Paradox Interactive logo

Paradox Interactive

Sweden Founded 1998 Website

For over a decade, Paradox Interactive has been a leading global publisher of PC-based strategy games with a particularly strong presence in the United Stated and Europe. Its steadily-growing portfolio includes firmly established PC franchises such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings series of games, created by Paradox Development Studio, as well as the award-winning Magicka and Mount & Blade titles.

Paradox Interactive at a Glance

Paradox Interactive operates out of Sweden and has been active in the industry from 2001 through 2025. You will find 137 games listed for this company on PlayPile, with the vast majority coming from their role as a publisher rather than a developer. Their catalog spans three decades, showing a clear shift in volume over time. The studio released 29 titles during the 2000s before expanding significantly to publish 77 games in the 2010s. Output has slowed slightly in the current decade with only 24 releases so far. The company focuses heavily on strategy and simulation genres. Strategy makes up 97 of their titles, while Simulator accounts for 50. They also handle Real Time Strategy, Role-playing, and Adventure games, though these categories represent smaller portions of their library. Their platform reach is almost entirely centered on PC, with 128 releases for Microsoft Windows. Support for Mac and Linux exists but trails far behind with 39 and 38 titles respectively. Consoles receive much less attention, with PlayStation 4 seeing 20 games and newer systems like Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 hosting around 16 and 14 titles each. Quality varies across their portfolio of 90 rated games. The average IGDB rating sits at 68 out of 100. Their track record includes 17 great titles scoring 80 or higher, but they also have 20 mixed releases and one poor game. Many of their highest-rated works are part of long-running series like Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings. Europa Universalis V earned a 93.9 score in late 2025, joining Darkest Hour and Crusader Kings III among their top performers. The 2011 release Darkest Hour scored 87.8, while the 2001 original for Europa Universalis II reached 86.8. Their recent output includes Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, which holds a score of 73.3. While Paradox Interactive maintains a strong presence in Europe and the United States, their rating history shows inconsistency. They have produced some of the most acclaimed strategy games on PC, yet they also release titles that fall into the mixed or lower range. Their strategy focus remains consistent, but their ability to maintain high ratings across every release is not guaranteed. Players looking for deep simulation or grand strategy will find plenty of options here, even if the quality fluctuates depending on the specific title.

140
Total Games
68.1
Avg Rating
2001
First Release
2025
Latest Release

Genre Breakdown

Strategy
31%
Simulator
17%
Real Time Strategy (RTS)
14%
Role-playing (RPG)
11%
Adventure
10%

