PDXCon Remixed, the online and socially-distanced edition of Paradox Interactive's annual convention, didn't skimp on the big announcements. In addition to Crusader Kings 3's first big expansion and the long-awaited Victoria 3, we got a look at new stuff for Prison Architect, Empire of Sin, and even a tease for Hearts of Iron IV. Here's everything that was announced during today's event.

Victoria 3 Announced

Victoria 3, a grand strategy historical simulation set in the tumultuous century from 1836 to 1936, was the headlining act. You can read my full impressions, but in short, it looks pretty incredible. Simulating over a billion individual people spread across the entire earth, it's an era of revolutions both industrial and political. New systems like Diplomatic Plays and Interest Groups are designed to shift the focus away from pure military conquest and onto areas like politics and economics. I'm a big Paradox fan, and even with stiff competition this is probably the most excited I've been for a new game of theirs in years. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/victoria-3-announcement-trailer"]

Crusader Kings 3 Reveals Its First Major Expansion

Medieval Murder Sims – otherwise known as Crusader Kings 3 – is getting its first major expansion as well with Royal Court. Doubling down on the RPG mechanics and flavor, you'll now be able to hold court in a fully 3D throne room where you can hear petitions from your vassals and subjects, display treasures you've won and forged, and employ new characters like the Court Tutor and Royal Food Taster. And it's coming with a big rework of CK3's culture system that will let you set off to distant corners of the world to form the Greco-Bengali hybrid society you've always dreamed of. Check out my full impressions!

Empire of Sin is Getting an Expansion, Too

The racketeering XCOM-like Empire of Sin is getting its first major expansion as well. Make it Count will allow you to add loan sharking and blackmail to your criminal empire, with five new gangsters and a new historical boss. Meyer Lansky is an economically-focused boss who was known to cook a few books for the Chicago Mob. His peons of choice, called Fixers, were described as being like Mike Ehrmantraut from Breaking Bad: The guys you call when you just need to make a problem go away, preferably with some discretion. It will be out later this year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/crusader-kings-3-royal-court-announcement-trailer"]

Prison Architect is Becoming Nicer

Prison Architect is also getting an expansion, and it's probably the most interesting and welcome one yet. Second Chances lets you finally focus on rehabilitation over punishment, building a prison that's more about getting convicts' lives back on track and making sure they don't reoffend as soon as they get out. Bringing in former inmates to give lectures and pet therapy are just a couple of the tools you'll have available to educate, de-stress, and rehabilitate. Second Chances is out June 16 on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Switch players will have to wait a little longer, as they'll be getting it June 29. Yes, you can pet the dog.

Cities: Skylines Receives New Content Creator Packs

Cities: Skylines will receive two new Content Creator Packs as announced during today's show. Bridges & Piers will add 22 new mods created by Amesto. This includes7 regular traffic Bridges, 3 one-way Train Bridges, 2 Pedestrian Bridges, 8 new Quay styles, and 2 new Piers. Meanwhile, the Train Stations Pack adds 12 stations and 4 hubs created by BadPeanut. They are 6 Metro Stations, 6 Train Stations, and 4 Public Transport Hubs. Both Packs will be available for $4.99.

The Soviet Union Gets Its Due in Hearts of Iron 4

Finally, we got a very quick tease for the next expansion for World War II wargame Hearts of Iron 4. No Step Back seems to be placing the focus on the Soviet Union, which was a poorly-kept secret given that the accompanying content patch has been publicly known as "Barbarossa" for a while now. Operation Barbarossa was the grand, ultimately doomed German offensive into Russia in 1941. We haven't been treated to a release date or any gameplay details yet, but this is welcome news since the USSR is currently one of the least fleshed-out major powers in HoI4. You can watch the festivities, including live multiplayer games and developer panels, all this weekend on Twitch.

PDXCon Remixed, the online and socially-distanced edition of Paradox Interactive's annual convention, didn't skimp on the big announcements. In addition to Crusader Kings 3's first big expansion and the long-awaited Victoria 3, we got a look at new stuff for Prison Architect, Empire of Sin, and even a tease for Hearts of Iron IV. Here's everything that was announced during today's event.

