Author: Donster

europa-universalis-vParadox Interactive’s Flagship Series Enters New Generation

A quarter century after the release of the historical grand strategy game that launched an empire, the Europa Universalis enters a dramatic new era with Europa Universalis V. Paradox Interactive’s flagship historical series about the early modern world is being updated with a fresh, new version for a new generation, a game that dares you to be ambitious.

Designed over five years by Paradox Tinto, Europa Universalis V builds on 25 years of tradition and experience to deliver the same captivating empire building and alternate histories that have been the hallmark of Paradox’s grand strategy games. Europa Universalis V has been crafted with the devoted Paradox fan in mind, incorporating feedback delivered by the fan community over a year of public discussion, and giving this dedicated audience a voice in the realization of this new vision.

Europa Universalis V draws inspiration from the latest generation of Paradox historical titles, expanding the range of possibilities available for the largest and most detailed Europa Universalis game ever made.

Watch the Europa Universalis V: Official Announcement Trailer HERE.

Features of Europa Universalis V include:

  • A New and Larger Map: Using a more accurate map projection to better reflect the size of the continents, Europa Universalis V lets you choose from any of hundreds of different societies. Start as a mighty emperor or a local chieftain or warlord anywhere on earth. A more detailed map allows for a greater number of nations and more varied topographical features.
  • A Longer Time Scale: The game’s campaign starts in 1337, the year of the opening of the Hundred Years’ War – the great struggle over the French crown that marked the zenith of the late Medieval era. Lead your nation through the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and other historical ages, choosing how you will adjust to an ever changing world.
  • Population Based System: Departing from the familiar province-focused system of earlier games in the series, Europa Universals V represents the population of each province in detail. Manage cultural and religious tensions in your realm, deal with estates as they wax and wane in power, and meet the basic and luxury demands of this varied population.
  • Thousands of Historical Events: Watch history unfold before you as the great moments of the past make their mark on your game. Dynamically responding to the game situation, these historical events challenge players to repeat or improve on the great accomplishments of the past.
  • Detailed Production and Trade System: Build farms, plantations, crafting buildings and factories to provide goods to satisfy your economic and military needs. Or, if your nation can’t provide the things you need, trade for them from neighboring nations.Some buildings require specific goods to be in supply, so you either invest in new industries or make a deal with your neighbors. Use roads, ports and fleets to expand your trading region and enrich your nation by managing the wealth of the world.
  • Design a Nation to Suit Your Situation: Adopt policies and laws to adapt to your situation as you discover new technologies and ideas. Move towards greater centralization or a looser power sharing arrangement. Build an army based on masses of manpower or a more elite professional force. Will you be tolerant of other faiths and cultures, or advocate for a single faith and single culture? A world of possibilities awaits you.
  • Deep Military and Diplomatic Systems: Dominate the world through either sword or pen. Rally mercenaries, levies or professional soldiers to your flag as you cut a blood path through history. But be careful! A bloody war fought with levies has a direct impact on your population. Consider a lighter touch, using royal marriages, trade treaties and alliances to expand your power and preserve peace.
  • Europa Universalis V will be coming soon from Paradox Interactive.

    panzer-corps-2-elite-ghost-divisionAchtung, Panzer Generals!

    We have a surprise announcement to share with you today. Not content to remain resting on our laurels over the recently released dynamic Cyrenaica campaign, Panzer Corps 2 is powering forward with yet another new campaign. Since Panzer Corps 2 is still going strong more than 5 years after our initial launch, we’re looking to add some truly Elite content to our line up of awesome campaigns!

    To herald this new campaign, we’ve picked none other than the venerated 7th Panzer Division, perhaps better known as Rommel’s Ghost Division.

    A Potential New Beginning
    There’s a few goals we’re aiming to achieve with Panzer Corps 2’s Elite campaigns, and since is this our first reveal, we wanted to lay them out for our community right off the bat.

    The very first thing we want to say is that Panzer Corps 2 is going to join in the fight against increasing inflation, and therefore we’re working towards actually reducing the price of this campaign compared to the standard Panzer Corps 2 DLC price! Panzer Corps 2 wouldn’t be so active with new content and new updates after all this time without our amazing community, and the last thing we want to do is to just hike prices on our loyal community of awesome gamers.

