When it comes to this whole blaming SF thing, I think it is always worth pointing out that Paradox must have at some point signed some contracts with SF, promising such and such product in such and such timeframe. SF did not kidnap anyone's families and threatened to send them back in pieces if Paradox didn't give them a WWII grand strategy game. I am sure that they paid Paradox to make the game, and considering how long it takes to produce a game, they probably paid quite a bit in advance of the completion of the project, because otherwise Paradox couldn't pay everyone's salaries.
SF has salaries to pay as well, ya know? Having given Paradox some money and planned on having a product by a certain date, they genuinely need to get that product out more or less on time. Otherwise where do they get the money to pay the bills, and fund the next new game? A publisher with deep pockets can afford to take forever putting a game out, but a smaller company like SF doesn't have a lot of extra cash lying around, so they need to recoup their investment on schedule or the company suffers.
Paradox and SF willingly and knowingly entered into an agreement to make this game. Paradox promised to give them a finished game, but at some point they must have realized they weren't going to make it on time. Is that SFs fault? No. It is Paradox's fault, for failing to live up to their agreement.
Of course Paradox probably went to SF and asked for more time, and after one or more of these requests SF must have told them no, and insisted the game be prepared for release as is. And that *is* SFs fault. But they never would have been in that position if Paradox had done their job right. So it seems to me that they share the blame for HoI's flaws.