Victoria 3 Announced

Victoria 3, a grand strategy historical simulation set in the tumultuous century from 1836 to 1936, was the headlining act. You can read my full impressions, but in short, it looks pretty incredible. Simulating over a billion individual people spread across the entire earth, it's an era of revolutions both industrial and political. New systems like Diplomatic Plays and Interest Groups are designed to shift the focus away from pure military conquest and onto areas like politics and economics. I'm a big Paradox fan, and even with stiff competition this is probably the most excited I've been for a new game of theirs in years. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/victoria-3-announcement-trailer"]

Crusader Kings 3 Reveals Its First Major Expansion

Medieval Murder Sims – otherwise known as Crusader Kings 3 – is getting its first major expansion as well with Royal Court. Doubling down on the RPG mechanics and flavor, you'll now be able to hold court in a fully 3D throne room where you can hear petitions from your vassals and subjects, display treasures you've won and forged, and employ new characters like the Court Tutor and Royal Food Taster. And it's coming with a big rework of CK3's culture system that will let you set off to distant corners of the world to form the Greco-Bengali hybrid society you've always dreamed of. Check out my full impressions!

Empire of Sin is Getting an Expansion, Too

The racketeering XCOM-like Empire of Sin is getting its first major expansion as well. Make it Count will allow you to add loan sharking and blackmail to your criminal empire, with five new gangsters and a new historical boss. Meyer Lansky is an economically-focused boss who was known to cook a few books for the Chicago Mob. His peons of choice, called Fixers, were described as being like Mike Ehrmantraut from Breaking Bad: The guys you call when you just need to make a problem go away, preferably with some discretion. It will be out later this year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/crusader-kings-3-royal-court-announcement-trailer"]

Prison Architect is Becoming Nicer

Prison Architect is also getting an expansion, and it's probably the most interesting and welcome one yet. Second Chances lets you finally focus on rehabilitation over punishment, building a prison that's more about getting convicts' lives back on track and making sure they don't reoffend as soon as they get out. Bringing in former inmates to give lectures and pet therapy are just a couple of the tools you'll have available to educate, de-stress, and rehabilitate. Second Chances is out June 16 on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Switch players will have to wait a little longer, as they'll be getting it June 29. Yes, you can pet the dog.

Cities: Skylines Receives New Content Creator Packs

Cities: Skylines will receive two new Content Creator Packs as announced during today's show. Bridges & Piers will add 22 new mods created by Amesto. This includes7 regular traffic Bridges, 3 one-way Train Bridges, 2 Pedestrian Bridges, 8 new Quay styles, and 2 new Piers. Meanwhile, the Train Stations Pack adds 12 stations and 4 hubs created by BadPeanut. They are 6 Metro Stations, 6 Train Stations, and 4 Public Transport Hubs. Both Packs will be available for $4.99.

The Soviet Union Gets Its Due in Hearts of Iron 4

Finally, we got a very quick tease for the next expansion for World War II wargame Hearts of Iron 4. No Step Back seems to be placing the focus on the Soviet Union, which was a poorly-kept secret given that the accompanying content patch has been publicly known as "Barbarossa" for a while now. Operation Barbarossa was the grand, ultimately doomed German offensive into Russia in 1941. We haven't been treated to a release date or any gameplay details yet, but this is welcome news since the USSR is currently one of the least fleshed-out major powers in HoI4. You can watch the festivities, including live multiplayer games and developer panels, all this weekend on Twitch.

PDXCon Remixed, the online and socially-distanced edition of Paradox Interactive's annual convention, didn't skimp on the big announcements. In addition to Crusader Kings 3's first big expansion and the long-awaited Victoria 3, we got a look at new stuff for Prison Architect, Empire of Sin, and even a tease for Hearts of Iron IV. Here's everything that was announced during today's event.

Victoria 3 Announced

Victoria 3, a grand strategy historical simulation set in the tumultuous century from 1836 to 1936, was the headlining act. You can read my full impressions, but in short, it looks pretty incredible. Simulating over a billion individual people spread across the entire earth, it's an era of revolutions both industrial and political. New systems like Diplomatic Plays and Interest Groups are designed to shift the focus away from pure military conquest and onto areas like politics and economics. I'm a big Paradox fan, and even with stiff competition this is probably the most excited I've been for a new game of theirs in years. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/victoria-3-announcement-trailer"]

Crusader Kings 3 Reveals Its First Major Expansion

Medieval Murder Sims – otherwise known as Crusader Kings 3 – is getting its first major expansion as well with Royal Court. Doubling down on the RPG mechanics and flavor, you'll now be able to hold court in a fully 3D throne room where you can hear petitions from your vassals and subjects, display treasures you've won and forged, and employ new characters like the Court Tutor and Royal Food Taster. And it's coming with a big rework of CK3's culture system that will let you set off to distant corners of the world to form the Greco-Bengali hybrid society you've always dreamed of. Check out my full impressions!

