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With PDXCON 2019 in full swing,
Paradox Interactive has lots of news to share today. First up is the
announcement of Crusader Kings III, a new
installment in their medieval grand strategy series coming to PC via Steam
and
Xbox Game Pass next year. This includes word that Crusader Kings II is now free on
all platforms, correcting our recent
report that this was free for just this weekend. The
Announcement Trailer
for the new game is included, as are some details, and they promise to shed more
light on the plan over the coming months. Here's word: The security of a
dynasty rests in the quality of its successors. An heir should be strong. An
heir should be forward thinking. Heirs should improve on the oversights of their
predecessors. But the most successful heirs are those who build on an already
secure foundation.
Crusader Kings III is the sequel to the classic Paradox Development Studio game
about medieval conquest, intrigue, religion and high drama. It is a firm step in
the direction of a new generation of grand strategy games, with new 3D character
models and an even more detailed map. Designed to enhance the experience of
Paradox veterans while being more welcoming to young squires, Crusader Kings III
is a rich setting for an infinite number of new stories.
Crusader Kings III is slated to arrive in 2020, available for PC via Steam and
included in Xbox Game Pass for PC.
“Crusader Kings III is a grand medieval simulator where you are free to live out
any plausible ruler fantasy that we could think of - but not without challenge.”
says Henrik Fåhraeus, the Game Director. “Seeing its predecessor explode in
popularity was very satisfying, especially considering that user friendliness
was never our primary goal. Now we have a chance to address an even larger
audience.”
Crusader Kings III is the ultimate grand strategy role-playing experience.
- Shape Your Dynasty: Guide unique characters
through history, choosing lifestyles best suited to their personalities and
your ambitions.
- Rewrite Medieval History: Dynasties will change
and adapt to changes in family and politics, and religious beliefs are more
firmly under your control.
- Build a Mighty Kingdom: Use your vassals’ fear of
you as a weapon or call on familial obligations to persuade reluctant
relatives to submit.
- Experience High Drama: Stranger than fiction
stories leap off the screen, as characters plot against you and events push
you to extremes.
- Learn as You Go: Guided advice to help newcomers
navigate a rich medieval world. In-game suggestions tip you off to paths you
might not have considered.
- The Usual Crusader Kings Fun: Keep a stubborn
council in line, scheme against your overbearing uncle or marry the rich
duchy...oops, I mean pious duke or duchess of your dreams.
Greater detail about the features of Crusader Kings III will be coming in the
next few months.
Continue here to read the full story.
PDXCON also features the announcement of Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong,
a new RPG based on the popular World of Darkness property. This is being
published by BIGBEN, rather than Paradox, as it's being created by Cyanide
Studio, the French developer owned by BIGBEN. Swansong is the third Bloodlines
game we know of that's currently in development, along with Vampire: The
Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, which was
recently delayed
until late next year, and Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York,
which is said to
be nearing release. Swansong is further off, carrying a 2021 release window.
Here's what they reveal about this for now: On the heels of Werewolf: The
Apocalypse - Earthblood, Bigben’s catalogue is expanding its presence in The
World of Darkness with the production of a new video game based on the famous
franchise Vampire: The Masquerade. Already teased at Bigben Week 2019, this new
game titled Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong will release in 2021. It will be
developed by Big Bad Wolf studio, a narrative RPG specialist and author of the
award-winning game The Council.
Vampire: The Masquerade is the most iconic role-playing game of its generation
and sets the standard for many tabletop gamers. The first setting in the World
of Darkness universe created by White Wolf Publishing in 1991, Vampire: The
Masquerade transposes the vampire myth into modern societies. The player takes
control of one of these immortal creatures hiding in the shadows of our cities.
They struggle to control their bloodthirsty instincts by leading a life of both
predator and outcast, in a world where the boundaries between reality and the
supernatural are always blurred. Vampires in The World of Darkness are nothing
like the solitary monsters of the ancient legends. They are superior and
sophisticated creatures who live among humans behind a shield of secrecy: The
Masquerade. Organised into complex secret societies, they create their own laws
and are members of distinct clans with contrasting visions of their role in the
world.
