Europa Universalis IV Subscription Now Available on Steam and Microsoft Windows

[BjornB]

Paradox’s flagship grand strategy game will soon be available in an entirely new way. Europa Universalis IV’s expansion and additional content is now available via subscription letting you enjoy all of the expansions and add-ons that have been developed over the last eight years.

All new subscribers will gain immediate access to all additional content ever created for Europa Universalis IV, with no additional upfront cost. If you already own the base game and some of the expansions or content packs, this subscription does not remove that ownership, but will open up all content that you have not purchased.

Subscribers must already own the Europa Universalis IV base game. Subscription is handled in-game and can be accessed once you start up Europa Universalis IV. This is only available to players on Steam using Microsoft Windows.

Sign up now to enjoy:

• All 14 major expansions, including the religious battles of Art of War and Chinese imperial drama of Mandate of Heaven.
• Access to the upcoming Leviathan expansion, and all future expansions and content developed for Europa Universalis IV.
• 3 immersion packs, adding new mechanics for Spain, Great Britain and Russian nations.
• 9 content packs, adding new unit designs, advisor portraits and music for dozens of different nations.
• and many more improvements to the core game experience.

This subscription will be available on 18 March 2021 for $4.99/£3.99/€4.99 per month. This subscription will automatically renew at the end of every month until it is cancelled.

This is an additional service on top of our existing model and we are not replacing anything - we're just adding another option!

 

[Koopa]

A "everything paradox" subscription would be interessting (yeah only pd made stuff, not published. i am not greedy )

 

[grotaclas]

This is only available to players on Steam using Microsoft Windows.

I'm curious why it is only available on Windows.

 

[Sergeant Major Gross]

I've never liked subscription systems for games.

 

[TheRealRemus]

help me out i dont know how many dlcs there are but does the subscription include every single one of them? does it include music/graphic packs?
anyways this model looks very promising, after losing interest after the Poland update, I might return to the game one day.

 

[cetvrtak]

Cancel my subscription to the resurrection, this sounds way better.

 

[Balesir]

I've never liked subscription systems for games.

Then buy instead. I support this initiative by Paradox based on the fact that it is a choice. If the option to buy is removed - for this or for future expansions/dlc - you will find me joining the baying mob, but as an option for customers I think it's brilliant.

 

[Imiona]

I will just continue to buy them.

 

[iClipse]

I see a lot of hate for a system like this, but for me it's a way to finally convince some friends that didn't want to play this game because of price. So I applause the change, especially since it doesn't require others to pay for the subscription if they bought the DLC themselves.

 

[MrNewVegas]

I see a lot of hate for a system like this, but for me it's a way to finally convince some friends that didn't want to play this game because of price. So I applause the change, especially since it doesn't require others to pay for the subscription if they bought the DLC themselves.

The correct response would have been to actually address the fact they make games with hundred of dollars of basically necessary DLC and don't even make the attempt to bundle them at a reasonable price.

 

[BjornB]

I'm curious why it is only available on Windows.

We will hopefully be able to extend this to MacOS and Linux eventually - can't promise anything however

help me out i dont know how many dlcs there are but does the subscription include every single one of them? does it include music/graphic packs?
anyways this model looks very promising, after losing interest after the Poland update, I might return to the game one day.

It includes EVERYTHING

 

[master_kong]

As a trial, it's a really appropriate way to bypass the DLC mountains. However, it's still expensive for just one game and this makes it a stupid long-term spending. Though, I guess it's in line with the already overpriced DLCs.

 

[Salacavalini]

Does this include the European pistol-wielding Cuirassiers unit pack which was given exclusively to early adopters of the subscription service before today? Or is that no longer available?

 

[Kimbole]

Then buy instead. I support this initiative by Paradox based on the fact that it is a choice. If the option to buy is removed - for this or for future expansions/dlc - you will find me joining the baying mob, but as an option for customers I think it's brilliant.

I think it seems naive to think that having a bunch of customers paying on a subscription basis won’t have an impact on how the game is marketed and developed and how new content is released. Particularly with regular investment of time and money my general perception is that people are rather demanding of ever more content. Leading to a bit of a quantity/quality problem and a focus on things which are short term shiny new rather than deep improvements to the game. Maybe that is all too worst case scenario, who knows. It isn’t like a switch will flick and everything will change of course.

Beyond games, I’m not a fan of subscription services generally. I think they are usually there because it’s more financially beneficial to the company than providing much for the consumer. While this specific case seems like a sensible and well intentioned attempt to allow greater access to the game, it is a general trend I’m not a fan of. Personal preference may differ I am sure, and I have no expectation that this sentiment will be universally agreed with!