Empire of Sin is Getting an Expansion, Too

The racketeering XCOM-like Empire of Sin is getting its first major expansion as well. Make it Count will allow you to add loan sharking and blackmail to your criminal empire, with five new gangsters and a new historical boss. Meyer Lansky is an economically-focused boss who was known to cook a few books for the Chicago Mob. His peons of choice, called Fixers, were described as being like Mike Ehrmantraut from Breaking Bad: The guys you call when you just need to make a problem go away, preferably with some discretion. It will be out later this year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/crusader-kings-3-royal-court-announcement-trailer"]

Prison Architect is Becoming Nicer

Prison Architect is also getting an expansion, and it's probably the most interesting and welcome one yet. Second Chances lets you finally focus on rehabilitation over punishment, building a prison that's more about getting convicts' lives back on track and making sure they don't reoffend as soon as they get out. Bringing in former inmates to give lectures and pet therapy are just a couple of the tools you'll have available to educate, de-stress, and rehabilitate. Second Chances is out June 16 on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Switch players will have to wait a little longer, as they'll be getting it June 29. Yes, you can pet the dog.

Cities: Skylines Receives New Content Creator Packs

Cities: Skylines will receive two new Content Creator Packs as announced during today's show. Bridges & Piers will add 22 new mods created by Amesto. This includes7 regular traffic Bridges, 3 one-way Train Bridges, 2 Pedestrian Bridges, 8 new Quay styles, and 2 new Piers. Meanwhile, the Train Stations Pack adds 12 stations and 4 hubs created by BadPeanut. They are 6 Metro Stations, 6 Train Stations, and 4 Public Transport Hubs. Both Packs will be available for $4.99.

The Soviet Union Gets Its Due in Hearts of Iron 4

Finally, we got a very quick tease for the next expansion for World War II wargame Hearts of Iron 4. No Step Back seems to be placing the focus on the Soviet Union, which was a poorly-kept secret given that the accompanying content patch has been publicly known as "Barbarossa" for a while now. Operation Barbarossa was the grand, ultimately doomed German offensive into Russia in 1941. We haven't been treated to a release date or any gameplay details yet, but this is welcome news since the USSR is currently one of the least fleshed-out major powers in HoI4. You can watch the festivities, including live multiplayer games and developer panels, all this weekend on Twitch.

PDXCon Remixed, the online and socially-distanced edition of Paradox Interactive's annual convention, didn't skimp on the big announcements. In addition to Crusader Kings 3's first big expansion and the long-awaited Victoria 3, we got a look at new stuff for Prison Architect, Empire of Sin, and even a tease for Hearts of Iron IV. Here's everything that was announced during today's event.

Victoria 3 Announced

Victoria 3, a grand strategy historical simulation set in the tumultuous century from 1836 to 1936, was the headlining act. You can read my full impressions, but in short, it looks pretty incredible. Simulating over a billion individual people spread across the entire earth, it's an era of revolutions both industrial and political. New systems like Diplomatic Plays and Interest Groups are designed to shift the focus away from pure military conquest and onto areas like politics and economics. I'm a big Paradox fan, and even with stiff competition this is probably the most excited I've been for a new game of theirs in years. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/victoria-3-announcement-trailer"]

Crusader Kings 3 Reveals Its First Major Expansion

Medieval Murder Sims – otherwise known as Crusader Kings 3 – is getting its first major expansion as well with Royal Court. Doubling down on the RPG mechanics and flavor, you'll now be able to hold court in a fully 3D throne room where you can hear petitions from your vassals and subjects, display treasures you've won and forged, and employ new characters like the Court Tutor and Royal Food Taster. And it's coming with a big rework of CK3's culture system that will let you set off to distant corners of the world to form the Greco-Bengali hybrid society you've always dreamed of. Check out my full impressions!