    Secondly, we’re aiming to use the Elite campaigns as a vehicle to more rapidly deploy more playable nations into Panzer Corps 2’s campaigns. Now some players of you might be asking why would we start with a German Division in this case, but we’ve got ‘Panzer’ baked directly into our game title and we really to lean on our strengths for a strong an opening as possible.

    Something else we’re going be to experimenting with is longer gameplay timelines. We haven’t seen a campaign cover all of the technology and unit advancement that comes from a 1939-1945 journey since the stock Panzer Corps 2 campaign, and this focus on the achievements of a single division through the course of the war will finally bring that aspect back.

    So while we certainly have our plans, in this particular case we’re actually very curious to hear from the community on which WWII faction you are most interested in seeing as a potential new campaign. Is it time for a Japanese campaign in the spotlight, or perhaps you are itching to take the fight to the Axis in a Soviet campaign? Let us know in the comment section!

    The first Elite Division
    In all of our research of the enormous amount of Axis and Allied divisions that fought during World War II, one absolutely stood out above the rest in so many ways. From the length of their service stretching all the way from September of 1939 to April of 1945 to some of their extraordinary accomplishments such as the drive to the Channel Coast, their feats endure through time in real military analysis of their exploits, in our history books, in inspiring stories we tell, and even in the games we play.

    To the Germans, they were designated as the Elite 7th Panzer Division. To their enemies, they were known as the Ghost Division!

    We’ll reveal a lot more information about this new campaign in the days ahead, but for now you can check out this link for some more details and screenshots.

    Upcoming Panzer Corps Day
    Did you know that 2024’s Panzer Corps Day was a success way beyond our expectations? On that day, our active population of thousands of players were joined by a surge of over 100,000 viewers watching various Panzer Corps 2 Streams!

    Our only regret then was that we didn’t have enough on offer to showcase to so many eyes focused on our game, and so we’re really looking to remedy that this year on July 11th.

    In fact, Elite – Ghost Division was originally supposed to come out for Panzer Corps Day, but we put respect on their name and emulated their swiftness with the speed of our development to the point that we’re actually aiming for Ghost Division to launch in May, just this month!

    But that also means we’ve got even more, and potentially even bigger, reveals still saved in store to make this year’s Panzer Corps Day celebration way more massive. Stay tuned for an upcoming Elite: Ghost Division Dev Diary and release date announcement, and get ready for a potential multitude of goodies later this year on July 11th Panzer Corps Day!

    knights-of-the-crusadesExperience the Pivotal Events of the First Crusade in a Unique Hybrid RTS/Grand Strategy Game

    Reverie World Studios, in partnership with independent publishing platform indie.io, is proud to announce that their latest hybrid strategy game, Knights of the Crusades has entered Early Access to involve players directly in the development process of the game. This robust, seamless experience builds on the gameplay principles perfected by Reverie, placing players in the role of a minor knight and his warband at the dawn of two hundred years of Crusades. From there, it is their decision how to make their fortune and forge a small group of soldiers into a military order that will define the political makeup of the Holy Land.

    Watch the Knights of the Crusades Launch Trailer HERE.

    Check out Knights of the Crusades on Steam today.

    Knights of the Crusades focuses on the eponymous medieval period, when the nascent powers of Western Europe united under the banner of religion to bring war to the Holy Land and bring it under Christian rule. The wars continued for two centuries, redefining political, economic, and religious landscapes not just in the Middle East, but across Europe. Military orders played a critical role in the crusades, becoming major players in the grand power plays of the known world Europe. Now, thanks to Knights of the Crusades, players get the chance to build such an order from scratch – or take the reins of the nascent Templar Order, the Emirate of Tripoli, or any of the 52 kingdoms and orders to rewrite history as they see fit.

    Rewriting history is made possible by Reverie’s unique blend of real-time tactical combat, grand strategy systems, and open-ended campaign design. Beginning as a fledgling military order, players must pay close attention to logistics, ensuring their wandering army doesn’t arrive at the gates of Jerusalem with an empty stomach and no materials to build siege engines. They’ll also master tactical combat in a time when kings led charges from the front and the great equalizer of gunpowder had yet to arrive. With the right mix of strategy, leadership, and fortune, players will carve out their domain and enter an even more dangerous battlefield: the world of shifting alliances, fractured diplomacy, and long-term political maneuvering. With a combination of strategic thinking, talented leadership, and the right amount of luck, players will carve out their domain and enter an even bloodier battlefield – great politics in a rapidly shifting landscape, making and breaking alliances in pursuit of the goal.

    rule-the-waves-3Matrix Games has released the Remaster update for Rule the Waves 3. This major update brings a host of new features, improvements, and fixes. Link to the update section HERE.

