Education

Conquer the world – PC games in education

Paradox Interactive and the Paradox Development Studio are open to collaboration with Junior High and High Schools across the world. We can offer schools a collection of our historically based strategy games for use as teaching aids in the classroom.

For years, Paradox has been head of the class when it comes to portraying various historical periods of the world in video games, through titles including Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis, Victoria, and Hearts of Iron. Each title portrays a different part of world history and the challenges unique to that era.

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Crusader Kings II brings you to a world of medieval intrigue and warfare, where the player must control a dynasty through the ages to establish power in the Middle Ages. March your armies to wage wars at home and abroad, tie marital bonds for allegiance, set laws for your country and ensure that your throne is inherited by your most competent heir — by whatever means necessary. Your heritage must live on and thrive!

Victoria II takes place in the Victorian era and challenges the player to guide their selected country through the industrialisation period. Using political reform, military intervention, and colonial presence, players can guide their state to power through warfare, diplomacy, and economic strength.

Guide your nation through history towards imperial glory, or in whichever direction you would like it to go! Europa Universalis IV stretches through the years 1444-1822 with a focus on trade, warfare, diplomacy, and conquest.

Hearts of Iron IV lets you take command of a nation of your choice between the years 1936-1949 across the world-changing events of World War II. Lead your troops, optimize your factory production, and practice diplomacy to earn world peace – or world domination!

Paradox has worked with educators worldwide in providing games for educational purposes. An example can be found here showing the use of Hearts of Iron II at UCLA: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ucla-adopts-hearts-of-iron-ii-in-the-classroom.

Educational Use

Many teachers in high schools and universities have found Paradox’s strategy games useful for some types of classroom instruction, and Paradox Interactive enjoys co-operating with this type of instruction.

However, at the moment, Paradox offers very limited support for this type of instruction, and cannot fulfil all requests submitted to us. We are in the process of rebuilding and re-evaluating our role in the educational process, and will soon, hopefully, offer more guidance on how to request and use our strategy games in the classroom.

If you are actively using games in the classroom, and are confident you can adapt your lessons to our strategy games, you can send an email to pr@paradoxinteractive.com with the following information:

• Your Name

• Information about your institution

• Name of Game(s) you are planning on using in your teaching

• Outline of lesson goals and use of the game in your classes

• Experience in teaching with games

Note: We will not, in most cases, provide codes for direct distribution to students, but intend to support schools or institutions. In most instances, the base game of the desired title will be provided.

Crusader Kings II is currently a free title on Steam, and is, therefore, immediately available for curious instructors to examine.

If you do use our strategy games in your classroom, we would appreciate it if you could share your lesson plans and experiences, so we can adapt our plans.