the best in the Grand Strategy space.
The games are very deep, well researched and the AI is best among what I have played.

It might sound a little too ambitious, but I am going for paradox games one after another as all of them target different time and era in history.

Lately, I have seen on Steam broadcasts, they are moving aggressively into space for Sim City, The Sims and Fantasy alternatives.
Here also on forum the three unreleased games Vampires, Lamplighters League etc. are I believe into non GS space.

While I accept I might be a single player in Paradox's universe of millions, I hope they do not abandon Grand Strategy genre like they did to my favourite game Imperator: Rome.
@Paradox: None of the other developers in the Grand Strategy make or even try to make an attempt in doing the research you do and make a game as deep as yours.

It pains to register it quietly that we are probably the last generation of humans passionate about GS & 4X computer games.

 

[Ixal]

Yes, because GSG do not sell to the casual market and are hard to make, too hard for the current devs.
Just look at the latest iteration of their 'GSG' games including EU4 DLC.

Dumbed down (assisted gaming through mission trees), targeting the casual market, requiring very little strategy and it is very easy to just map paint. Neither of those games is really Grand or Strategy.

 

[Comrade Jiggy]

Yes, because GSG do not sell to the casual market and are hard to make, too hard for the current devs.
Just look at the latest iteration of their 'GSG' games including EU4 DLC.

Dumbed down (assisted gaming through mission trees), targeting the casual market, requiring very little strategy and it is very easy to just map paint. Neither of those games is really Grand or Strategy.

That is really sad.
I regret getting introduced to Paradox this late and miss the golden era of their games.
My complaints about sheer boredom and stupidity of Civ-VI made a friend of mine suggest Paradox games to me and I just started it chronologically with Imperator: Rome.
Anyway the time lost will never come back, I just hope this genre stays alive for a decade or two.

 

[Ixal]

That is really sad.
I regret getting introduced to Paradox this late and miss the golden era of their games.
My complaints about sheer boredom and stupidity of Civ-VI made a friend of mine suggest Paradox games to me and I just started it chronologically with Imperator: Rome.
Anyway the time lost will never come back, I just hope this genre stays alive for a decade or two.

Get CK2 for cheap in a sale. Thats probably the most untainted "recent" GSG

 

[elektrizikekswerk]

CK2 for cheap

It's free.

Crusader Kings II on Steam

Explore one of the defining periods in world history in an experience crafted by the masters of Grand Strategy.

store.steampowered.com

 

[Kazanov]

It pains to register it quietly that we are probably the last generation of humans passionate about GS & 4X computer games.

It's not about Paradox leaving GSG games, is about profits and dev cycles.

The main GSG flagships have active dev cycles, CK, EU, HOI. The alternative GSG games are also active, Victoria, Stellaris (4x but still).

So, they cannot announce another Imperator or Sengoku (experimental GSG) as they lose money that way, but as the company grows they look for other markets, it's logical. And most of us prefer them making EU4 a better game or releasing random non-GSG games than them releasing a very buggy and incomplete EU5.

 

[Gwydden]

Paradox Development Studio has made nothing but GSGs to date. Paradox Interactive publishes their games as well as those from other studios, which do make other kinds of games. That has been the situation for years now.

This is a completely manufactured nonissue and a lot of pointless angst.

 

[Comrade Jiggy]

@Ixal : Thank you for the recommendation. CKII is a sure thing for me now.

@elektrizikekswerk : Yes, the base game is free. But there are some 60+ odd dlcs, which I will have to buy to actually complete the game.

@Kazanov : Got your point. Checked Sengoku, it also looks like a great game and very cheap.

@Gwydden : Woah! That is brilliant then. Will look forward to more great GS & 4x games from Paradox. I was just worried because of the magnitude of advertisements and media coverage about games other than their GS ones.

 

[Felicity]

@Ixal : Thank you for the recommendation. CKII is a sure thing for me now.

@elektrizikekswerk : Yes, the base game is free. But there are some 60+ odd dlcs, which I will have to buy to actually complete the game.

@Kazanov : Got your point. Checked Sengoku, it also looks like a great game and very cheap.

@Gwydden : Woah! That is brilliant then. Will look forward to more great GS & 4x games from Paradox. I was just worried because of the magnitude of advertisements and media coverage about games other than their GS ones.

As mentioned you are mistaking a publisher for a developer.

