Where are Paradox games going?

[Onirim]

I'd like to read what you think PDS games are going to be like in the future. Is it going to be an infinite game update for every game (eu5, eu6, eu7, ..., ck3, ck4, ck5, ...)? Is it going to be a final game but an infinite number of expansions for every game? Is PDS eventually going to stop development and work on a totally new concept for strategy games?

I think it will probably be dictated by the market, by what consumers ask from them. If half the world played, say Stellaris, PDS would probably set their efforts on it for being such a success and forget about the rest of the games.

I personally would like to see a only one history-based big game covering the whole history. You would get access to it by acquiring chunks of it, like you select a date and a nation/civilization/people to play, you pay and you download the game systems, units, music, events, etc. for that era then you can jump to acquire a different era and place in the world for a new experience and challenge. I think CK2 and EU4 are learning from each other, we already know eu4 is going to be divided in different ages, it already got a great powers systems like from vic2 so I think all the games could actually integrate seamlessly into one unique game.

What do you think?

 

[DesNibelungen]

I'd love a long, seamless history game where the mechanics gradually changed based on events, but that seems like an impossibly complex undertaking.

 

[Shock360]

One game wouldn't be as good or as profitable. My guess is continually cycling the games as they are, slowly retiring one's that massively drop in profits, while adding new franchises in. As their team and company gets bigger the games get bigger and the amount of games get bigger. They will never just have one game with infinite DLC. A new game is profitable and allows for massive revamps, like adding in mana for EU4, and allows for a massively different feel to the game

 

[aruon]

well we know where PI is going- they want a series of games that span from ancient history (think Rome or pre-roman eras) to future (stellaris). as it stands they already have a good chunk covered with the CK-EU-Vic-HOI-St lineup. EvW was an attempt to expand into the cold war with a 3rd party developer (BL Logic) which sadly collapsed under its own weight while runemaster was an attempt to just do something else (traditional-ish RPG) for a change. but i still don't know why they axed that as by all means it was proceeding quite nicely.

 

[Endless Rain]

The way Paradox's DLC model has been going, I wouldn't be surprised if they made the base game for some titles completely free, but still make money on all of the DLC. Free-to-play does not necessarily mean using microtransactions like most mobile free-to-play games do. For example, Paradox could release the base game for Crusader Kings II for free, but still charge money for the DLC. Doing free-to-play this way would not require any changes in the way Paradox designs games; it would only be a change in their business model.

 

[bitmapmedivh]

well we know where PI is going- they want a series of games that span from ancient history (think Rome or pre-roman eras) to future (stellaris). as it stands they already have a good chunk covered with the CK-EU-Vic-HOI-St lineup. EvW was an attempt to expand into the cold war with a 3rd party developer (BL Logic) which sadly collapsed under its own weight while runemaster was an attempt to just do something else (traditional-ish RPG) for a change. but i still don't know why they axed that as by all means it was proceeding quite nicely.

IIRC Johan said something about it simply not being very fun, which means there's a fundamental fault in the game design. The subsequent cost-benefit analysis of of going back to the drawing board evidently didn't turn out to the game's advantage.

 

[Shkur]

Well it will need a lot of different mechanics.There is a big difference in the way of the war during the different ages in human history.

 

[yourworstnightm]

I'd like to read what you think PDS games are going to be like in the future. Is it going to be an infinite game update for every game (eu5, eu6, eu7, ..., ck3, ck4, ck5, ...)? Is it going to be a final game but an infinite number of expansions for every game? Is PDS eventually going to stop development and work on a totally new concept for strategy games?

I think it will probably be dictated by the market, by what consumers ask from them. If half the world played, say Stellaris, PDS would probably set their efforts on it for being such a success and forget about the rest of the games.

I personally would like to see a only one history-based big game covering the whole history. You would get access to it by acquiring chunks of it, like you select a date and a nation/civilization/people to play, you pay and you download the game systems, units, music, events, etc. for that era then you can jump to acquire a different era and place in the world for a new experience and challenge. I think CK2 and EU4 are learning from each other, we already know eu4 is going to be divided in different ages, it already got a great powers systems like from vic2 so I think all the games could actually integrate seamlessly into one unique game.

What do you think?

No. That won't happen. The games have different scopes, scopes that are made to illustrate an important aspect of each era. Thus the characters of CK is there because you can't do feudalism without them and a medieval game without the feudal system in pointless. In EU exploration and trade are importan because they were some of the most important aspects of that era, when the World became global. Then we have Vicky with it's POPS with is to represent the age when the needs and will of the people became the forefront. And HoI ís a war game which focuses on the war aspects and thus ignore almost everything else in favor of being able to make managing a war the main focus.

 

[sbalani]

Would you beleive I actually pitched this to them at GDC a few years ago xD

 

[Onirim]

And what have they said?