Empire of Sin is Getting an Expansion, Too

The racketeering XCOM-like Empire of Sin is getting its first major expansion as well. Make it Count will allow you to add loan sharking and blackmail to your criminal empire, with five new gangsters and a new historical boss. Meyer Lansky is an economically-focused boss who was known to cook a few books for the Chicago Mob. His peons of choice, called Fixers, were described as being like Mike Ehrmantraut from Breaking Bad: The guys you call when you just need to make a problem go away, preferably with some discretion. It will be out later this year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/crusader-kings-3-royal-court-announcement-trailer"]

Prison Architect is Becoming Nicer

Prison Architect is also getting an expansion, and it's probably the most interesting and welcome one yet. Second Chances lets you finally focus on rehabilitation over punishment, building a prison that's more about getting convicts' lives back on track and making sure they don't reoffend as soon as they get out. Bringing in former inmates to give lectures and pet therapy are just a couple of the tools you'll have available to educate, de-stress, and rehabilitate. Second Chances is out June 16 on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Switch players will have to wait a little longer, as they'll be getting it June 29. Yes, you can pet the dog.

Cities: Skylines Receives New Content Creator Packs

Cities: Skylines will receive two new Content Creator Packs as announced during today's show. Bridges & Piers will add 22 new mods created by Amesto. This includes7 regular traffic Bridges, 3 one-way Train Bridges, 2 Pedestrian Bridges, 8 new Quay styles, and 2 new Piers. Meanwhile, the Train Stations Pack adds 12 stations and 4 hubs created by BadPeanut. They are 6 Metro Stations, 6 Train Stations, and 4 Public Transport Hubs. Both Packs will be available for $4.99.

The Soviet Union Gets Its Due in Hearts of Iron 4

Finally, we got a very quick tease for the next expansion for World War II wargame Hearts of Iron 4. No Step Back seems to be placing the focus on the Soviet Union, which was a poorly-kept secret given that the accompanying content patch has been publicly known as "Barbarossa" for a while now. Operation Barbarossa was the grand, ultimately doomed German offensive into Russia in 1941. We haven't been treated to a release date or any gameplay details yet, but this is welcome news since the USSR is currently one of the least fleshed-out major powers in HoI4. You can watch the festivities, including live multiplayer games and developer panels, all this weekend on Twitch.

Victoria 3 has become a meme and an urban legend in the strategy community over the last few years, as speculation has run rampant about when we'd get a proper sequel to 2011's Victoria 2. The franchise sits between Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron, simulating the technological leaps, ideological movements, and political shifts that shaped the modern world from the Industrial Revolution right up to the eve of World War II. And from what I've seen so far, it looks more than worth the wait.

While a lot of Paradox's other strategy games have come to resemble something more like a board game (Europa Universalis IV) or an RPG (Crusader Kings 3), Victoria 3 is billing itself as a deep, less abstracted historical simulation. Using a system of POPs – Parts of Population – it represents all one billion people who lived on Earth in 1836, from a subsistence farmer in rural China to a loyal soldier in Prussia to a wealthy captain of industry in Pennsylvania. Most grand strategy games tend to focus on warfare and conquering as much territory as possible – "map painting," as we call it in the biz – but Victoria 3 wants to make you pay more attention to economics, internal politics, and international diplomacy. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/victoria-3-announcement-trailer"] You can play as any of over 100 countries, from the heavy hitters like Great Britain and the Qing Dynasty of China, to local and regional powers like Siam or Switzerland. They've done away with Victoria 2's problematic "civilized" vs "uncivilized" distinction, with smaller countries outside the European sphere of influence instead being "unrecognized." This basically means that the Great Powers of the era don't see you as an equal, and can bully you without causing so much diplomatic fuss.

But you're not inherently worse at discovering new technologies or winning wars just because of that label. The conditions in your country, such as having a mostly rural subsistence economy and limited bureaucracy, might make it harder for you to catch up and compete with the big guys. But you won't face any arbitrary, added challenges to doing so. The one exception is what Victoria 3 calls "Decentralized Countries", such as the tribal societies of the inner Sahara. They won't be playable at launch, but Paradox wants to change that in the future when they can give them the unique mechanics and distinct playstyle they deserve.