Thrilled with the success of The Council, Big Bad Wolf studio intends to
continue specialising in narrative RPGs, a new genre that they are helping to
define with their creations. With this adaptation of Vampire: The Masquerade,
the team is working on its most ambitious project. The game will feature a
strong story, supported by solid RPG mechanics that respect the rules of the
fifth edition of Vampire: The Masquerade and the universe of The World of
Darkness.
"At the studio, we're long-time and passionate fans of the tabletop role-playing
game Vampire: The Masquerade. We have wanted to create a video game inspired by
this universe for several years now. This project fits perfectly with Bigben’s
desire to expand its catalogue of narrative games. We are very happy to be
unveiling it together," says Thomas Veauclin, Creative & Art Director at Big Bad
Wolf.
"My past experience as an editor and author of role-playing games, and also as
Editor-in-Chief of an RPG magazine, is proof of how important this project means
to me personally," adds Benoit Clerc, Head of Publishing at Bigben." Just like
me, many fans have been waiting a long time for a new adaptation of this cult
game, which will be developed by one of the most talented studios of its
generation."
In this narrative RPG adapted from the 5th edition of Vampire: The Masquerade,
the player takes control of 3 vampires belonging to different clans of the
Camarilla, the secret society to which most vampires belong. Weaving between
their intertwined tales, the player has to confront the different points of view
of his characters to unravel fact from fiction. With whispers of conspiracy,
murder and power struggles, the player must protect his clan, discover the truth
and above all enforce the Masquerade, the vampire law designed to conceal the
existence of creatures of the night from humans.
Here's more World of Darkness news from PDXCON from BIGBEN. They unveil a
Reveal Trailer for
Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood and say the game is expected for
release in Summer 2020 on Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. The clip comes
along with some scant first details on the plan: Werewolf: The Apocalypse
- Earthblood is one of the flagship games of the latest PDXCon. Presented on
stage a few hours ago by Patch, Cyanide's Game Director, the fans of the
pen-and-paper role-playing game learned a lot more about the game which comes
out in Summer 2020.
In a very first trailer revealed in a sneak peek, fans were given a preview of
Cahal, a werewolf who has been exiled for several years and who has come back to
his endangered tribe. Endron, the oil-producing subsidiary of the multinational
Pentex, is installing an extraction site and is destroying the forest around a
sanctuary. At times a wolf, at times a human, Cahal can transform into a
werewolf when rage consumes him.
Discover the game trailer that was presented exclusively at PDXCon:
https://youtu.be/irh92dbKLl8
Following the presentation of the trailer, Patch gave more details on the
principal characteristics of the game. As a big fan of the pen-and-paper game,
it's only natural that he became the driving force for this project within
Cyanide. The video game carries over all the main aspects of the pen-and-paper
game in an unflinchingly mature universe overflowing with current topics such as
the destruction of nature by man and their machines. Rage, a central element of
the game, brings a subtlety to the game which requires players to learn to
control it in order to make the most of it.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood is the first action-RPG game adapted from
the eponymous game. Mature, brutal, and complex, it invites the player to embody
Cahal throughout his quest of bloody redemption. He'll play an essential role in
the great war led by the Garous against Pentex, whose activities are devastating
the natural world.
Werewolf : The Apocalypse – Earthblood will be available on PS4, Xbox One and PC
in 2020.
Continue here to read the full story.
A new Heavy Metal expansion is coming to BATTLETECH on November
21st, announces Paradox, who say this will add eight new mechs to the Windows,
macOS, and Linux turn-based strategy game. Word is this will be sold separately,
but it is part of the Season Pass for those who already own one. Here's a Don
Felder-free Announcement
Trailer, and here's word: Heavy Metal adds a massive amount of new
gameplay options to the world of BATTLETECH, including seven classic ‘Mech
designs from the original BATTLETECH board game and an additional ‘Mech designed
exclusively for this expansion. Players can also look forward to eight new
weapons systems to destroy their foes in unique ways, along with a brand new
Flashpoint mini-campaign.
