Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations expansion announced, coming Spring

Paradox Interactive is expanding their most critically acclaimed game yet with a second expansion. Wealth of Nations is the next expansion for...

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Paradox Interactive is expanding their most critically acclaimed game yet with a second expansion. Wealth of Nations is the next expansion for Europa Universalis 4, and as its name suggests, it focuses on trade and wealth.

Project lead Thomas Johansson explained that the expansion doesn't change the trading system found in the base game. Instead, "we wanted to create more conflicts and friction," adding "more reasons to go to war over that."

For example, you'll be able to create trade conflicts in secret by hiring pirateers. "That's a good way of sabotaging a larger nation," Johansson said. "If you're England and Spain dominates the Caribbean, you can send pirates there to weaken them even if you're not strong enough to take them on yourself."

With the expansion, you'll also be able to create a new trade capital and designate a specific port as your main trade capital. You can also use peace treaties to gain trade power. However, some features will be granted to all players of the game--even ones that don't purchase the expansion. "Features that are central to the game are included in the free patch," Johansson explained. For example, the patch will have "the great power system--which influences the whole game, and we want everyone to have it." In addition, tweaks will affect things like how blockades work.

However, exclusive to the expansion is the addition of the East India Trading Company. Only through the expansion will you be able to expand your trade network by establishing trade companies in the far east.

There's no date or price for the expansion yet, but the previous expansion Conquest of Paradise cost $15.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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