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
Ship Simulator Extremes game cover
Rating 5.7

Ship Simulator Extremes

2010·PC, Linux
Victoria II game cover
Rating 7.9

Victoria II

2010·PC, Linux, Mac
Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West game cover
Rating 7.7

Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West

2010·PS3, PC, Linux
Mount & Blade: Warband game cover
Rating 7.7

Mount & Blade: Warband

2010·PS4, PC, XONE +2
Rise of Prussia game cover

Rise of Prussia

2010·PC
Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943 game cover

Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943

2010·PC
Arsenal of Democracy game cover
Rating 8.0

Arsenal of Democracy

2010·PC
East India Company: Battle of Trafalgar game cover

East India Company: Battle of Trafalgar

2009·PC
King Arthur: The Role-Playing Wargame game cover
Rating 7.0

King Arthur: The Role-Playing Wargame

2009·PC
For The Glory: A Europa Universalis Game game cover
Rating 6.0

For The Glory: A Europa Universalis Game

2009·PC
Fort Zombie game cover

Fort Zombie

2009·PC
Majesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim game cover
Rating 5.6

Majesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim

2009·PC
Majesty Gold HD game cover
Rating 6.3

Majesty Gold HD

2009·PC
Hearts of Iron III game cover
Rating 77

Hearts of Iron III

2009·PC, Mac
Hearts of Iron II: Complete game cover
Rating 6.0

Hearts of Iron II: Complete

2009·PC
Supreme Ruler 2020: Global Crisis game cover

Supreme Ruler 2020: Global Crisis

2008·PC
Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition game cover
Rating 79

Europa Universalis: Rome - Gold Edition

2008·PC
Mount & Blade game cover
Rating 6.8

Mount & Blade

2008·PC
Dark Horizon game cover
Rating 7.0

Dark Horizon

2008·PC
Supreme Ruler 2020 game cover
Rating 5.0

Supreme Ruler 2020

2008·PC
Europa Universalis: Rome game cover
Rating 8.0

Europa Universalis: Rome

2008·PC, Mac
Lost Empire: Immortals game cover
Rating 7.0

Lost Empire: Immortals

2008·PC
Crusaders: Thy Kingdom Come game cover
Rating 6.0

Crusaders: Thy Kingdom Come

2008·PC
Penumbra: Black Plague game cover
Rating 8.0

Penumbra: Black Plague

2008·PC, Linux, Mac
Europa Universalis III: Collector's Edition game cover

Europa Universalis III: Collector's Edition

2007·PC
Elven Legacy game cover
Rating 71

Elven Legacy

2007·PC
Penumbra: Overture game cover
Rating 7.6

Penumbra: Overture

2007·PC, Linux, Mac
Frontline: Fields of Thunder game cover
Rating 6.0

Frontline: Fields of Thunder

2007·PC
Europa Universalis III game cover
Rating 7.4

Europa Universalis III

2007·PC, Mac
Sword of the Stars game cover
Rating 7.9

Sword of the Stars

2006·PC
Rush for Berlin game cover
Rating 7.0

Rush for Berlin

2006·PC
Hearts of Iron 2 Complete game cover

Hearts of Iron 2 Complete

2006·PC
Perimeter: Emperor's Testament game cover

Perimeter: Emperor's Testament

2005·PC
Knights of Honor game cover
Rating 77

Knights of Honor

2005·PC
Hearts of Iron II game cover
Rating 8.5

Hearts of Iron II

2005·PC
Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun game cover
Rating 7.0

Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun

2003·PC, Mac
Europa Universalis II game cover
Rating 8.7

Europa Universalis II

2001·PC, Mac
Prison Architect 2 game cover

Prison Architect 2

·PC, Series X|S, PS5
Life by You game cover

Life by You

·PC
East vs. West: A Hearts of Iron Game game cover
Rating 2.0

East vs. West: A Hearts of Iron Game

·PC
Hollowpoint game cover

Hollowpoint

·PS4, PC
Runemaster game cover

Runemaster

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 First Blood Edition game cover

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 First Blood Edition

·PS4, PC, XONE +2
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Collector’s Edition game cover

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Collector’s Edition

·PS4, PC, XONE +2