Europa Universalis V's extended unveiling period was a lesson Paradox took from Imperator's varied response: 'I wished to initiate it somewhat earlier, but marketing officials can become apprehensive when discussions commence.'
Rewritten Article:
From the very beginning, it was blatantly clear that Paradox Tinto was cooking up Europa Universalis 5 (EU5). The studio, established to maintain 2013's Europa Universalis 4 (EU4), was helmed by EU director Johan Andersson. Everything we saw from Project Caesar screamed EU5. And Andersson was chomping at the bit to start this new project.
"I was hankering to make a new game," Andersson confessed earlier in the year, seated in Tinto's unassuming office in Sitges, Spain. "I'd learned so much from Imperator, and the post-launch there and figuring out what I wanted to do when I'm doing the next game. I'd been trying out ideas in my head and then realised, OK, I can make an EU sequel. We need to make an EU sequel."
Imperator: Rome was a successful launch with plenty of positive reviews, including mine. In my Imperator: Rome review, I awarded it a 92%, praising it as "A titanic, innovative game that left me sleep-deprived." However, it was a game of diminishing returns, and Paradox's perfectionist fanbase didn't quite feel the same way. Player reviews were less than favorable, but Andersson and his team managed to turn things around (recent Steam reviews are "Very Positive"). Still, EU5 remained an elusive target for the adoring crowd.
But Imperator was a crucial stepping stone for Paradox Tinto. It paved the way for EU5.
There are two major lessons Andersson learned from designing and fine-tuning Imperator, which he's now applying to EU5. "Less of the board game stuff is one thing," he explained. This is why the idea of 'mana' has been largely dismissed.
You'll find resources aplenty, of course, along with numbers to reflect things like your nation's stability, but it's mostly moved away from abstract concepts of power. People, pops, estates, soldiers, advisors, cabinet ministers take center stage. These dynamic entities, sometimes confusing, represent both the expression of power and the thing you're continually trying to control.
However, the most critical learning proved to be more impactful, and we've been privy to detailed, intriguing insights into EU5's systems for almost a year, long before Paradox even confirmed the game they were working on.
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"The most important [lesson] is: connect more with the community and take their input seriously," Andersson shared. "We did a lot of quantitative and qualitative user research at the start, like big surveys to determine their preferences, followed by interviews with some community members to better understand their desires. This aligned rather nicely with my vision of a deeper, economically-focused game with more peace time activities."
If Andersson had his way, the reveal would've happened a bit sooner, but "marketing folks tend to get nervous when you start talking." This also explains why, despite showing clear signs of EU5, the team couldn't quite confirm it.
And this isn't just for show. Each dev diary has generated a flurry of feedback, and the team has been quick to listen and respond, even making changes in some cases. There have been instances where Andersson would reveal a mechanic, only to revise it a few weeks later based on player feedback.
One example is the relationship between pops (people living in provinces) and estates (broader groups of people who can influence the nation) that has been modified significantly due to community input.
"We used to have an estate to pop direct connection," Andersson shared. "We only had four estates and five pop types. It was like a one-to-one link. Now we have multiple adaptive estates because of community feedback. We also have more variation in pop types with laborers, soldiers, and tribesmen. So it makes the mechanic feel more fluid and more natural."
As I mentioned in my EU5 preview, it appears to be an uncompromising game, one that benefits from a strong vision. But it's simultaneously a game designed specifically for Paradox's community of hardcore grand strategy enthusiasts, and their influence on it is already undeniable.
Fraser BrownWith over a decade of experience under my belt, I've served as a freelancer, news editor, and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been my enduring obsession since the '80s, from the smallest RTS to sprawling political simulations. When I'm not editing, I can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or extolling the virtues of Total War or Crusader Kings. In my off-time, I like to unwind with an endless, systemic RPG. Oh, and I've actually met The Internet in person.
- Johan Andersson, the EU director at Paradox Tinto, confessed his eagerness to start a new project, teasing the possibility of Europa Universalis 5 (EU5).
- Imperator: Rome, spearheaded by Andersson, had a successful launch, but player reviews were less favorable, indicating that EU5 remained an elusive target.
- The lessons learned from designing and fine-tuning Imperator are crucial for EU5's development, with a focus on removing abstract concepts of power and increasing community involvement.
- Andersson sought to connect more with the gaming community and take their input seriously, which has resulted in a flurry of feedback during each dev diary, with some mechanics revised based on player feedback.
- The relationship between pops (people living in provinces) and estates (broader groups of people who can influence the nation) in EU5 has been modified significantly due to community input, making the mechanic feel more fluid and natural.
- Fraser Brown, with over a decade of gaming experience, is captivated by the prospect of EU5, a game that seems to be an uncompromising and visionary grand strategy experience designed specifically for Paradox's community of hardcore strategy enthusiasts.
- As we look to the future of gaming, paradigms in sports, entertainment, social-media, technology, smartphones, gadgets, book publishing, sports-betting, and more continue to evolve, driven by the collective input of passionate communities like the one for EU5.