It will be interesting to see how this develops with other games, how DLC is priced for people to buy, and whether there is an attempt to incentivise people onto the subscription service over buying the game outright.

 

[MrNewVegas]

I think it seems naive to think that having a bunch of customers paying on a subscription basis won’t have an impact on how the game is marketed and developed and how new content is released. Particularly with regular investment of time and money my general perception is that people are rather demanding of ever more content. Leading to a bit of a quantity/quality problem and a focus on things which are short term shiny new rather than deep improvements to the game. Maybe that is all too worst case scenario, who knows. It isn’t like a switch will flick and everything will change of course.

Beyond games, I’m not a fan of subscription services generally. I think they are usually there because it’s more financially beneficial to the company than providing much for the consumer. While this specific case seems like a sensible and well intentioned attempt to allow greater access to the game, it is a general trend I’m not a fan of. Personal preference may differ I am sure, and I have no expectation that this sentiment will be universally agreed with!

It will be interesting to see how this develops with other games, how DLC is priced for people to buy, and whether there is an attempt to incentivise people onto the subscription service over buying the game outright.

Indeed. Were Paradox actually interested in providing a good deal, it would be non-renewing from the outset, and each month of subscription would count up against a DLC-store you could cash out on after a set amount of time. They will not do this of course, because every person who forgets to cancel their subscription for three months without playing is another dime they can suck out of a playerbase that already puts up with entirely too much nickle-and-diming.

It doesn't make good business sense to not introduce this, and when a consumer hears "not good business sense" what they should understand is "I am about to attempt to rob you blind".

I would strongly encourage people to seriously consider what signing up to this would mean to future behaviour of Paradox and their development cycle.

 

[Kazanov]

I would strongly encourage people to seriously consider what signing up to this would mean to future behaviour of Paradox and their development cycle.

I have been subscribed for at least a year. It have changed absolutely nothing, the only thing that is different for me is that i dont have to buy the 36362617899 cosmetic-flavor DLC that i dont want to buy for EU4.

The only things i would like is to have this system for the other games too and that the Devs eliminate the hideous full screen pop-up thar appears to me in CK2 to advertise the subscription, i mean, i OWN EVERY SINGLE DLC of that amazing game, i do not need advertisement for subs to DLCs i already have.

 

[BjornB]

Does this include the European pistol-wielding Cuirassiers unit pack which was given exclusively to early adopters of the subscription service before today? Or is that no longer available?

That was included in the Emperor DLC - so if you purchase the subscription, or the Emperor DLC on it's own - you will get that unit model

 

[Kimbole]

I have been subscribed for at least a year. It have changed absolutely nothing, the only thing that is different for me is that i dont have to buy the 36362617899 cosmetic-flavor DLC that i dont want to buy for EU4.

The only things i would like is to have this system for the other games too and that the Devs eliminate the hideous full screen pop-up thar appears to me in CK2 to advertise the subscription, i mean, i OWN EVERY SINGLE DLC of that amazing game, i do not need advertisement for subs to DLCs i already have.

You don’t want to buy cosmetic DLC, and yet you are paying for a subscription service for which part of the price is a cost to accesses those self same DLC? This seems inconsistent to me, and I would rather control what I’m paying for and when myself. Like I say, that part of optional I don’t have a problem with.

Just because something is only offered as an option, doesn’t mean that it cannot still have an effect on the people who don’t take that option. I think it’s worth keeping this in mind, since a lot of the disclaimers around the subscription service centre around the assumption that people who buy the game won’t be affected (implication not affected at all). I don’t think it is so easy to know that simply because the alternate purchase option is still there. Ultimately though, those kinds of impacts and shifts in focus are very hard to measure.

 

[master_kong]

I have been subscribed for at least a year. It have changed absolutely nothing, the only thing that is different for me is that i dont have to buy the 36362617899 cosmetic-flavor DLC that i dont want to buy for EU4.

That money you spent is equal to 8 expansion DLCs at a discounted price. But now you own nothing.

I'm not opposed to the subscription system idea, but it's not a replacement for buying at all. They should've provided more sensible buying options a.k.a bundles before offering a subscription model I think.

 

[R.Graymarch]

So looking at what is done for CK2 and EU4, it's going to be 5€ per month and per game (not included the base game)?
I'm not convinced at all by the system (and totally opposed to it if it eventually becomes the only way to get DLC) but the pricing is not really appealing either compared to other offers.