Paradox Interactive

Paradox Interactive, (formerly a division of Paradox Entertainment) is a Swedish strategy video game distribution company based in Stockholm. The company began as the video game division of Target Games and then Paradox Entertainment (now Cabinet Entertainment) before becoming an independent company in 2004. Through a combination of founding new studios and buying independent developers, the company has grown to comprise nine first-party development studios, including its flagship Paradox Development Studio, and acts as a publisher for other developers' games.

Paradox is known for releasing historically-themed strategy games, especially grand strategy games, and has published strategy games in different settings, as well as games in other genres such as role-playing games and management simulators. They typically continue the development of their games after the initial release with the creation of downloadable content, and are also known for creating games that are easy to mod. Its chief programmer is Johan Andersson.

In addition to making and publishing his own games, he has been in charge of publishing games from other companies such as Knights of Honor from Sunflowers or Galactic Civilizations 2 from Stardock.

Outside of video games, Paradox has created board games based on several of its titles, and has owned the rights to the World of Darkness tabletop RPG series since it purchased White Wolf Publishing in 2015.

Studies

Paradox operates 9 internal studios:

Products

Video Games

Paradox is the primary developer and publisher of the single-player real-time strategy game series; Imperator: Rome (set in Ancient Rome), Crusader Kings (set in the Middle Ages), Europa Universalis (focused on Modern Age), Victoria (set in the Age of Imperialism), Hearts of Iron (focused on World War II World) and Stellaris (set in space and the future).

Paradox has also published games for 1C Company, Arrowhead Game Studios, BattleGoat Studios, NeoCore Games, and TaleWorlds.

Board games

At PDXCon 2018, Paradox announced that it was working with board game designers and publishers to produce a series of board games based on its video game properties, including Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron, and Cities: Skylines.

During PDXCON Remixed, Paradox announced a Prison Architect board game. Designed by Noralie Lubbers and David Turczi. This will be one of the Paradox board games.

PDXCON

Prior to 2016, Paradox Interactive had invited members of the gaming industry press to Stockholm to preview upcoming titles at an annual press day. Starting in 2017, Paradox turned this into a weekend event open to the public called PDXCon. PDXCon 2017 took place in May at the Gamla Riksarkivet in Stockholm and included four hundred players along with the press at the event. For PDXCon 2018 in May, Paradox expanded attendance to 800 players. PDXCon 2019 was held in Berlin from October 18-20, 2019, giving them access to a larger space and easier access for players to attend. The last event was held between May 21 and 23, 2021 where all their information is on their page, they used Discord as one of their main platforms to interact with fans, where they have their main server called Paradox Interactive with 40,000 members., on this platform there are also the other specific servers for each Paradox game and some fan communities such as Paradox Community or Paradox Empire.

Most Known Titles

Europa Universalis

• Europa Universalis (2000) Understands the period 1492-1792. Conversion of the board game.
• Universalis II (2001) As a sequel to the first title, it increases the game period from 1419 to 1820 although it still uses almost the same graphics as the previous edition. It presents minor improvements to its predecessor, such as internal policies.

• Europa Universalis III (2007) Next sequel to the saga, originally covered from 1453 to 1793, but later expansions would extend the period from 1399 to 1821. It differs from previous deliveries by its 3D graphics and worked geographical details (forests, mountains, deserts, jungles...), although in principle it was not very different from its predecessors, expansions added many new concepts that revitalized the title and deepened the gameplay.
• Universalis Europe: Rome The game takes place during the time of the Roman Republic, starting from 280 BC with the beginning of the war, and ending with the rise of the Roman Empire in the year 27 before Christ. Players have the option to direct any of more than 53 factions, which represent 10 prominent cultures including Carginian, Celtic, Egyptian, Greek and Roman. The game was released for Microsoft Windows in April 2008.
• Europa Universalis IV (2013) Last version of this saga covers from 1444 to 1821. Improves the graphics of the previous version and its operation, adding multiple trading systems and complexity. Despite those added, it becomes the easiest game for the new saga players.

Hearts of Iron

• Hearts of Iron (2002) deals with the Second World War.
• Hearts of Iron 2 (2005) The sequel has better graphics and better platform as well as improvements in diplomacy.
• Hearts of Iron 2 Doomsday (2006) Sequel enlargement on Hearts of Iron. It improves aspects of the game and extends the play period until 1953, allowing to play a 3rd World War hypothetical after the second. It also includes a spy section.
• Hearts of Iron III (2009) Third game of the series "Hearts of Iron".
• Hearts of Iron IV (2016) The latest version of the strategy game, your ability to lead your nation is your supreme weapon, the Hearts of Iron IV strategy game allows you to take over any nation in World War II, 1936 to 1949; the most exciting conflict in world history.

Victory

• Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun (2003) It deals with the period 1836-1920, the fall of the bases of the Old Regime model and the bourgeois and industrial revolutions. Due to the methods of controlling your nation in the game, this title has gained the fame of being the most complicated in understanding its mechanics, although it is a reflection of the determinism that dominated the political world of the time.

• Victoria II (2010) It covers the period from 1836 until the beginning of 1936.
• Victoria III (2022) - Leading dozens of world nations between 1836 and 1936 in the tumult of the exciting and transforming centuryXIX. Balance the opposing interests in your society and win your place in the sun in Victoria 3, one of the most anticipated games in the history of Paradox.

Crusader Kings

• Crusader Kings (2004) This is about the medieval period from 1066 to 1453, focusing on the management of real families, from 1453 you can export the departure to Universalis II Europe and continue playing until 1820.

• Crusader Kings II (2012) This is a strategy video game that includes the period between 1066 and 1453. (You can start in 769 and 867 using the respective expansions).
• Crusader Kings III (2020) Launched on 01/09/2020, covers from 867 to 1453, it is the continuation of Crusader Kings II. Determine the legacy of your noble home in Crusader Kings III's grand expansion strategy. The death of your character is only the beginning as you guide the lineage of your dynasty in the richest and greatest simulation of the life of the Middle Ages.

Stellaris

• Stellaris (2016) Science Fiction Strategy Game. A mix between the 4X style of this type of games with the most traditional style of great strategy of other Paradox games

Imperator: Rome

• Imperator: Rome (2019) Historical strategy game on antiquity focused on the civilizations of Rome, Carthage or Egypt, among others. Starts in the year 450 a. C.

March of the Eagles

• March of the Eagles (2013) It focuses on the dramatic conflicts in Europe during 1805 to 1820, one of the defining periods of European history. The creators of Hearts of Iron and Europa Universalis now give life to The Napoleonic War in this war-centred strategy game.

Amateur Mods

Something characteristic of the vast majority of games that carry the Paradox logo is their malleability, to the point that users can find modifications for all their games on the official Paradox forum.

Paradox tries to make games that are open and easy to edit (moddable), from tweaking a saved game to creating a new scenario. Modding can be accomplished with simple tools and basic scripting knowledge. To help modders figure out how to edit the game on their own, the Paradox forums provide fan-compiled libraries of 'how to' tips. Paradox worked with Microsoft to develop Paradox Mods, an open modding platform that allows the same user-created mods to work on both Microsoft Windows and Xbox One, and initial testing will be done through Surviving Mars starting in February 2019.