Paradox Interactive & Paradox France

[PhilThib]

Hi all,

After almost 3 years of working together, Paradox France (formerly AGEOD) and Paradox Interactive have reached a mutual conclusion that the interest of both companies would be better served by separating and allowing each entity to focus more on their goals, “core competencies” and skills. It has been a really exciting journey and we have all learnt a lot and been able to utilize each other’s diverse and strong competencies. Perhaps the most important thing to take away from this is that there is a lot of admiration and respect on both sides and that we will all continue working together moving forward, both with already released Paradox France games as well as actively seek opportunities to work together in other areas. We will be taking our time with this so it’s not something that will be rushed but we wanted to let you know what is in the works. All details will work themselves out over the course of the coming months.

So what does this mean practically?


• Paradox Development Studio will run and work more heavily with the Clausewitz developed games from Stockholm where the core team PSD is based
• Paradox France will regain autonomy to develop and design games on the AGE engine, and will keep both commercial and cooperation ties with Paradox Interactive. We already have several plans for the existing Paradox France titles in terms of support and content.
• AGE engine games will be handled solely by Paradox France/Ageod
• Napoleons campaigns II, being developed on the Clausewitz engine will move from being partly developed by PSD to being fully developed by PSD. As such it become a stronger “Europa Universalis” product than previously planned.

Again, the main goal for this shift is to ensure both team can focus on what they do best for the good of gaming and their communities. As soon as we have more to announce in terms of what you can expect to see on the Paradox France games, you’ll find us right here.

Best Regards
Paradox Interactive & Paradox France

[veji1]

wouah... Nice way of keeping it civil but the way I read it, doing an "ageod" type of game for NCP2 on the Clausewitz engine proved impossible and you are recentering on your core business with AJE and the wargames that will be based on your map of Europe. I hope it works out for the best.

[wosung]

Somehow I'm as stunned by this as by the *Now we'll be part of Paradox announcement* three years ago. But beneath the positive marketing surface this definitely sounds more ... mysterious ...

PSD is Paradox studieux developement, the French abbreviation (I'm perfectly not capable to write down the right way)?!
So ... who will you be in the future? Paradox France? Ageod? Both?! Neither?!

In one recent live interview Johan wrote Paradox won't develop games using the AGE engine, because it's not as commercial successful as Clausewitz.
Personally I love the AGE engine (and would like it to have a grand strategic layer with faster turn resolution).

I really do hope all this is not bad news for your future prospects to make a living by designing games, Phil & Phil & Generalissimo. I certainly would miss those games.

Best regards

Edit: Took the liberty to cite your announcement at the Wargamer with a link to this thread here. Hope you don't mind.

[veji1]

Wosung, I assume they will become AGEOD again and go back to having a simple distribution deal with Paradox... the way I see it, this cooperation didn't really pan out as hoped, PON/VIC2 walked on each other toes and where both relative failures, and the idea of NCP2 probably quickly ran in difficulties when the Phils realised a game based on Clausewitz wouldn't be a game fitting their philosophy, too "arcade history" for their taste and they probably didn't have the room / right to tinker enough with the engine to make it work... And with AJE and the whole map of Europe plan, they probably have decided to go back to their core business, believing that done right, they can make it work, having learnt from their relative mistakes (NCP, PON) and their successes, commercially (AACW) and if not at least gameplaywise (WIA, ROP, RUS...).

My guesses

[Baris]

Thank you for giving information. it is honest& noble thing for us gamers.

---------------

"Napoleons campaigns II, being developed on the Clausewitz engine will move from being partly developed by PSD to being fully developed by PSD. As such it become a stronger “Europa Universalis” product than previously planned."

So there is some design change.

From my understanding the core Ageod team already moved out to Paradox as employees. The new team will work on future agoed games based on the feedback and success of Europe map project. Priorities that have already mentioned to volunteers to work on France,Germany etc for future WW1 or something else. Which is right thing to do. We are all here to support ageod games. not to worry.

Note: I wish there will be SCW,TCW if there is interest

[wosung]

Same bed, different dreams?

Phil's announcement is signed "Paradox Interactive & Paradox France". Not: Ageod.
And: There's nothing else to announce right now. I really do hope there IS a plan behind this.

[wosung]

Now what about AGE WW1? It's 2014 soon ...

