Why is Victoria 3 not coming any time soon, my two cents...

  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

Warchief Thrall

Corporal
67 Badges
Jan 5, 2014
25
23
  • Divine Wind
  • Victoria 2: Heart of Darkness
  • Victoria 2: A House Divided
  • Europa Universalis IV: Pre-order
  • Victoria: Revolutions
  • Europa Universalis IV: Res Publica
  • Heir to the Throne
  • Europa Universalis IV: Call to arms event
  • Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations
  • Europa Universalis IV: Conquest of Paradise
  • Europa Universalis IV: Art of War
  • Crusader Kings II
  • Europa Universalis III: Chronicles
  • Europa Universalis III
  • Crusader Kings II: Sword of Islam
  • Crusader Kings II: Sunset Invasion
  • Crusader Kings II: Sons of Abraham
  • Crusader Kings II: The Republic
  • Stellaris - Path to Destruction bundle
  • Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods
  • Crusader Kings II: Legacy of Rome
  • Europa Universalis IV: Mandate of Heaven
  • Europa Universalis IV: Rights of Man
  • Crusader Kings II: Monks and Mystics
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Together for Victory
  • Stellaris: Leviathans Story Pack
  • Stellaris: Digital Anniversary Edition
  • Crusader Kings II: Way of Life
  • Stellaris: Distant Stars
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Death or Dishonor
  • Europa Universalis IV: Golden Century
  • Europa Universalis IV: Cradle of Civilization
  • Europa Universalis IV: Rule Britannia
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Expansion Pass
  • Stellaris: Humanoids Species Pack
  • Stellaris: Apocalypse
  • Crusader Kings II: Reapers Due
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Colonel
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Cadet
  • Stellaris Sign-up
  • Stellaris
  • Europa Universalis IV: Dharma
  • Crusader Kings II: Conclave
  • Europa Universalis IV: Cossacks
  • Crusader Kings II: Horse Lords
  • Europa Universalis IV: Common Sense
  • Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado
  • Victoria 2
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Stellaris: Necroids
Long thread ahead. You have been warned!

Hello everyone. I, just like a lot of people out there have been a little bit suprised by the fact that Victoria 3 wasn't announced on PDXCON 2019. Instead CK 3 was announced for 2020. Well I think I might have an idea what is going on and what is Paradox's potential plan with their releases for the future or the next generation of their grand strategy games. As we all know the release of CK 2 is what really kickstarted the Paradox Interactive into a new age, as well as their new DLC policy they started using since then. When you look at the development cycle of their new releases you can see that there is quite a bit of down time between them. CK 2 came out in 2012 and EU IV came out in 2013, reasonable time frame between releases. But then it took them another 3 years up until 2016 to release new games in the form of Stellaris and HOI IV, and then another 3 years up until 2019 to release Imperator: Rome.

In these intermediate periods they only relayed on DLCs to cover the costs. And as we all know their DLC policy didn't always turn out to be for the best, especially in the case of CK 2 and EU IV. Too many DLC and too many of them were just small money grabs. Their Stellaris and HOI IV DLC policies were a lot better, bigger more content rich DLC with longer development cycles. Probably taught with these experiences and the fact that some of the games didn't really turn out that well in their initial releases, most notable with Imperator: Rome. Paradox probably decided to change some of their release plans for their future games and their general DLC policy which will probably be more in vein of HOI IV and Stellaris.

So instead of risking longer development periods between new releases and relying simply on DLC content which is not always received and sold in the best way, they might go for a release of a new game every year. And that new era actually started this year with the release of Imperator. And continues next year with CK 3. CK 2 and EU IV are at the end of their development cycles, the games have been out for so long and as much as they changed in the past 6-7 years, sometimes a new game is better since you can't always change the fundamentals. I also think they are gonna go chronological with these releases, Imperator was the earliest time period, followed by CK 3 as the next one.