CK2, along with Hearts of Iron IV and Europea Unviersalis 4 all have DLC subscription services. While at first that may sound weird, as you can tell there is an inane amount of DLC. If you are like most pdox players and play for 50 hours in a week and then stop for some months, it is a great deal. No need to buy all the DLC unless you are intending to play every day for the next 3 years or something.

It is honestly really the only reason I returned to EU4 and even tried HoI4 again. The DLC is basically mandatory, and the DLC has gone truly out of control.

 

[Comrade Jiggy]

As mentioned you are mistaking a publisher for a developer.

Yeah. Got that. I personally verified it as well. It is a relief Paradox continues on GS front exclusively.
You can just see the plethora of media articles and videos suggesting Paradox is now completely into Sims, SimCity & all.
It was good I asked here rather than living in ignorance believing it.

CK2, along with Hearts of Iron IV and Europea Unviersalis 4 all have DLC subscription services. While at first that may sound weird, as you can tell there is an inane amount of DLC. If you are like most pdox players and play for 50 hours in a week and then stop for some months, it is a great deal. No need to buy all the DLC unless you are intending to play every day for the next 3 years or something.

It is honestly really the only reason I returned to EU4 and even tried HoI4 again. The DLC is basically mandatory, and the DLC has gone truly out of control.

I already have HoI4 without any DLC, can't comment as I am still not hands-on on it. Looks like a completely different game.
As suggested by @Ixal , I will go for completed Paradox games first i.e. CKII with DLCs.
I have read reviews that some of the DLCs are required for a good play and here you too are suggesting the same. I play few hours daily and a normal Imperator: Rome campaign for me lasts 25-30 hours.
CKIII, EUIV & V3 are still 'in progression' with DLCs and add-ons coming out. Better wait till full package comes out. (I assume that will be few years from now)

 

[elektrizikekswerk]

CKIII, EUIV & V3 are still 'in progression' with DLCs and add-ons coming out. Better wait till full package comes out.

YMMV but I prefer "growing" with the game - each DLC also adds new features and mechanics (unless they're purely cosmetic). If you wait until the games are "finished" you need to learn them all at once. If you grow with the game you can learn them one by one as they are released.
From that point of view V3 is currently the "best" as it has no DLC yet.

That being said, HOI IV is also "in progression", just mentioning it to complete the list.

Yes, the base game is free. But there are some 60+ odd dlcs, which I will have to buy to actually complete the game.

Of which most you don't need unless you want to play in that specific geographic area they're focusing on. And then there is the subscription service others alraedy mentioned

 

[Comrade Jiggy]

YMMV but I prefer "growing" with the game - each DLC also adds new features and mechanics (unless they're purely cosmetic). If you wait until the games are "finished" you need to learn them all at once. If you grow with the game you can learn them one by one as they are released.
From that point of view V3 is currently the "best" as it has no DLC yet.

That being said, HOI IV is also "in progression", just mentioning it to complete the list.

Yeah.

Of which most you don't need unless you want to play in that specific geographic area they're focusing on. And then there is the subscription service others alraedy mentioned

Yes, I will keep that in mind. Keeping it for the next sale. Just bought Victoria II, complete, at a great price.

 

[Tibi088]

As mentioned you are mistaking a publisher for a developer.

CK2, along with Hearts of Iron IV and Europea Unviersalis 4 all have DLC subscription services. While at first that may sound weird, as you can tell there is an inane amount of DLC. If you are like most pdox players and play for 50 hours in a week and then stop for some months, it is a great deal. No need to buy all the DLC unless you are intending to play every day for the next 3 years or something.

It is honestly really the only reason I returned to EU4 and even tried HoI4 again. The DLC is basically mandatory, and the DLC has gone truly out of control.

I would add that at this point at least for the older games its hard to not find the old DLC's for dirt cheap as well.

 

[Brynjar]

Lately, I have seen on Steam broadcasts, they are moving aggressively into space for Sim City, The Sims and Fantasy alternatives.

Apart from the life sim you are referring to, those games are not developed by Paradox, only published by them. I believe Paradox have been publishing non-grand strategy games for well over a decade by now. Magicka and Cities in Motion were both released in 2011, Cities Skylines (which they have now announced the sequel to) and Pillars of Eternity were released in 2015. I believe Paradox also was the publisher of Mount and Blade back in 2008.

What have changed however is the promotion of the games, but that also goes for their grand strategy titles (and most of the gaming industry in general).