    Check out the full changelog HERE for all the details.

    More game information is available on the games official website or on Steam.

    Rule the Waves 3 is a simulation of naval ship design and construction, fleet management and naval warfare from 1890 to 1970 and will place you in the role of ‘Grand Admiral’ of a navy from the time when steam and iron dominated warship design up to the missile age. Rule the Waves 3 will let you design and build the ships of your navy, and lead them into battle when war erupts.

    stronghold-crusader-definitive-editionGreetings, Sire! Straight from its stellar public announcement to being in the top five most popular upcoming games in the Steam RTS Fest with 150k wishlists and 130k demo downloads, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is going from strength to strength on the road to its July 15th launch.

    Today, Firefly Studios is thrilled to dive into some of the most highly requested gameplay additions from players for this expanded remaster – brand new units and AI characters! Just as a warrior is only as capable as their weapon, an RTS is only as masterful as its troops and its enemies.

    Watch the 8 New Units Trailer HERE.

    Bringing the new units to life in Crusader: DE was both a challenge and a blast. With most of the original assets missing, everything had to be rebuilt from the foundations,” said Darrin Horbal, Senior Graphic Designer. “This gave me the chance to refine the animations and push for smoother movement, clearer silhouettes, and stronger visual storytelling. The Heavy Camel was especially fun (and tricky), but there’s nothing more satisfying than watching these characters charge across the battlefield, fully animated and game-ready.

    Units are the foundation of any good RTS combat system, being the building blocks for your ultimate military force. On top of the original troop types present in the first game, Crusader: DE aims to offer players an entirely new arsenal of warriors, each equipped with specialised gear for every challenge in the long march to victory. These new units were carefully based on the weapons and strategies of the historical Bedouin Arab tribes that have been present in the Middle East as early as 6000 BCE.

    “With new missions comes new challenges, and new challenges demand new solutions. Enter the Bedouin tribe units – several thousand years of desert-hardened tactics and ruthlessly efficient tools.”

    Bedouin societies are masters at surviving in the unforgiving desert environment, making highly resourceful use of the items and raw materials at their disposal. The development of these units was driven by the aim of creating the level of strategic depth that players have come to expect of the Stronghold series. From the skilled Sappers that are adept at demolishing structures and the pyromaniac Ambushers that drown their enemies in righteous fire, to the brutish, burly Eunuchs dual wielding scimitars and the life-saving medical wisdom of the Healers, players’ only limit would be their own crafty imagination.

    Watch the New Characters Trailer HERE.

    Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition not only elevates the original content that players loved but will bolster the whole package with entirely fresh mission scenarios, units and, of course, AI characters.

    These four new characters serve as opponents for players to fully test their strategic depth against and bring the total of characters in Crusader DE to a whopping 20 (!) Lords. Each of these new lords has been designed to embody a unique tactical and cultural aspect of the ancient world:

    The Kahin is a cold and ruthless priestess of a desert sect. Her mission is to preserve the sanctity of the desert and to kill all those that violate it. As a Bedouin-based AI with a balanced playstyle revolving around Eunuchs and Heavy Camels, she ranks medium on the difficulty scale.

    The Sentinel is a stalwart titan of the Templar Order, a creature so bred for battle that he’s never been seen without his helmet. He employs a deadly cocktail of units including the crippling crossbowmen, marauding macemen and the brand new Demolishers. Being harder to counter than other AI opponents, he ranks medium-to-high difficulty wise.

    “We know that the [original] AI opponents have lived long in players’ memories, so whilst we’re polishing them for a new release, we’re making sure not to disrupt the tried-and-true formula.”

    Then there’s the Nomad, a confident Bedouin warrior whose protection spreads to whatever land he calls his home. Taking after his wandering lifestyle, he utilises Light Camels and Skirmishers to rush his opponents and catch them off guard. A good opponent for those who are looking for a rapid and relentless skirmish match, he ranks lower on the difficulty scale.

    Last but not least is the Jewel, kin of long-standing Stronghold character Sir Longarm and a character who first appeared in Stronghold: Definitive Edition. A veritable force of nature in her own right, she bulldozes enemies using legions of tanky knights and swordsmen, only preferring to move out after amassing sufficient forces. As such, she sits high on the difficulty scale – a true challenge for anyone brave enough to face her.