Platform Spread

PC (Microsoft Windows)
130
Mac
39
Linux
38
PlayStation 4
20
Xbox One
17

Release Timeline

2000s
30
2010s
78
2020s
25

Rating Distribution

18
80-100
52
60-79
20
40-59
1
0-39
Magicka 2 game cover
Rating 69

Magicka 2

2015·PS4, PC
Knights of Pen and Paper 2: Free Edition game cover

Knights of Pen and Paper 2: Free Edition

2015·PC, Android, iOS
Pillars of Eternity: Champion Edition game cover

Pillars of Eternity: Champion Edition

2015·PC
Cities: Skylines - Platinum Edition game cover

Cities: Skylines - Platinum Edition

2015·PC
Cities: Skylines game cover
Rating 7.8

Cities: Skylines

2015·PC, Linux, Mac +1
Warlock II: Great Mage Edition game cover

Warlock II: Great Mage Edition

2014·PC
Ancient Space game cover
Rating 5.8

Ancient Space

2014·PC, Mac
Magicka: Wizard Wars game cover
Rating 6.6

Magicka: Wizard Wars

2014·PC
Warlock II: The Exiled game cover
Rating 7.0

Warlock II: The Exiled

2014·PC
Age of Wonders III: Deluxe Edition game cover

Age of Wonders III: Deluxe Edition

2014·PC
War of the Roses: Kingmaker game cover

War of the Roses: Kingmaker

2013·PC
War of the Vikings game cover
Rating 5.7

War of the Vikings

2013·PC
Europa Universalis IV game cover
Rating 87

Europa Universalis IV

2013·PC, Linux, Mac
Teleglitch: Die More Edition game cover
Rating 7.4

Teleglitch: Die More Edition

2013·PC, Linux
Knights of Pen & Paper: +1 Deluxier Edition game cover
Rating 5.8

Knights of Pen & Paper: +1 Deluxier Edition

2013·PS4, PC, XONE +3
Leviathan: Warships game cover
Rating 5.8

Leviathan: Warships

2013·PC, Mac, Android +1
Cities in Motion 2 game cover
Rating 7.0

Cities in Motion 2

2013·PC, Linux, Mac
Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet game cover
Rating 6.0

Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet

2013·PC, Android, iOS
The Showdown Effect game cover
Rating 7.3

The Showdown Effect

2013·PC, Mac
March of the Eagles game cover
Rating 5.8

March of the Eagles

2013·PC
Impire game cover
Rating 4.8

Impire

2013·PC
Dungeonland game cover
Rating 6.0

Dungeonland

2013·PC, Mac
Teleglitch game cover
Rating 8.4

Teleglitch

2012·PC
Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition game cover
Rating 8.2

Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition

2012·PS4, PC, XONE +5
A Game of Dwarves game cover
Rating 6.3

A Game of Dwarves

2012·PC
War of the Roses game cover
Rating 6.3

War of the Roses

2012·PC
Warlock: Master of the Arcane game cover
Rating 6.5

Warlock: Master of the Arcane

2012·PC
Warlock: Master of the Arcane - Complete Edition game cover

Warlock: Master of the Arcane - Complete Edition

2012·PC
Naval War: Arctic Circle game cover
Rating 5.4

Naval War: Arctic Circle

2012·PC
Gettysburg: Armored Warfare game cover

Gettysburg: Armored Warfare

2012·PC
Crusader Kings Complete game cover
Rating 5.0

Crusader Kings Complete

2012·PC
Crusader Kings II game cover
Rating 82

Crusader Kings II

2012·PC, Linux, Mac
King Arthur II: The Role-Playing Wargame game cover
Rating 5.4

King Arthur II: The Role-Playing Wargame

2012·PC
Defenders of Ardania game cover
Rating 4.8

Defenders of Ardania

2011·PS3, PC, X360 +1
Sword of the Stars II: Lords of the Winter game cover

Sword of the Stars II: Lords of the Winter

2011·PC
King Arthur: Fallen Champions game cover
Rating 54

King Arthur: Fallen Champions

2011·PC, Linux
Sengoku game cover
Rating 6.0

Sengoku

2011·PC
Starvoid game cover

Starvoid

2011·PC
Pirates of Black Cove game cover
Rating 4.5

Pirates of Black Cove

2011·PC, Linux, Mac
Pride of Nations game cover
Rating 6.5

Pride of Nations

2011·PC, Linux
Supreme Ruler: Cold War game cover
Rating 6.5

Supreme Ruler: Cold War

2011·PC, Linux
Majesty 2 Collection game cover
Rating 6.6

Majesty 2 Collection

2011·PC
Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game game cover
Rating 81

Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game

2011·PC, Linux
Cities in Motion game cover
Rating 6.8

Cities in Motion

2011·PC, Linux, Mac
Magicka game cover
Rating 7.1

Magicka

2011·PC, Linux
Europa Universalis III: Divine Wind game cover
Rating 7.4

Europa Universalis III: Divine Wind

2011·PC, Linux
Woody Two-Legs: Attack of the Zombie Pirates game cover
Rating 5.0

Woody Two-Legs: Attack of the Zombie Pirates

2010·PC, Linux
The Kings Crusade game cover
Rating 4.0

The Kings Crusade

2010·PC, Linux