By Joseph Luster

If grand strategy is your bread and butter, your plate is going to be especially loaded with the impending return of the Europa Universalis series. Publisher Paradox Interactive and developer Paradox Tinto announced Europa Universalis V in May, and while there’s no release date in place as of this writing, it already appears there’s a ton to look forward to from the new entry.

Like the games before it, ambition is at the heart of Europa Universalis V. The strategy outing spans nearly five hundred years of history, letting players choose from hundreds of nations spanning the Middle Ages up to the Age of Revolution. Whether you want to take charge of the Yuan Dynasty, feudal Japan, Italy or other historical civilizations, their fate is in your hands, for better or worse.

Major historical events fall into place as you rule throughout the timeline, but that doesn’t mean everything is going to play out as it was written. Alternate histories are very real possibilities here, so why not see if you can outdo the leaders of the past and forge your own unique path through a brand-new history?

A lot of this will sound familiar to longtime fans of the Europa Universalis series. There are plenty of updates in store, according to Paradox, including more detailed diplomacy and a “more sophisticated economic model.” Fans can look forward to revisions to the military system and an overall leap in logistical depth, as well. The fifth entry also promises the most detailed trade system to date, with dozens of goods and crops up for production and trade across an abundant map.

For many, the mere fact that Europa Universalis V is on the way is enough incentive to keep up with its ongoing development. Paradox have proven themselves repeatedly in the past, so all we can do now is bide our time with previous outings while waiting for the next to dominate our free time in the (hopefully) not-so-distant futurer.

Genre: Strategy
Platform: PC
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Available: Summer 2025

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