[PhilThib]

Now what about AGE WW1? It's 2014 soon ...

Lol...and right........but then we would need your help on the Europe map project

[wosung]

Lol...and right........but then we would need your help on the Europe map project

Sure. But I'm not sure I do understand exactly what volunteers would have to do, even after reading this:
http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?24730-The-Larger-Europe-Map-Project

Is it drawing new borders with a painting program? According to which criteria? Borders changed during the centuries.

Best regards

[PhilThib]

Yes, this is just that, drawing borders with a painting program...as the end result will be used to cut the map regions... borders are just "physical", i.e. we want homogeneous regions of similar size/terrain/whatever....we don't care about who owned what or when...this will depend of the game........just consider those regions as "hexes" in a classical wargame...

Next discussions on this to be moved on the map thread to keep the logic of it...

[wosung]

Just copied this explanation about mapping and pasted it into the map thread.

[Kensai]

Just wanted to say that these are extremely good news, Philippe, and it is amazing we can have these everyday chats with the lead developer himself. I only jumped recently on the AGE games bandwagon, but I have to say that I am impressed by the depth and adaptability of the engine. It is a fantastic development that you will focus now on more titles, while supporting the old and improving the engine at the same time.

A win win for all. VV Paradox/AGEOD then!

[Bison]

I had just come to terms with NPC2 being a Clauswitz game too. Although I did wonder when I read some recent posts over at PI forums that NPC2 was to be a HOI style game.

Best of luck to you on your new business course! Looking forward to new AGE based games and the improvements in the works for PON.

[De_Spinoza]

Well, this is good news actually! Very much anticipating more AGE products after the release of AJE - and of course the PoN patches.

[vaalen]

This is good news. I will buy everything you publish. I think this means that PON will get the attention it deserves and become the polished masterpiece of my dreams. I wish you the very best of luck, and I plan to support you as much as I can.

[gekkoguy82]

Paradox games are great and all, but this makes me immensely happy. Viva la Ageod!! Can't wait for all the awesome stuff you guys have in store

[OneArmedMexican]

I don't understand why you are all so happy about this.

To me the merger of AGEOD and Paradox made sense. In fact even more for AGEOD than Paradox. Of course, I didn't know the details then and don't know them now. But it seems AGEOD will lose some valuable assets:

• access to Paradoxs bigger fanbase: It may have been a slow process but I got the impression that a considerable number of players who didn't know AGEOD previously started to take interest in their games simply because it was flying the Paradox flag now.
• time: If I am not mistaken Paradox France/AGEOD/whatever-it-is-called-now has worked for approximately 9 months on NCP II. This time will now be missing in the development cycle of their next AGE game. One can hope that AJE can bridge this gap but then again we don't know which share of the profits/risks is carried by AGEOD which by Bohémund and his companions.
• a degree of economical security: AGEOD is back to being a small fish in the pond. The pressure for future AGEOD games to be economically succesful will only increase. And let's be frank the last true success seems to have been ACW.
• access to Paradox ressources: while I personally prefer the AGE engine over Clausewitz, it was a good example for doors that Paradox could open for a smaller studio. The AGE engine has well known limitations and it won't get younger, either. What will AGEOD do when the time comes where it is just too outdated?

I wish AGEOD the best and hope AJE will be a success. After that a relatively safe bet would be ACW II. But the new map of Europe seems to indicate different plans. I am sure I will love them, but how many history fans are there who love computer games about the more obscure periods in time?

[Franciscus]

Not knowing details - and not asking, either - the only thing I will say is that I sincerely and wholeheartedly wish the Philippes all the success possible. I will continue to support them as best as I can.

Regards

[vonRocko]

Go Ageod! Good Luck!

[RystoII]

I wish you best luck. I'm sure you will continue to publish great games!

[De_Spinoza]

I agree with most people here - AGEOD games and Paradox games are simply very different. Merging the two styles might only be an imperfect compromise.

[Def Zep]

Best wishes to both companies as they move to focus on their core competencies!

I bought both BoA and EU before AGEOD and Paradox merged, continued to support them during the combination, and will continue to buy their games now that they're going independent again. I like both companies and enjoy their games.

[Robert E. Lee]

Bravo!

[koningtiger]

These are good news.

