HoI4: Graveyard of Empires devs admit their mistakes. They explain what went wrong and promise changes

by

The creators of Hearts of Iron 4 express their apologies following the disappointing launch of Graveyard of Empires, and they’ve promised a sequence of updates aimed at rectifying this expansion. They are also considering modifications in the scope of future DLC to make it more enticing for a wider audience.

Paradox Interactive isn’t unfamiliar with releases that fall short of expectations, much like the team behind the Heart of Iron series. Occasionally (or often), the cost may outweigh the content offered, as pointed out by Pete “Arheo” Nicholson, director of HoI 4.

Changes in Hearts of Iron 4: Graveyard of Empires in the short term…

This time around, the issue wasn’t just the frequent and arguably valid complaints about the cost of DLC. Instead, The Graveyard of Empires has been criticized so severely that some players consider it an unfinished product, likening it more to a fan-made modification (which is not flattering in this context) rather than an official expansion.

Compared to the early views on the past DLCs, this one presents quite a stark difference. While there have been some less favorable additions in the past, it’s only now that we’re seeing a growing chorus of opinions suggesting that Paradox Development Studio may have overstepped their mark and potentially driven away players.

In a recent post, Nicholson openly addressed the apparent issue with GoE that he discussed on Steam and the Hearts of Iron 4 subreddit. Notably, the developers have already begun planning interim modifications in the form of a series of patches for GoE. These updates are expected to roll out within this month and April. The first patch is scheduled for release tomorrow, with the next one following on March 20th.

… and Paradoxical reorganization

In addition, Nicholson shared a brief overview of the development process leading up to the expansion’s release, detailing how the Gold Studio team (Gold Team) of PDS regularly collaborates with members from different departments in discussions about the project’s progress and how its various aspects might be experienced by players.

On this occasion, it seemed the developers as a collective hadn’t recognized the issues affecting the game. However, Nicholson underlines that the accountability falls on him given his role as game director, which carries the ultimate decision-making authority.

He emphasized that the shortcomings of the “Graveyard of Empires” project won’t be disregarded. The studio should thoroughly reassess their choices regarding the release of the DLC in its present condition, and make necessary adjustments to prevent recurring problems like this in the future.

Room for improvement

The director noted that the second release of the Country Pack didn’t meet the studio’s targets, as it followed last year’s Trial of Allegiance. The concerns back then centered around the pricing in two specific countries and the size of the DLC add-on content.

While Nicholson acknowledged, the “Graveyard of Empires” fell short not only in terms of its size but also in content, which was a concern that Paradox needs to tackle for a more substantial improvement at a fundamental level. Additionally, most of the issues seem to be confined to specific DLCs, as the director anticipates.

Despite being uncertain about the precise adjustments required in the studio, the developer emphasized that Paradox Development Studio should figure out a method to make Downloadable Content (DLC) launches more enticing for a broader audience.

Where are the tests?

As a gamer, I’m not alone in expressing my frustration. We, the players, value the updates from the developers, but we’re puzzled. It’s hard to believe that such a large studio, made up of many units, didn’t foresee the magnitude of problems plaguing Graveyard of Empires. Ironically, they seem to be as clueless as our in-game characters sometimes are!

Some players pointed out (with a mix of amusement and annoyance) a part of the DLC’s source code, which they thought suggested that at least some of the regular developers were aware of the expansion’s subpar quality. However, the developer responsible for those lines admitted it was an “exaggeration” to suggest that every combination of multiple DLCs needed to be tested in the code.

As an ardent fan, I can’t help but acknowledge that the experience with Graveyard of Empires has been far from satisfying. The term “bugs” encompasses a wide range of issues such as missing icons, inadequately defined rules for custom games, non-operational or flawed achievements, and an array of seemingly unfinished, underdeveloped aspects – some nations appear to have minimal content at best.

As a passionate player, I can’t help but wonder how it was possible for the developers to overlook not just a couple of bugs, but an entire legion of issues in GoE, many of which make certain political paths unplayable. It seems almost unbelievable that such flaws slipped through the cracks! Of course, there’s always the chance that they were swiftly addressed post-release – but that doesn’t negate the fact that the DLC should not have been put out in such a state to begin with.

Fans valued the transparency from the developer, but their remarks indicate that the developer’s regret and honesty alone aren’t sufficient. It appears that fans have grown tired of waiting, and in this instance, they expect concrete actions from the PDS.

  1. Hearts of Iron IV Review – The Art of War

Read More

2025-03-12 00:03