    Wishlist Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition now on Steam ahead of the game’s full release on July 15th 2025. The desert is a cruel place to fight. Are you sure you have the heart for it?

    sniper-elite-resistanceNew Striking Range Mission Plus Commando Weapon and Skin Pack adds new free content for all players

    Rebellion, one of the world’s most successful independent video game developers and publishers, has today launched additional content for Sniper Elite: Resistance, the latest entry in the smash hit Sniper Elite franchise. The Striking Range Mission, Weapons and Skins pack adds new story content for the main campaign, as well as two new weapons, two character skins and a weapon skin. You can purchase the Striking Range Mission Plus Commando Weapon and Skin Pack on Steam for $15.99.

    Prevent a devastating V1 rocket barrage from decimating the Allied invasion fleet ahead of D-Day while also attempting a covert rescue of the captured Resistance operative, Carillon. Extract the asset and employ whatever means necessary to sabotage the launch site and put it beyond use, permanently.

    To assist you on your mission, the SVT-40 and Mars Automatic Pistol have been added to your armory. Also known as the Tokarev self-loading rifle, the SVT-40 is a Soviet semi-automatic battle rifle that features a refined, light design with a folding magazine release. Whereas the Mars Automatic Pistol was billed as the most powerful handgun in the world at the time.

    The Striking Range Mission, Weapons & Skins Pack includes:

  • Striking Range Campaign Mission
  • SVT-40 Rifle
  • Mars Automatic Pistol
  • Resistance Fighter Character Skin (Harry)
  • Ghillie Suit Elite Character Skin (Harry)
  • Ghillie Rifle Wrap Elite
  • Watch the Sniper Elite: Resistance – Striking Range Mission, Weapons and Skins Pack DLC Trailer HERE.

    Commando Weapon and Skin Pack (Free)

    The Commando Weapon and Skin Pack adds the deadly D.L. Carbine Rifle and the Covert Rifle Wrap to your arsenal. The D.L. Carbine is a suppressed rifle that is extremely quiet, making it a staple weapon among Allied Commandos. The D.L. Carbine also pairs perfectly with the Covert Rifle Wrap, which enhances the stealth capabilities of elite operatives on even the most dangerous of covert missions.

    The Commando Weapon & Skin Pack includes:

  • D.L. Carbine Rifle
  • Covert Rifle Wrap
  • broken-arrowSlitherine Software today announced that Broken Arrow, the large-scale real-time modern warfare tactics game will be released on June 19 on Steam at $49.99.

    VANGUARD EDITION PRE-ORDERS

    But that is not all.
    Pre-orders for a special edition of Broken Arrow begins today. Broken Arrow Vanguard Edition is now available on pre-order at $59.99. It is a special edition which contains a number of exclusive goodies.

  • Advanced access to Broken Arrow: play the game ahead of everyone and jump in on the action on June 16, 3 days before launch
  • Digital soundtrack: 41 intense and energetic bangers composed by the talented Evgeny Shchukin
  • Digital wallpapers: customize your background with 9 beautiful wallpapers, portraying the specialization decks available in the game
  • Exclusive skins: apply unique skins to specific vehicles, one per specialization
  • KALININGRAD LIVE STREAM

    Tomorrow, Wednesday April 30 at 3 pm GMT, Slitherine will be streaming a never-shown-before mission on their Twitch channel: it’s Kaliningrad time!

    crusader-kings-3Through astute diplomacy and seemingly invincible armies, the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppe altered the course of history. Empires were crushed under the thundering hooves of their horsemen as a Pax Mongolica guaranteed the safety of merchants and diplomats on the trade routes of a continent. Relive and rewrite the dramatic rise of the Nomadic realms in Khans of the Steppe, a new core expansion to Crusader Kings III, available now.

    Watch the Crusader Kings III: Khans of the Steppe Release Trailer HERE.

    Featuring a horde of new mechanics specifically designed to reflect the culture and society of Asia’s nomadic tribes, Khans of the Steppe adds even more historical flavor to Paradox Interactive’s best selling strategy role-playing game about the medieval world. Accumulate herds that will serve as the basis of your clan’s wealth, as you migrate in search of better pastures. Settle the succession through clan politics. And, most importantly, establish yourself as the Great Khan – the master of all that is under the sky.

