The decline and fall of Paradox Interactive?

[Spud]

There is a philosophical thought experiment that goes like this...

A man buys a car during his youth and keeps it his whole life, he hands it down to his son who lovingly maintains it until he in turn hands it down to his son. As time passes of course parts become worn and need to be replaced, tyres, brake pads, the engine - in fact over the span of three lifetimes every single component, panel, nut and bolt has at some point been replaced, everything except the badge. So is it even the same car the old man bought?

The Paradox that produced CKII, EUIV and HOI2 & 3 is a distant memory, after the firm went public most of the original creators cashed out, now Paradox is nothing but a brand, and I fear the creative minds currently behind that brand lack the quality, originality and ingenuity of those who actually created it.

It's a common enough tale, they thought the Paradox formula was a license to print cash, and in a way it is, assuming you can create original, well made, suitably complex and immersive grand strategy games, well, judging by recent performances it doesn't look like the Paradox of today is capable of doing that.

They are losing core fans because their games are getting worse, it's really not as much about the DLC policy as it is about the way the games are becoming shallower and less immersive, and that is the result of a failure of both imagination and intellect, something which may not be easily overcome.

This game was not even a new idea or concept, it was the relaunch of EU Rome, albeit with a lick of paint and the illusion of some new features and mechanics. One common criticism is that it feels like a mobile game, therein lies the problem, rather than creating new original and ever more complex game worlds, they are instead regressing, borrowing ideas from the past but executing them badly.

Paradox is like a band whose founder members have all left, The Beatles without John, Paul, George or Ringo, a second rate cover band with nothing but a wonderful back catalogue none of them has any direct connection to. Sure they can play the old songs but there is something hollow and artificial about their performances, something fake, especially to those fans who heard the original band.

If they struggle to convince while churning out the old classics how can we expect them to create new ones? At what point did this stop being the same band? Or rather at what point did Paradox stop being the same developer?

Thoughts?

[Brakiros]

The decline is only the stuff of delusions, it's not happening and they're not going anywhere. Paradox is still the same developer they have always been.

[Covfefe]

Funny and fitting that the first two replies were from Paradox defenders. Anyways, the reviews are indicative that people are fed up with the Paradox method of release a skeleton of a game and then flesh it out over the years with overpriced DLC. If Paradox doesn't learn from these mistakes then they will die off. Not from this game mind you... but they will in the future as less and less people buy their products due to their reputation.

[PDX_Moderator_2]

The forums are to discuss the game. Feel free to post your thoughts on other areas of the internet where appropriate.