Key Features:
- One Original and Seven Classic BattleMechs:
Seven classic ‘Mechs from BATTLETECH’s 35-year legacy make their triumphant
return along with the first completely new ‘Mech designed exclusively for
this expansion. Each classic ‘Mech comes with unique equipment that reflects
the flavor and lore of the original board game.
- Eight Game-changing New Weapon Systems:
Eight all-new weapon systems can be utilized to destroy even the most
formidable opponents in a wide variety of unique ways. The ‘Mech Mortar is
the first AOE weapon in BATTLETECH and can destroy multiple units at once,
while the new COIL Beam generates more energy the further the attacker
travels before firing, a perfect fit for light ‘Mechs.
- New Flashpoint Mini-Campaign: Come
face-to-face with two legendary characters from BATTLETECH lore - the Bounty
Hunter and the Black Widow of Wolf’s Dragoons. A derelict cargo ship has
drifted into the Periphery from deep space; what secrets does it contain,
and who will ultimately control its mysterious payload?
“Heavy Metal brings a greater level of diversity to BATTLETECH by including
eight new ‘Mechs and a variety of devastating weapon systems that will change
the way players destroy their opponents,” said Mitch Gitelman, BATTLETECH Game
Director and co-founder of Harebrained Schemes. “The new mini-campaign weaves
its way through your mercenary career to the point when you become an elite
MechCommander, capable of facing off with two of the most legendary MechWarriors
in BATTLETECH history.”
Continue here to read the full story.
Paradox Interactive announces Psych Ward: Warden's Edition, an expansion for
Prison Architect that's coming to the incarceration simulation on November 21st
along with a free update for the base game. This is the first addition to the
game since Paradox locked up the IP earlier
this year from Introversion Software, and development is being handled by
Double Eleven. They also reveal that plans are in place for an additional
expansion they expect to bust out sometime next year. An
Announcement Trailer
accompanies the news, which follows: Paradox Interactive revealed the
latest expansion for Prison Architect, Psych Ward: Warden’s Edition, is
launching on PC on November 21, 2019 for a suggested retail price of $5.99 /
£4.79 / €5.99. While Psych Ward has been available on consoles since 2017, Psych
Ward: Warden’s Edition includes additional content not available in Psych Ward’s
console release and will launch alongside a free content update to the base
game.
Developed by Double Eleven, Psych Ward: Warden’s Edition introduces
unpredictable inmates with new behaviors, adds additional management features,
and gives players more ways to customize their prisons. Psych Ward: Warden’s
Edition expands on Psych Ward’s console features and adds an additional warden,
padded solitary cells, padded floors, Psychiatrist office upgrades, Orderly
staff, and more.
“Psych Ward: Warden’s Edition is built to enhance Prison Architect’s existing
gameplay mechanics to give players new and interesting ways to experience the
game,” Steacy McIlwham, Product Manager for Prison Architect at Paradox
Interactive, said. “Each feature in this expansion brings its own set of
scenarios and opportunities that require players to get creative with their
prison management. Psych Ward: Warden’s Edition is just the start of our plans
for Prison Architect, we have much more in the works that you’ll hear about
soon.”
Psych Ward: Warden’s Edition will be the first PC expansion to be released since
Paradox purchased the Prison Architect IP and partnered with developer Double
Eleven earlier this year.
Psych Ward: Warden’s Edition Key Features
- Plead Insanity: Criminally insane inmates
are unpredictable, require special care, and have their own Reputation
traits for you to consider when building your prison. Let them co-exist with
the general population or lock them away in a padded cell, how you manage
their needs is up to you!
- Shrinks: Any prison holding the criminally
insane needs a team of Psychiatrists and trained Orderlies to keep
everything under control. These valuable prison staff can sedate rowdy
prisoners or pull out the straitjackets when things get too rough.
- Doctor’s Note: Provide counseling to the
criminally insane with the new Psychiatrist’s Office and new consultation
Programs. Improve their sessions by upgrading the office with leather sofas,
medicine cabinets, Rorschach tests, and more.