Internal politics in Victoria 3 will be handled by Interest Groups, in which the various POPs in your country will come together to pursue shared goals. Rich capitalists will often join the Industrialists faction, for example, which will push for reduced government spending and privatizing institutions like education and healthcare. Meanwhile, the Devout will oppose any laws and policies that go against the traditional, religious morals of your society. Inviting these groups into your government will be the main way of changing your country internally, allowing you to make anything from a ruthless absolute monarchy to a worker-run anarchist commune.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=victoria-3-screenshots&captions=true"]

The other big addition is the new system of Diplomatic Plays, which borrows from Victoria 2's Crisis system. When you want something from another country, like a piece of their land or for them to open up their markets to your goods, you can present that demand to them with a diplomatic proclamation. They will then be invited to propose a concession they would like from you. At this point, you enter a maneuvering phase in which you can offer spoils of war to other countries to get them to back your claim, or mobilize your armies as a show of force. Either one side will choose to back down and their opponents will get what they asked for, or the timer will run out and war will be declared, with potentially many different countries and objectives being on the table. Paradox doesn't want every minor border dispute to turn into a World War, and they're balancing this feature accordingly. But the more concessions you ask for, the more your rivals and the Great Powers will see you as a threat and consider backing your opponent to maintain the balance. You won't even necessarily need to throw your weight around on the world stage in Victoria 3, though. It's being billed as a kind of game where "tending the garden" of your nation can be just as engaging and effective, industrializing and modernizing your lands while creating a prosperous and free society that will attract immigrants, investors, and lucrative trade deals. There's always a possibility of danger from within, though. If you can't keep powerful interest groups happy, or your workers start getting educated and reading books by guys with names like Marx and Engels, you may have a full-blown revolution on your hands. But since everyone likes an underdog, Victoria 3 will let you pick your side at the onset of such a conflict. You can fight to maintain the status quo or join the workers to seize the means of production.

There's no release date for Victoria 3 yet, as Paradox wants to really take their time and only ship it when they feel like it's done. That seems wise, given the buggy and unsatisfactory state of some of their more recent DLC releases and 2019's Imperator: Rome. But you can already check out the trailer, along with our round-up of all the big news from PDXCon Remixed!

Victoria 3 has become a meme and an urban legend in the strategy community over the last few years, as speculation has run rampant about when we'd get a proper sequel to 2011's Victoria 2. The franchise sits between Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron, simulating the technological leaps, ideological movements, and political shifts that shaped the modern world from the Industrial Revolution right up to the eve of World War II. And from what I've seen so far, it looks more than worth the wait.

While a lot of Paradox's other strategy games have come to resemble something more like a board game (Europa Universalis IV) or an RPG (Crusader Kings 3), Victoria 3 is billing itself as a deep, less abstracted historical simulation. Using a system of POPs – Parts of Population – it represents all one billion people who lived on Earth in 1836, from a subsistence farmer in rural China to a loyal soldier in Prussia to a wealthy captain of industry in Pennsylvania. Most grand strategy games tend to focus on warfare and conquering as much territory as possible – "map painting," as we call it in the biz – but Victoria 3 wants to make you pay more attention to economics, internal politics, and international diplomacy. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/victoria-3-announcement-trailer"] You can play as any of over 100 countries, from the heavy hitters like Great Britain and the Qing Dynasty of China, to local and regional powers like Siam or Switzerland. They've done away with Victoria 2's problematic "civilized" vs "uncivilized" distinction, with smaller countries outside the European sphere of influence instead being "unrecognized." This basically means that the Great Powers of the era don't see you as an equal, and can bully you without causing so much diplomatic fuss.

But you're not inherently worse at discovering new technologies or winning wars just because of that label. The conditions in your country, such as having a mostly rural subsistence economy and limited bureaucracy, might make it harder for you to catch up and compete with the big guys. But you won't face any arbitrary, added challenges to doing so. The one exception is what Victoria 3 calls "Decentralized Countries", such as the tribal societies of the inner Sahara. They won't be playable at launch, but Paradox wants to change that in the future when they can give them the unique mechanics and distinct playstyle they deserve.

