Paradox Interactive has unveiled the first grand strategy game. Victoria 3 follows in the grand series tradition of a close focus on the 19th and early 20th centuries – complete with all the developing industry, burgeoning trade, and political reform which shaped the era. This latest entry in the cult classic strategy game is emphasising limitless replayability and the opportunity for player-driven stories.
Starting in 1836, Victoria 3 spans one hundred years of history and asks players how they want to lead their chosen nation to best develop their people into a thriving civilisation while keeping everyone fed, happy, and fulfilled. It's an era that featured rapid global industrialisation and vastly expanded suffrage and voting rights, and Victoria 3 aims to capture that, taking onboard everything the team at Paradox has learned in the twelve years since its predecessor Victoria II's release.
The gameplay trailer revealed at the PC Gaming Show shows off panning shots of the game's gorgeous European countryside, and a variety of the game's menus and UI. There's certainly a step up in polish and pizzazz from a decade ago, as you might expect, with a clear influence from Paradox's other grand strategy titles such as Civilization VI. There's a good amount of in-depth numbers to dig into, broken down in smart ways with helpful colour coding, which will likely be exactly the sort of rich detail fans of the genre are looking for.
The Victoria series takes a small chunk of history and expands on it in great depth and detail. Victoria 3 features a "deep societal simulation" where every member of your nation has their own beliefs, political preferences, and standards of living. As the person in charge, you must ensure that your people are kept satisfied and able to thrive by careful economic development, construction of new buildings and industries, and international trade to bring in the things you can't produce yourself.
Victoria 3 will allow you to play as dozens of Victorian era nations, "from industrial powerhouses like Great Britain and Prussia to populous giants like Russia and Qing China or powers in waiting like Japan or Colonial Canada." As you navigate international politics, you must decide whether to press your advantage at the negotiating table or on the field of battle.
When is the Victoria 3 release date?
At the PC Gaming Show, Paradox confirmed that Victoria 3 will launch later this year and is now available for players to wishlist on the Steam store. It's been a long, long time waiting for fans of the series, so news that the game is almost here will no doubt be welcome, even if it'll be a bit longer before we have news of an exact date.
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