Paradox
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Paradox's Afterworld ditches history for Fallout-style fantasy, and that's its biggest strength
Paradox's new grand strategy game, Afterworld, moves away from historical settings to embrace a Fallout-inspired fantasy post-apocalyptic world. The game aims for a more approachable and narrative-driven experience compared to Paradox's previous titles, with Game Director Dan Lind highlighting a faster pace and user-friendly interface.
New Crusader Kings 3 expansion tasks you to "wrestle with sin" in a transformative overhaul to religion
Paradox has released the 'By God Alone' expansion for Crusader Kings 3, overhauling the game's religion system. The DLC introduces playable theocracies, new rites and heresies, and a reworked excommunication system. A free update, version 1.20 'Crozier', accompanies the paid expansion, enhancing features like spiritual fulfillment and holy orders.
How to run an indie game studio: Part 1, What is a studio?
This guide, the first in a five-part series by business coach Martijn van Zwieten, focuses on the fundamental aspects of running an indie game studio. It emphasizes the importance of building the studio itself alongside the game, defining what a studio is, and establishing a clear purpose based on passion, excellence, and economic drivers. The article introduces the FIRM framework (Future, Issues, Rocks, Meetings) as a tool for studio management.
This week in PC games: new Ace Combat, Transport Fever 3, and a System Shock-alike set on a disco space station
This week in PC games sees a variety of new releases including the pixelart horror RPG Camp Whittlewood, the cyberpunk restaurant sim Nivalis Nights, and the infrastructure management title Transport Fever 3. Other notable launches include the retro-styled immersive sim RetroSpace and the tactical shooter prologue Intravenous 3: Borderline.
Long-Delayed Prison Architect 2 Gets Exciting Update After Two Years Of Mostly Silence
Prison Architect 2, originally slated for a 2024 release, has received an update indicating a potential new release date following a significant delay. The game will undergo a closed beta test from September 9-15, with Paradox Development Studio citing the need for more time to improve performance and content. Preorders were refunded, and the game has not been available for purchase since its indefinite delay.
Lego Skylines Is More Than Just A Lego Skin On A Familiar Game
Lego Skylines is a distinct city-builder, not just a cosmetic overlay for Cities Skylines. It offers a charming Lego experience with trademark humor and tactile brick action, allowing players to build homes and entire cities with a focus on individual citizen needs and creative customization. The game features a gentle learning curve, making it suitable for newcomers to the genre while still offering depth for experienced players.
Betawatch: Stars Reach hits early access stumbles and Guild Wars 3 outlines its Kodan details
This week's Betawatch covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, with developer Raph Koster apologizing for initial issues. Guild Wars 3 has also detailed its playable Kodan, while City of Heroes and Stormforge have received updates. The roundup includes news on numerous other MMOs in various testing phases, including Aero Tales Online, Elder Scrolls Online, and Aloft.
Stellaris celebrates 10 years (and a new DLC) with a free weekend and a 70% discount
Stellaris is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a free-to-play weekend on Steam until June 22 and a 70% discount on the base game until June 25. The sale also includes various DLCs, with a subscription option available for access to all content. The article touches on the game's evolution since its 2016 launch and mentions the new 'Nomads' expansion, which received mixed impressions.
A decade old and still soaring, 4X space strategy game Stellaris is now free for the weekend and cheap to keep
The 4X space strategy game Stellaris is celebrating its ten-year anniversary with a free-to-play weekend and a 70% discount on the base game. Developer Paradox has continuously updated the game, most recently with the 4.4 'Pegasus update' and the 'Nomads' expansion, making it an ideal time for new and returning players to jump in. The free weekend runs until Monday, June 22, with the discount available until Thursday, June 25.
The next Crusader Kings 3 expansion is finally giving religion a complete makeover
Paradox announced the upcoming Crusader Kings 3 DLC, By God Alone, which will overhaul the game's religion and faith systems. The expansion, set to release on September 30, 2026, will allow players to influence the Papacy, manage the Great Schism, and customize religious tenets. It is part of the Chapter Five DLC rollout alongside Silk and Silver.
Hearts of Iron 4 Thunder at our Gates just brought three undervalued WW2 players to life
The new Hearts of Iron 4 expansion, Thunder at our Gates, is now available, focusing on three underrepresented nations: Australia, Siam, and the Dutch East Indies. The expansion introduces new focus trees, political systems, and strategic elements like military HQs and ship captains. Accompanying the DLC is update 1.19, which brings balancing changes and new doctrines to the base game.
Crusader Kings 3's new republics get to the heart of its politics at a more manageable size
The upcoming Crusader Kings 3 expansion, Silk and Silver, will introduce a rework of the game's economy, including merchant governments and republics inspired by historical city-states like Venice. These new republics will focus on internal politics, trade, and managing a smaller realm. The expansion, set to launch in Q4 2026, also includes changes to mercenary caps and will be part of the Chapter 5 bundle.
Steam reviewer logs 30,000 hours in Cities: Skylines, decides it sucks: "BY FAR most frustrating, enraging game of…
A Steam user with nearly 30,000 hours logged in Cities: Skylines posted a highly critical review, describing it as the most frustrating game they have ever played. Despite the game's generally positive reception and its status as a top city builder, this player's extensive playtime has led to significant dissatisfaction.
Stellaris is finally adding a major feature its director has wanted "for a long time"
Stellaris update 4.4, codenamed 'Pegasus,' will introduce a major diplomatic feature allowing players to join and leave ongoing wars. Game director Steven Muray stated this has been a long-desired addition, enabling more dynamic interstellar conflicts and alliances. The update is targeted for release after Stellaris 4.3.4 'Cetus'.
Hearts of Iron IV Gets Experimental Balance Beta – Paradox Wants Our Feedback
Paradox has launched an experimental "Balance Beta" for Hearts of Iron IV, inviting the community to provide feedback on gameplay balance changes. The beta will receive weekly updates, with Paradox aiming for transparency and engagement with player input to refine the game's mechanics. This approach is intended to improve the player experience by addressing balance issues more rapidly and collaboratively.
Cities: Skylines celebrates 11 years with lots of new content on the way
Paradox is celebrating 11 years of the Cities: Skylines series with new content and discounts for both the original game and Cities: Skylines II. The original game will receive a free Race Day expansion on March 10th, along with new creator packs and a free patch. Cities: Skylines II is also getting new creator packs, radio stations, and a free update with new buildings and features.