Internal politics in Victoria 3 will be handled by Interest Groups, in which the various POPs in your country will come together to pursue shared goals. Rich capitalists will often join the Industrialists faction, for example, which will push for reduced government spending and privatizing institutions like education and healthcare. Meanwhile, the Devout will oppose any laws and policies that go against the traditional, religious morals of your society. Inviting these groups into your government will be the main way of changing your country internally, allowing you to make anything from a ruthless absolute monarchy to a worker-run anarchist commune.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=victoria-3-screenshots&captions=true"]

The other big addition is the new system of Diplomatic Plays, which borrows from Victoria 2's Crisis system. When you want something from another country, like a piece of their land or for them to open up their markets to your goods, you can present that demand to them with a diplomatic proclamation. They will then be invited to propose a concession they would like from you. At this point, you enter a maneuvering phase in which you can offer spoils of war to other countries to get them to back your claim, or mobilize your armies as a show of force. Either one side will choose to back down and their opponents will get what they asked for, or the timer will run out and war will be declared, with potentially many different countries and objectives being on the table. Paradox doesn't want every minor border dispute to turn into a World War, and they're balancing this feature accordingly. But the more concessions you ask for, the more your rivals and the Great Powers will see you as a threat and consider backing your opponent to maintain the balance. You won't even necessarily need to throw your weight around on the world stage in Victoria 3, though. It's being billed as a kind of game where "tending the garden" of your nation can be just as engaging and effective, industrializing and modernizing your lands while creating a prosperous and free society that will attract immigrants, investors, and lucrative trade deals. There's always a possibility of danger from within, though. If you can't keep powerful interest groups happy, or your workers start getting educated and reading books by guys with names like Marx and Engels, you may have a full-blown revolution on your hands. But since everyone likes an underdog, Victoria 3 will let you pick your side at the onset of such a conflict. You can fight to maintain the status quo or join the workers to seize the means of production.

There's no release date for Victoria 3 yet, as Paradox wants to really take their time and only ship it when they feel like it's done. That seems wise, given the buggy and unsatisfactory state of some of their more recent DLC releases and 2019's Imperator: Rome. But you can already check out the trailer, along with our round-up of all the big news from PDXCon Remixed!

Victoria 3 has become a meme and an urban legend in the strategy community over the last few years, as speculation has run rampant about when we'd get a proper sequel to 2011's Victoria 2. The franchise sits between Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron, simulating the technological leaps, ideological movements, and political shifts that shaped the modern world from the Industrial Revolution right up to the eve of World War II. And from what I've seen so far, it looks more than worth the wait.

While a lot of Paradox's other strategy games have come to resemble something more like a board game (Europa Universalis IV) or an RPG (Crusader Kings 3), Victoria 3 is billing itself as a deep, less abstracted historical simulation. Using a system of POPs – Parts of Population – it represents all one billion people who lived on Earth in 1836, from a subsistence farmer in rural China to a loyal soldier in Prussia to a wealthy captain of industry in Pennsylvania. Most grand strategy games tend to focus on warfare and conquering as much territory as possible – "map painting," as we call it in the biz – but Victoria 3 wants to make you pay more attention to economics, internal politics, and international diplomacy. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/victoria-3-announcement-trailer"] You can play as any of over 100 countries, from the heavy hitters like Great Britain and the Qing Dynasty of China, to local and regional powers like Siam or Switzerland. They've done away with Victoria 2's problematic "civilized" vs "uncivilized" distinction, with smaller countries outside the European sphere of influence instead being "unrecognized." This basically means that the Great Powers of the era don't see you as an equal, and can bully you without causing so much diplomatic fuss.

But you're not inherently worse at discovering new technologies or winning wars just because of that label. The conditions in your country, such as having a mostly rural subsistence economy and limited bureaucracy, might make it harder for you to catch up and compete with the big guys. But you won't face any arbitrary, added challenges to doing so. The one exception is what Victoria 3 calls "Decentralized Countries", such as the tribal societies of the inner Sahara. They won't be playable at launch, but Paradox wants to change that in the future when they can give them the unique mechanics and distinct playstyle they deserve.

Internal politics in Victoria 3 will be handled by Interest Groups, in which the various POPs in your country will come together to pursue shared goals. Rich capitalists will often join the Industrialists faction, for example, which will push for reduced government spending and privatizing institutions like education and healthcare. Meanwhile, the Devout will oppose any laws and policies that go against the traditional, religious morals of your society. Inviting these groups into your government will be the main way of changing your country internally, allowing you to make anything from a ruthless absolute monarchy to a worker-run anarchist commune.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=victoria-3-screenshots&captions=true"]