EU V is probably gonna follow in 2021, because it will be high time for it by then. And then that brings us to Victoria 3 which by that logic would be the next one with 2022 release date. I think Vicoria 3 has been in development already but because of the complexity of some of its systems and the fact that their biggest money makers CK2 and EUIV are are at the end and the fact that right now they can't risk another big blunder like Imperator the release has been postponed to a newer generation. That is why at this stage the release of CK 3 is a much safer bet. After Victoria 3, HOI V will probably follow in 2023 and Stellaris 2 in 2024 (Or maybe finally that Cold War game we have all wanted. East vs West, remember how you killed it Paradox?). This means new game every year, which avoids longer periods of just relying on DLCs for income, and in the case of some blunders they still have a chance to fix it with next year's new release rather than going through a longer process of fixing the already existing game.

Just as mentioned these are my two cents on what is the plan for the future. Of course I could be entirely, miserably wrong about all of it. I just hope I am not wrong about that Cold War game (hope you are reading this Paradox).
 
  • 3Like
Reactions:
Ironically.

HoI4 and Stellaris both had twice as long development time than Eu4&CK2.
 
@Johan I was so sure you were just joking/trolling on that panel. Now I'm not so sure... And I'm pretty sure you are not going to confirm or deny anything... You are evil... Evil, I say... (Also, I'm now going to start planning to attend PDX-con 2020).
 
Wiz was a moder for ck2 and Victoria 2 and we know he isn’t lead on ck3 so vic3 confirmed?
He was also game director for EU4 for a moment so maybe he works on EU5? But I doubt that @Johan would give away EU5 to anyone. It's his child from the very beginning of the series. But who knows. Do say, @Johan, would you ever allow anyone to create new EU game without your involvment? It's theoretical question really. :)
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
[....]
I think Vicoria 3 has been in development already but because of the complexity of some of its systems and the fact that their biggest money makers CK2 and EUIV are are at the end and the fact that right now they can't risk another big blunder like Imperator the release has been postponed to a newer generation
[..]

A few years back for sure, but at the moment it is unlikely. Podcat mentioned at Paradoxcon panel 2019 that HoI 4 has the most active player base across all Paradox games and if you look up the steam stats it seems true. So most likely it also sells most DLC and makes most money
 
The forums will rejoice once Vic3 is announced. Come release day, they’ll cry it’s featureless like IR and wonder why.

You may be right, but I think that a Victoria 3 can be less prone to feeling empty IF they manage to make interesting economy and pop systems.

Victoria 2 is in some regards fairly light on content, but the underlying mechanics made playing any nation that could westernize in a reasonable ammount of time somewhat interesting.
 
You may be right, but I think that a Victoria 3 can be less prone to feeling empty IF they manage to make interesting economy and pop systems.

Victoria 2 is in some regards fairly light on content, but the underlying mechanics made playing any nation that could westernize in a reasonable ammount of time somewhat interesting.

This is very very true. Whereas another game like Imperator might rise or fall on the quantity of its flavor aspects, a Vicky game will always succeed or fail depending on the strength of the underlying game mechanics, and primarily whether it captures that Vicky charm of interlocking dependencies and network effects. The simple starting position of each country with respect to resources and demographics leaves an inexorable draw and mark of character on every country regardless of whether it has even a single unique event or decision, and in so many ways in Victoria it is left up to the player to invent the extra details and flavor in their mind, only the basic storyline is necessary from the game because it is an interesting one.
 
We just need someone to champion it. We had Johan who is a Romanophile so we got a real Rome game that doesn’t suck. Now we just need some dev who is an economist nerd who loves number crunching or simulations, or someone who wants to bask in the glory of the British empire’s greatest era who will revive the idea of Victoria series.
 
I am 90% convinced Victoria III has been in development for 3 years now, Wiz ist the Game Director and it will be announced in 2020.

On the other hand, I would never have expected CK III this year, so what do I know.
 
I was really surprised they announced a CK3 before a Vicky 3. I too long for the day they do Vicky 3 and I hope at some point they make 1914 a possible starting point.
 
With all the hype about Victoria 3 and rather tiring "IsiTviCKy3??7" jokes over literally any teaser or announcement from Paradox I think the best course of action is not to announce it at all. Just let subforum for Victoria 3 silently appear on the Upcoming games page, and some paradox devs on Twitter may change their bio to "developer of Victoria 3" without saying anything.