- Good Behavior: Your inmates now have a wide
range of behaviors players will need to manage. They start out harmless, but
if left untreated, they can turn violent or attempt to escape.
- It’s Gone Viral: Treat your regular inmates
with care. Subjecting your inmates to excessive suppression or punishment
can cause them to turn criminally insane.
- Extra Padding: Psych Ward: Warden’s Edition
adds padded cells and padded floors along with a bundle of other new
objects, floors, and wall types to customize your prison. Now you can easily
build a dedicated wing for the criminally insane.
- Tools of the Trade: Additional contraband,
including Adrenaline Shots, Fountain Pens (Shanks), and Gold Pocket Watches,
can be stolen by your prisoners, or by you in Escape Mode.
Paradox and Double Eleven also revealed they have an additional Prison
Architect expansion in development that will launch in 2020.
Continue here to read the full story.
Also from Paradox Interactive is the revelation of La Résistance, a new
expansion that will bring French freedom fighters to Hearts of Iron IV, their
World War II strategy sequel. The
Announcement Trailer
takes us behind enemy lines with a cinematic look at what to expect, and the
announcement has more, including word that the main game will receive a free
when this is released "soon": The quickest way to kill an enemy is to do
it from within. Learn its secrets. Sabotage its industry. Break its codes.
Strike at vulnerable points behind the front lines. Send agents to build a
network of informants and a secret army that will rise against the occupiers.
Resistance is never futile.
Paradox Development Studios is happy to announce Hearts of Iron IV: La
Résistance, an expansion to the best-selling grand strategy wargame. La
Résistance introduces a new espionage system to the game, and also increases the
range of interactions and options with resistance movements in occupied
territory.
Features of Hearts of Iron IV: La Résistance includes:
- New Focus Trees for France: New National Focuses for Free France and the
Vichy Regime, as well as an option for conservatives to restore the old
French Monarchy.
- More in Depth Spanish Campaign: New National Focuses for Republican and
Nationalist Spain, as well as an expanded Spanish Civil War that can spiral
into a wider conflict..
- Espionage: Use you Intelligence Agency to train spies to specialize in
certain types of information warfare and develop passive resistance to enemy
espionage, then send them on special operations.
- Support Resistance: Use your agents to assist allied resistance
movements, giving them what they need to damage the enemy.
- Collaboration Governments: Use your agents to prepare the ground for
collaborators to fill the void once you’ve conquered your target.
- Code Cracking: Decrypt enemy communications to gain short term
battlefield advantages.
- Recon units: Scout planes can provide useful information on nearby areas
while armored cars help in detecting and suppressing resistance activities.
As usual, La Résistance will be accompanied by a significant free update to
Hearts of Iron IV, available to all players. This update will include a
reworking of the resistance system, interface improvements to battleplans and
air operations, and many other quality of life improvements.
Continue here to read the full story.
Paradox's flood of new announcements today includes the revelation of
Revelations, the first expansion for Age of Wonders: Planetfall, their sci-fi
turn-based strategy game for Windows, Linux, and macOS. This will introduce
ancient Heritor Secret Technology, new campaign missions, and location mechanics
when it is released on November 19th. Here's the
Announcement Trailer
along with more on the add-on, which is part of the game's season pass: Revelations
sets in motion the return of the entombed Es’Teq dynasty, whose Heritor
descendents aim to use ancient technology and reincarnate billions of followers
across the galaxy, establishing divine rule. The Heritor wield strong Entropy
weapons that are effective against machines and can awaken ancient Es'Teq minds.
Claim ancient secrets or succumb to their power in a new campaign with tactical
combat and in-depth empire building.
New Key Features:
- Anomalous Sites Mechanic - Explore 30+ mysterious sites filled with traps and
powerful enemies to reap unique rewards and uncover great secrets. Encounter
unique choices based on each faction or Secret Technology.
- Additional Campaign Missions - Experience the awakening of the Es’teq dynasty
and the rise of their Heritor descendants with 10+ hours of new content across
two campaigns.