    Highlights of Crusader Kings III: Khans of the Steppe include:

  • Nomadic Government: Embrace a new way to rule. Nomadic Governments revolve around the lifeblood of your people; your Herd. Govern your realm through migration, keeping your population mobile and resilient. Increase your Dominance and bind your subjects to your will by ensuring their Obedience.
  • The Steppe Region: Experience the challenges of life on the Great Steppe. The Steppe Season system changes the fertility of its lands over time, forcing you to adapt and migrate. Seek greener pastures, claim new territories, and dominate this vast and untamed region.
  • Tributaries System: Forge alliances and secure resources with a new type of subject relationship. Tributaries offer a more flexible alternative to vassalage, granting unique benefits for overlords and subjects while allowing for independence and adaptability.
  • Become the Scourge of God: Take on the mantle of the Great Khan and unite the Steppe under your iron rule. Lead devastating conquests across the known world, crushing empires beneath your banner as you fulfill the prophecy of the “Scourge of God.”
  • Mongolian Flavor: Dive deep into the traditions and culture of the Mongols. Begin your journey with a new Bookmark as Temüjin, the young and ambitious Genghis Khan, poised to change history forever. Experience the Kurultai council and a new Mongolian succession type. Engage in immersive new activities and traditions such as new year’s celebrations with Tsagaan Sar.
  • Crusader Kings III: Khans of the Steppe is available now on Steam for the suggested retail price of $19.99/£16.75/€19.99, or as part of Crusader Kings III: Chapter IV. More information about Crusader Kings III is available on the official Crusader Kings III website.

    victory-at-sea-atlanticEvil Twin Artworks is thrilled to announce that Victory At Sea Atlantic, the immersive World War II naval strategy game, has officially launched out of Early Access on Steam. After months of refinements, new content, and player-driven improvements, the game is ready for full deployment.

    As part of the launch celebration, Victory At Sea Atlantic will be available at 25% off for the first two weeks, ensuring new players can jump in at the best possible time.

    Victory At Sea Atlantic offers deep strategic gameplay, historical authenticity, and intense naval combat, making it a must-play for fans of World War II strategy games.

    Find out more about Victory At Sea Atlantic on Steam.

    tom-clancys-the-division-2Battle for Brooklyn, an all-new DLC for The Division 2 set in New York, was recently detailed in a special showcase. A new story awaits as players will explore some new (and some familiar) areas of Brooklyn and tackle developing threats. Battle for Brooklyn will release on May 27 alongside a new season of action-packed content; and the showcase also gave players a glimpse into what’s coming for Year 7 in The Division 2.

    Watch the The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn DLC: Deep Dive Trailer HERE.

    Battle for Brooklyn will bring players back to New York City in autumn, a new time of year not yet featured in the franchise. Residents have been living relatively peaceful lives in the post-pandemic neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo. While some of these areas may look familiar to veteran Division players, others are entirely new and hold a fresh crop of secrets and challenges, and the narrative will be approachable for new players as well as seasoned Agents.

    The main threat comes from the Cleaners and Rikers, who have crossed the river from Manhattan armed with the deadly Purple Flame: a corrosive new twist on their arsenal that will force players to rethink their tactics. As they progress through the linear campaign, either solo or in co-op, players will uncover how the Cleaners are producing the Purple Flame and fight to thwart the planned attack on civilians.

    In Battle for Brooklyn, players can unlock a reimagined take on Smart Cover, a skill first introduced in The Division that allows players to reinforce cover points. Offensive and defensive variants, as well as applications for PVE and PVP, will make Smart Cover an impactful addition. The Catalyst Exotic Mask is exclusive to the DLC, and will grant bonuses for dealing and receiving status effect damage.

    The showcase also shared updates on Year 7 of The Division 2; the team’s three main goals for the year are to improve the onboarding process for new players, add more depth to the endgame loop, and solidify seasons as a cornerstone of the game’s experience. Additionally, with new seasons, players can look forward to new events and realigned modifiers, gear, and gameplay that better reflect the narrative events.

    Players who already own The Division 2 can wishlist Battle for Brooklyn on April 24, and the new DLC will be included with the purchase of The Division 2 Gold or Ultimate editions. The Division 2 is available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS4, Amazon Luna, and PC via Ubisoft Connect, Steam, and the Epic Games Store, as well as with a Ubisoft+ Premium subscription.

    Click here to visit the games official website.

    RPG Tom Clancy's The Division 2 | Donster | |