Four more years? The past, present & future of Hearts of Iron 4

Last month saw the release of Battle for the Bosporus, the sixth non-cosmetic content pack for Paradox's stellar World War II simulator Hearts of Iron IV. The middle child of the modern paradox roster - landing after Crusader Kings II and EUIV, but before Stellaris and Imperator - HoI4 has the distinction of being perhaps the most unique of the PDS games in terms of its gameplay, scale, and general approach to warfare.

At just four years old, it likely has at least a few large expansion packs left in it before the end of its lifecycle. It is, however, old enough that, with a bit of perspective, it's clear to see the major contours that have taken shape over the past few years.

So, let's take stock of where Paradox's WW2 game is now, where it's been in the past few years, and where it's going in the future.

Where Are We Now - General State of the Game

Since its release in 2016 HoI4 has remained one of Paradox's most solid titles. The basics of combat (well, ground and air combat, at least) have remained remarkably stable since launch. For a developer that has long struggled to make warfare engaging in its grand strategy titles, HoI4 is a notable exception. Its combat is competently executed on the tactical front, while at the same time still delivering on the high-level strategic gameplay that devoted fans have long expected from Paradox titles.

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