The other big addition is the new system of Diplomatic Plays, which borrows from Victoria 2's Crisis system. When you want something from another country, like a piece of their land or for them to open up their markets to your goods, you can present that demand to them with a diplomatic proclamation. They will then be invited to propose a concession they would like from you. At this point, you enter a maneuvering phase in which you can offer spoils of war to other countries to get them to back your claim, or mobilize your armies as a show of force. Either one side will choose to back down and their opponents will get what they asked for, or the timer will run out and war will be declared, with potentially many different countries and objectives being on the table. Paradox doesn't want every minor border dispute to turn into a World War, and they're balancing this feature accordingly. But the more concessions you ask for, the more your rivals and the Great Powers will see you as a threat and consider backing your opponent to maintain the balance. You won't even necessarily need to throw your weight around on the world stage in Victoria 3, though. It's being billed as a kind of game where "tending the garden" of your nation can be just as engaging and effective, industrializing and modernizing your lands while creating a prosperous and free society that will attract immigrants, investors, and lucrative trade deals. There's always a possibility of danger from within, though. If you can't keep powerful interest groups happy, or your workers start getting educated and reading books by guys with names like Marx and Engels, you may have a full-blown revolution on your hands. But since everyone likes an underdog, Victoria 3 will let you pick your side at the onset of such a conflict. You can fight to maintain the status quo or join the workers to seize the means of production.

There's no release date for Victoria 3 yet, as Paradox wants to really take their time and only ship it when they feel like it's done. That seems wise, given the buggy and unsatisfactory state of some of their more recent DLC releases and 2019's Imperator: Rome. But you can already check out the trailer, along with our round-up of all the big news from PDXCon Remixed!

Victoria 3 has become a meme and an urban legend in the strategy community over the last few years, as speculation has run rampant about when we'd get a proper sequel to 2011's Victoria 2. The franchise sits between Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron, simulating the technological leaps, ideological movements, and political shifts that shaped the modern world from the Industrial Revolution right up to the eve of World War II. And from what I've seen so far, it looks more than worth the wait.

While a lot of Paradox's other strategy games have come to resemble something more like a board game (Europa Universalis IV) or an RPG (Crusader Kings 3), Victoria 3 is billing itself as a deep, less abstracted historical simulation. Using a system of POPs – Parts of Population – it represents all one billion people who lived on Earth in 1836, from a subsistence farmer in rural China to a loyal soldier in Prussia to a wealthy captain of industry in Pennsylvania. Most grand strategy games tend to focus on warfare and conquering as much territory as possible – "map painting," as we call it in the biz – but Victoria 3 wants to make you pay more attention to economics, internal politics, and international diplomacy. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/21/victoria-3-announcement-trailer"] You can play as any of over 100 countries, from the heavy hitters like Great Britain and the Qing Dynasty of China, to local and regional powers like Siam or Switzerland. They've done away with Victoria 2's problematic "civilized" vs "uncivilized" distinction, with smaller countries outside the European sphere of influence instead being "unrecognized." This basically means that the Great Powers of the era don't see you as an equal, and can bully you without causing so much diplomatic fuss.

But you're not inherently worse at discovering new technologies or winning wars just because of that label. The conditions in your country, such as having a mostly rural subsistence economy and limited bureaucracy, might make it harder for you to catch up and compete with the big guys. But you won't face any arbitrary, added challenges to doing so. The one exception is what Victoria 3 calls "Decentralized Countries", such as the tribal societies of the inner Sahara. They won't be playable at launch, but Paradox wants to change that in the future when they can give them the unique mechanics and distinct playstyle they deserve.

Internal politics in Victoria 3 will be handled by Interest Groups, in which the various POPs in your country will come together to pursue shared goals. Rich capitalists will often join the Industrialists faction, for example, which will push for reduced government spending and privatizing institutions like education and healthcare. Meanwhile, the Devout will oppose any laws and policies that go against the traditional, religious morals of your society. Inviting these groups into your government will be the main way of changing your country internally, allowing you to make anything from a ruthless absolute monarchy to a worker-run anarchist commune.

