With a major Victoria 3 update continuing the Paradox grand strategy game’s redemption arc, now is a good time to check in on how it’s progressed. Initially launching to a mixed reception due to absent elements such as warfare that long-time series players craved, it’s seen plenty of evolution in the two years since. As Victoria 3 patch 1.8 delivers another big upgrade to its systems with an overhaul to cultural acceptance and discrimination, you can give it a try for free on Steam – and snag it cheap to keep if you like it.
The new Victoria 3 update is titled ‘Masala Chai’ and it overhauls the way culture and religion are handled in your territories. Discrimination has been reworked, while a redesign for political movements makes them into more long-term ideological forces that will attempt to shape your country over time, rather than brief one-and-done moments in time.
It’s the latest change in a continued effort by Paradox Interactive to bring Victoria 3 up to the standard of its best grand strategy games, and it’s been met with a rise in player sentiment, with recent Steam reviews now up in the ‘mostly positive’ bracket. With that in mind, it might be worth giving the game another shot if you passed on it at launch in 2022 – or if you just happened to miss it at the time.
To help, Paradox has made Victoria 3 a free Steam game for the weekend, alongside a chunky discount that lets you pick it up cheap if you decide you want to keep playing once the free trial period draws to a close. You’ll have access to the full base game through Monday October 25, but the sale extends for a few days more to give you time to make your decision.
Arriving alongside the Masala Chai update is the new Pivot of Empire DLC, an immersion pack that fills out the flavor of India throughout the era, from its days in the Sikh Kingdom to the rise of the East India Company and the colonial period under the British Raj. While this isn’t included in the ongoing Steam sale, all of the previous Victoria 3 DLC is available at a discount, in case you want to grab any of that.
Victoria 3 is free to play on Steam through Monday November 25. It’s also 50% off until Wednesday November 27, meaning you’ll pay just $24.99 / £20.99 for your copy. Find it here, along with deals on its various pieces of add-on content. There’s 40% off Voice of the People, which includes 60 of history’s most notable political reformists and revolutionaries, and 20% off the diplomacy-driven Sphere of Influence expansion.
If tackling conflict head-on is more your style, the best war games might be the place to look. Or you can continue to expand your strategy horizons in the best 4X games on PC.
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