- New Secret Tech: Heritor - Use ancient Heritor technology to drain the essence
of enemies, fueling the opportunity to use powerful abilities, create strong
Entropy weapons, and summon new units.
- Tomb World Scenario - Challenge yourself to complete this deadly new Scenario,
where Heritor enemies create an onslaught of destruction. This scenario also
includes a new multiplayer questline to allow more players to join in on the
action.
- 'The Forgotten' NPC Faction - Broken, insane, or otherwise unfit for Heritor’s
utopian society, The Forgotten were never meant to be resurrected.
- Threats to Your Empire - Reapers are robotic assassins created long ago to
destroy those who were friendly to the Heritor cause, but now hunt all who walk
the planet. Equally deadly are the Megasow and Piglets, bio-engineered wildlife
gone rabid after the fall of the Star Union, which will devour anything in
sight.
- Locations, Pick-Ups, & Mechanics - Visit an Essence Gash or Es’Teq Well
locations to supply new combat effects or abilities to your units. The Holopad
pickup provides diplomatic rewards and additional influence over allies and
enemies. Take over Imperial Defenses like the new Soul Beacon, Cluster Mine
Launcher, or Firestorm Missile Silo to aid in combat.
- Free Content - All players will gain the ability to take over the new Imperial
Defenses, unlocking Operations that boost the combat effect of your colonies. In
addition, the Orbital Relays mechanic boosts your empire’s infrastructure to
allow for nearly instant unit transportation between sectors - but beware of
sabotage interference by enemies!
"This first expansion allows players to explore deeper into the Planetfall
universe, uncovering how the collapse of the Star Union empire has awakened
beings from its mysterious past,” said Lennart Sas, co-founder of Triumph
Studios and Game Director of Age of Wonders: Planetfall. “With the introduction
of Heritor Secret Technology, NPCs, and Essence, Revelations is a new chapter
for Planetfall that will affect the rise and fall of empires to come.”
Continue here to read the full story.
Still more from Paradox Interactive is their announcement of two new add-ons for
Stellaris: A major diplomacy-themed expansion called Federations coming later
this year and a species pack DLC titled Lithoids which will launch on Thursday.
They are now accepting preorders of Federations on
Paradox Interactive;
GOG.com; or
Steam and you can also preorder Lithoids from
Paradox Interactive;
GOG.com;
or
Steam. Here's the
Federations Announcement Teaser, here's the
Lithoids Trailer, and
here are some details: The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy
without fighting. With the Stellaris: Federations expansion, players can extend
their diplomatic dominion over the galaxy like never before. Use every trick in
the book to gain an edge on friend and foe alike, with a host of new options to
influence, manipulate, and dominate without firing a shot.
Federations features include:
- Expanded Federations: With expanded
diplomacy capabilities, players can build up the internal cohesion of their
Federations and unlock powerful rewards for all members. Whether you join a
Trade League, Martial Alliance, or Hegemony, membership can be extremely
advantageous.
- Galactic Community: Unite the space empires
with a galactic senate that can vote on a wide range of resolutions to drive
legislative agendas. For example, players can pass a resolution to increase
commitments to collective defense or funnel profit towards wealthy elites.
Members can also sanction those who defy the community, and enact a single
galactic focus. Sway the senate to position yourself as a leader, trading
favors and maneuvering, doing whatever it takes to gain influence among
schemers.
- Origins: Each empire has a story that
shapes its path. Give your civilization deeper roots with the new system of
Origins. By choosing an Origin, players can flesh out their empire’s
background and alter its starting conditions. Whether it’s Void Dwellers who
have abandoned their homeworld to live in perpetual orbit, or a society that
worships and protects a powerful Tree of Life, you can lay the groundwork
wisely for the seeds of your empire.
- New Constructions: Construct glorious new
projects for your empire like the Juggernaut, a massive mobile starbase that
provides a moveable repair base even in enemy territory, or the Mega
Shipyard, a new megastructure that can churn out fleets with incredible
speed. Offering both tactical advantages and a good dose of shock and/or
awe, these are sure to be an asset to any space empire.
