Created in partnership with renowned economic historian and policy icon Niall Ferguson. Making History II (MHII) lets grand strategy players experience the role of a WWII era national leader embroiled in the toxic mix of waning empires, economic crisis, and ethnic "fault lines" that famously resulted in a global war that transformed the world. Now armchair generals and grand strategy masters can attempt to write their own history, and choose to either defend the world from tyranny or embark on a quest for global conquest.

Challenging decisions and interesting choices are the heart of any good strategy game, and MHII delivers by putting the ultimate control in the hands of each player. There are diplomatic decisions about everything from alliances to colonization, such as whether you grant full independence or create a puppet state. Cities are customizable via a series of constructible add-on buildings, allowing you to build a giant shipyard in New York or a munitions factory in Stuttgart. Military forces can be upgraded, repaired and reinforced and veteran units develop experience over time. Every nation in the world is playable, but the choices and strategy can be vastly different. The choice is up to each player to determine how they wish to develop their nation, thereby creating their own winning strategy.

The Making History Gaming Headquarters website adds much more to the player experience by offering free content and updates, access to user-created mods, and a dramatic new multiplayer service that launches from the web browser. It will find games, match players, track scores and player ranking, and connect to email or players' favorite social network site to notify them to take their turn.

The Making History II beta is now available for customers who pre-ordered the game.

Those interested in participating in the beta can pre-order the game for $39.99 at Stardock’s Impulse, Paradox Interactive’s GamersGate or the game’s website.

Features Include

• Extensive economic system covering production, resources, consumption, trade and wealth
• Greatly expanded military system including experience, morale, command, repair, upgrades, and more
• Initiate infrastructure projects that modernize your nation and expand your economic potential
• Populations are divided by culture, ethnicity, religion and political ideology; factors that destabilize nations, provoking revolts, coups and civil wars
• Innovative Multiplayer system that will revolutionize strategy gaming
• Strong community support for players and modders through an upgraded Making History Gaming Headquarters website
• Play any nation on a beautifully rendered 3D world map
• Hundreds of unique land, sea, and air units representing both major and minor powers of the era
• Research an array of weapon systems, industrial advancements, and tactical improvements
• Fly air missions against a range of industrial and military targets
• Construct weapons factories, shipyards, research labs and a variety of other improvements that add specific abilities to your cities and regions
• Intelligent AI instigates, reacts and adapts to the changing game dynamics generating action on the home front and abroad
• Each nation has a unique set of characteristics that influences behavior
• Manage your colonies, liberate new nations, establish puppet states or annex their territory
• Engage in espionage and interfere in the internal affairs of your neighbours