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The other big addition is the new system of Diplomatic Plays, which borrows from Victoria 2's Crisis system. When you want something from another country, like a piece of their land or for them to open up their markets to your goods, you can present that demand to them with a diplomatic proclamation. They will then be invited to propose a concession they would like from you. At this point, you enter a maneuvering phase in which you can offer spoils of war to other countries to get them to back your claim, or mobilize your armies as a show of force. Either one side will choose to back down and their opponents will get what they asked for, or the timer will run out and war will be declared, with potentially many different countries and objectives being on the table. Paradox doesn't want every minor border dispute to turn into a World War, and they're balancing this feature accordingly. But the more concessions you ask for, the more your rivals and the Great Powers will see you as a threat and consider backing your opponent to maintain the balance. You won't even necessarily need to throw your weight around on the world stage in Victoria 3, though. It's being billed as a kind of game where "tending the garden" of your nation can be just as engaging and effective, industrializing and modernizing your lands while creating a prosperous and free society that will attract immigrants, investors, and lucrative trade deals. There's always a possibility of danger from within, though. If you can't keep powerful interest groups happy, or your workers start getting educated and reading books by guys with names like Marx and Engels, you may have a full-blown revolution on your hands. But since everyone likes an underdog, Victoria 3 will let you pick your side at the onset of such a conflict. You can fight to maintain the status quo or join the workers to seize the means of production.

There's no release date for Victoria 3 yet, as Paradox wants to really take their time and only ship it when they feel like it's done. That seems wise, given the buggy and unsatisfactory state of some of their more recent DLC releases and 2019's Imperator: Rome. But you can already check out the trailer, along with our round-up of all the big news from PDXCon Remixed!

Dwayne Johnson will voice Krypto the Super-Dog in DC's upcoming animated movie, DC League of Super-Pets, according to a report by Deadline. The report also stated that Johnson will not only be voicing the superdog, but his production company, Seven Bucks Production, is producing the movie as well. This casting news comes just weeks after Johnson announced that Black Adam, a movie where Johnson is starring as the villain-turned-antihero of the same name, is now filming. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/black-adam-dc-fandome-official-teaser"] The animated feature is being directed and written by Jared Stern, who also wrote DC's Lego Batman movie. Sam Levine is co-directing the film with Stern. DC League of Super-Pets is set to hit theaters on May 20, 2022, and Warner Bros. is reportedly impressed with the film so far. This May 2022 release date puts this movie up against Mission: Impossible 7 and John Wick: Chapter 4, as Deadline notes. The movie was announced back in 2018, but the news of Johnson voicing Krypto, a dog commonly associated with Superman for obvious Krypton-related reasons, is a new addition. Under Johnson's Seven Bucks Production banner, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and of course, Johnson, will produce the film which is being executive produced by Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, and Nicholas Stoller. The movie itself comes by way of Warner Bros. and Warner Animation Group. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dc-extended-universe-every-upcoming-movie&captions=true"] While waiting for DC League of Super-Pets to hit theaters next May, catch up on Johnson's Black Adam, which will release in theaters on July 29, 2022, by reading about how the movie recently started filming, and then check out IGN's list of everyone announced for the film's cast. Read about all the new DC movies and TV shows coming this year and beyond after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Dwayne Johnson will voice Krypto the Super-Dog in DC's upcoming animated movie, DC League of Super-Pets, according to a report by Deadline. The report also stated that Johnson will not only be voicing the superdog, but his production company, Seven Bucks Production, is producing the movie as well. This casting news comes just weeks after Johnson announced that Black Adam, a movie where Johnson is starring as the villain-turned-antihero of the same name, is now filming. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/black-adam-dc-fandome-official-teaser"] The animated feature is being directed and written by Jared Stern, who also wrote DC's Lego Batman movie. Sam Levine is co-directing the film with Stern. DC League of Super-Pets is set to hit theaters on May 20, 2022, and Warner Bros. is reportedly impressed with the film so far. This May 2022 release date puts this movie up against Mission: Impossible 7 and John Wick: Chapter 4, as Deadline notes. The movie was announced back in 2018, but the news of Johnson voicing Krypto, a dog commonly associated with Superman for obvious Krypton-related reasons, is a new addition. Under Johnson's Seven Bucks Production banner, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and of course, Johnson, will produce the film which is being executive produced by Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, and Nicholas Stoller. The movie itself comes by way of Warner Bros. and Warner Animation Group. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dc-extended-universe-every-upcoming-movie&captions=true"] While waiting for DC League of Super-Pets to hit theaters next May, catch up on Johnson's Black Adam, which will release in theaters on July 29, 2022, by reading about how the movie recently started filming, and then check out IGN's list of everyone announced for the film's cast. Read about all the new DC movies and TV shows coming this year and beyond after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.