In addition, the Lithoids Species Pack features not only completely new
gameplay but also a selection of new rock-based species portraits and ship
models for players who take nothing for granite and are looking to unearth a
more grounded civilization. Lithoids are a bigger and boulder species type made
entirely of sapient rock who eat minerals for sustenance, are long-lived, and
can colonize in almost any environment.
Players can look forward to trying out the entirely new Lithoid play style that
focuses on mineral production, relentless colonization of even the most marginal
worlds, and refusing to cede an inch of your empire - for sedimental value. The
Lithoids Species Pack includes:
- Unique Mechanics for Lithoid Empires
- 15 New Portraits of Lithoids and 1 of a Lithoid
robot
- New Mineral-based Ship Models
- New voice pack
Continue here to read the full story.
When Paradox Interactive announced Surviving the Aftermath just
last week they promised more
details on this Surviving Mars follow-up at PDXCON. The surprise here is that
this is now available in Early Access for Windows on the
Epic Games Store and for Xbox One through Xbox Game Preview. This includes
an early bird discount, and they say the full version of the game will launch in
late 2020 through the Epic Games Store, Steam, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
Here's the Early Access
Launch Trailer and here's a briefing: In Surviving the Aftermath,
players will build and manage a colony of survivors in the shadow of a
world-ending event. Resources are scarce following the apocalypse, and survival
requires mastery of complex systems to optimize production and colony management
to ensure nothing is wasted. Players will construct buildings, manage colonists,
adapt to natural disasters and more in an effort to restore civilization.
Surviving the Aftermath is more than a colony builder and enables players to go
beyond the shelter to explore a dangerous world filled with unique biomes,
hazards, bandits, and more. Recruit and send out teams of Specialists to gather
resources and intelligence about the world around the colony. Players can see
what their teams have discovered by utilizing a vast overworld map that adds
layers of strategic gameplay not typically included in a colony builder.
“Throughout Surviving Mars’ development we learned the importance of listening
to our community and their feedback helped elevate that game to new heights,”
said Nikhat Ali, Lead Producer on Surviving the Aftermath at Paradox
Interactive. “With Surviving the Aftermath we want to get our players involved
as early as possible so we can make sure we’re making the game they want to
play. We have an ambitious content schedule ahead of us that includes monthly
updates where we will incorporate feedback from our players and we’re confident
the team at Iceflake is the right team for the job.”
“Surviving the Aftermath is the game we’ve always wanted to make,” Lasse
Liljedahl, CEO and Lead Designer at Iceflake Studios, said. “When we pitched our
plan to Paradox, they recognized our passion and commitment to making this game
the best survival colony builder it can be. We’re beyond thrilled to finally
share our dream project with the world and to have the support of one of the
industry’s leading publishers.”
Surviving the Aftermath Features:
- No Place Like Home: Build and manage a
colony of survivors after a world-ending event. Construct more than 50
unique buildings to handle everything from resource collection and farming
to exploration and security. Don’t forget to construct the Gate to venture
into the savage world beyond your colony.
- Surviving Earth: Explore a vast
procedurally generated world featuring six different biomes filled with
exploitable resources, bandits, and more. Each environment has different
conditions that will affect your colony’s survival. Stay vigilant: Natural
disasters will put your survivors to the test.
- Survival is my Specialty: Recruit over 46
unique Specialists, each with their own skills and motivations, to manage
your colony’s resources and production. Send them beyond the Gate on
scientific missions, scavenger runs, and to fight bandits.
- Expect the Unexpected: Life in the
aftermath requires you to make moral choices. You may not be able to control
everything in your colony, but how you respond to situations and emergent
events will shape the character of your new civilization.
Mods: Surviving the Aftermath players can bring their own visions to life
using Paradox Mods.
Future updates to Surviving the Aftermath include diplomacy and combat
options between colonies, expanded tech trees, endgame content and much more. To
learn more about Surviving the Aftermath, and to check out the content roadmap,
head over to
http://survivingtheaftermath.com
Well! I knew PDXCON was kicking off this weekend, but I certainly didn't expect
the flood of news that it would bring. So many stories for a Saturday... a true
paradox!
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