[ribaluigi]

I don't understand why you are all so happy about this.

To me the merger of AGEOD and Paradox made sense. In fact even more for AGEOD than Paradox. Of course, I didn't know the details then and don't know them now. But it seems AGEOD will lose some valuable assets:

• access to Paradoxs bigger fanbase: It may have been a slow process but I got the impression that a considerable number of players who didn't know AGEOD previously started to take interest in their games simply because it was flying the Paradox flag now.
• time: If I am not mistaken Paradox France/AGEOD/whatever-it-is-called-now has worked for approximately 9 months on NCP II. This time will now be missing in the development cycle of their next AGE game. One can hope that AJE can bridge this gap but then again we don't know which share of the profits/risks is carried by AGEOD which by Bohémund and his companions.
• a degree of economical security: AGEOD is back to being a small fish in the pond. The pressure for future AGEOD games to be economically succesful will only increase. And let's be frank the last true success seems to have been ACW.
• access to Paradox ressources: while I personally prefer the AGE engine over Clausewitz, it was a good example for doors that Paradox could open for a smaller studio. The AGE engine has well known limitations and it won't get younger, either. What will AGEOD do when the time comes where it is just too outdated?

I wish AGEOD the best and hope AJE will be a success. After that a relatively safe bet would be ACW II. But the new map of Europe seems to indicate different plans. I am sure I will love them, but how many history fans are there who love computer games about the more obscure periods in time?

I agree with you.

[Kensai]

...how many history fans are there who love computer games about the more obscure periods in time?

Many!

[Robert E. Lee]

I don't understand why you are all so happy about this.

To me the merger of AGEOD and Paradox made sense. In fact even more for AGEOD than Paradox. Of course, I didn't know the details then and don't know them now. But it seems AGEOD will lose some valuable assets:

• access to Paradoxs bigger fanbase: It may have been a slow process but I got the impression that a considerable number of players who didn't know AGEOD previously started to take interest in their games simply because it was flying the Paradox flag now.
• time: If I am not mistaken Paradox France/AGEOD/whatever-it-is-called-now has worked for approximately 9 months on NCP II. This time will now be missing in the development cycle of their next AGE game. One can hope that AJE can bridge this gap but then again we don't know which share of the profits/risks is carried by AGEOD which by Bohémund and his companions.
• a degree of economical security: AGEOD is back to being a small fish in the pond. The pressure for future AGEOD games to be economically succesful will only increase. And let's be frank the last true success seems to have been ACW.
• access to Paradox ressources: while I personally prefer the AGE engine over Clausewitz, it was a good example for doors that Paradox could open for a smaller studio. The AGE engine has well known limitations and it won't get younger, either. What will AGEOD do when the time comes where it is just too outdated?

I wish AGEOD the best and hope AJE will be a success. After that a relatively safe bet would be ACW II. But the new map of Europe seems to indicate different plans. I am sure I will love them, but how many history fans are there who love computer games about the more obscure periods in time?

Not so sure about it. It seems to me that Paradox fans (i've been on their board since 2002-2004?) barely knew anything about AGEODs games, even now. Imho, a relation with Matrix-Slitherine would have made more sense as they focus on wargames / turnbased strategy.

[veji1]

I must say I have mixed feelings : I hope AGEOD can continue to make good games and earn a decent living for the Phils for which the whole Paradox deal could have helped, but I can't avoid thinking like Robert E Lee above that the Paradox fan base (although I come from there originally) might not have been the best customer crowd. Indeed more cooperation with Matrixgames would seem to be more logical and make more sense...

[loki100]

It seems to me that Paradox fans (i've been on their board since 2002-2004?) barely knew anything about AGEODs games, even now.

I don't think that is quite fair. I can only really speak for what I see on the AAR boards, but there has been a steady flow of readers and new writers of AGEOD based AARs in the last couple of years from people who before then were solely into paradox titles.

[Robert E. Lee]

I don't think that is quite fair. I can only really speak for what I see on the AAR boards, but there has been a steady flow of readers and new writers of AGEOD based AARs in the last couple of years from people who before then were solely into paradox titles.

I may have been mistaken. Since they started to release their games on steam, my interest for their games has dropped and have been less and less in their forum (i do have CKII and Sengoku though but the gamersgate editions)...