Europa Universalis IV

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Lore & Background

The game includes different bookmarked starting dates called 'scenarios', with the world state, borders, and events reflecting their historical equivalents for each. The earliest scenarios begin on 11 November 1444, one day after the Christian defeat at Varna, while the latest scenario begins on 21 September 1792, the end of the French monarchy. The player can also choose any day within the game's time span as a starting date. The game itself is an interactive map of Earth divided into the provinces that compose nations. Each of these provinces contributes to its country either positively or negatively, as provinces can both provide resources to a nation and serve as a point of unrest and rebellion. At the beginning of the game, many provinces are considered 'uncolonized' and are meant to represent possible land colonizable by other nations. The gameplay requires the player to lead a nation by balancing their military, diplomacy, and economy. The player does so through their choices as sovereign of their nation, and by spending their available resources: prestige, power projection, stability, gold (ducats), manpower, legitimacy for monarchies, republican tradition for republics, devotion for theocracies, horde unity for steppe nomads, meritocracy for Celestial Empires, and monarch power (administrative, diplomatic, and military). Players can choose to conquer the world by military might, become a colonial superpower, establish trade dominance, etc., as one of over 500 different nations. The game is a sandbox environment; there is no strict win condition for players. A player's game ends when the player's nation is annexed (removed from the map) or when the in-game date reaches 3 January 1821. Diplomacy is a large aspect of the game, as creating alliances (or vassal states and tributaries), improving opinions, and preventing defensive coalitions are vital to a player's survival. Espionage can also be employed against enemy states to claim their territory or incite rebellion in their provinces, along with other dubious ends. Combat can be waged on both land and sea, during which the game attempts to simulate real-world factors such as morale, discipline, varying unit types with associated strengths and weaknesses, competency of leaders, terrain, and supply lines. Trade is also an important part of the game, where the world is divided into many trade nodes, and

In Their Own Story

In the year 1444, the Ottoman Sultan Murad II gazes over the walls of Constantinople, knowing that the once-mighty Byzantine Empire is but a shadow. His advisors whisper of opportunities in the Balkans and beyond, while in the west, the kingdoms of France and England are locked in the final throes of the Hundred Years' War. Across the Atlantic, the Aztec Empire remains unaware of the storm gathering beyond the horizon. The world teeters on the edge of transformation, and the choices of a single ruler can echo through centuries.

Reader's Guide

The game was released on 25 August 2013 for Windows, OS X, and Linux. A playable demo of the game was released on Steam on 9 August 2013. The game includes different bookmarked starting dates called 'scenarios', with the earliest on 11 November 1444 and the latest on 21 September 1792. The player can also choose any day within the game's time span as a starting date. Players lead a nation by balancing military, diplomacy, and economy, spending resources such as prestige, power projection, stability, gold (ducats), manpower, legitimacy (for monarchies), republican tradition (for republics), devotion (for theocracies), horde unity (for steppe nomads), meritocracy (for Celestial Empires), and monarch power (administrative, diplomatic, and military). There is no strict win condition; the game ends when the player's nation is annexed or the in-game date reaches 3 January 1821. Diplomacy includes alliances, vassal states, tributaries, improving opinions, and preventing defensive coalitions. Espionage can be used to claim territory or incite rebellion. Combat on land and sea simulates morale, discipline, unit types, leader competency, terrain, and supply lines. Trade is conducted through trade nodes. Players can employ missionaries to convert provinces or adopt policies of universal religious freedom. Institutions appear around a certain year and spread through provinces; embracing an institution requires a ducat cost and a certain number of institutions present in the player's provinces. Technology is invested in over time using monarch points. Random events arise periodically. Single-player mode versus AI or multiplayer over LAN or Internet is available. Ironman mode locks settings and removes manual saving, and is the only way to earn achievements.

Did You Know?

• The game was released on 25 August 2013, not 13 August 2013.
• The earliest scenario begins on 11 November 1444, one day after the Christian defeat at Varna.
• The latest scenario begins on 21 September 1792, the end of the French monarchy.
• The game has sold over 4 million copies as of February 2024.
• Ironman mode is the only way to receive any of the game's many achievements.