A quarter century after the release of the historical grand strategy game that launched an empire, the Europa Universalis enters a dramatic new era with Europa Universalis V. Paradox Interactive’s flagship historical series about the early modern world is being updated with a fresh, new version for a new generation, a game that dares you to be ambitious.

Designed over five years by Paradox Tinto, Europa Universalis V builds on 25 years of tradition and experience to deliver the same captivating empire building and alternate histories that have been the hallmark of Paradox’s grand strategy games.

Europa Universalis V has been crafted with the devoted Paradox fan in mind, incorporating feedback delivered by the fan community over a year of public discussion, and giving this dedicated audience a voice in the realization of this new vision.

The Strait of Gibraltar is the gateway to the Mediterranean. Whoever controls this narrow waterway and Pillars of Hercules can limit access in and out of that great sea, and also ease passage between Europe and Africa. Engage in the historic struggle over this crucial passage and guide the nations that seek to control it in Across the Pillars, a Chronicle Pack for Europa Universalis V, coming on 28  October, 2026.

Across the Pillars opens up the history of Castile/Spain, Morocco, and Granada with new historical Situations for players to engage with. Settle the fate of southern Iberia and use control of the region to lead your nation to new historic heights. Unique decisions, events and other historical flavor drop you into the dramatic struggle for domination of the region in a richly drawn late medieval and early modern world.

Features of Europa Universalis V: Across the Pillars include:

• The Battle of the Strait: A new historical Situation focused on the conflict between Castile, Marinid Morocco and Granada over the remnants of Muslim rule in Iberia.
  • New decisions, cabinet actions and country interactions themed around this contest.
  • New events and special actions related to the struggle over the Strait of Gibraltar.
  • The winner of the Battle of the Strait proceeds to the Golden Century Situation, allowing the victor to continue to project power beyond the region.
• More historical flavor.
• Unique Expeditions: Special Expedition content available only in Across the Pillars, including unique explorations, gold caravans and treasure fleets.
• Religious Orders: New unique military orders for Iberian nations.
• Iberian Union: Choose the path of a centralized Iberian monarchy or a federalized Iberian state in a reworked Iberian Wedding scenario. Unite the thrones of the peninsula through new laws and policies.
• Iberian Bureaucracies: 12 new bureaucracy options drawn from Spanish and Portuguese history.
• Maghrebi Bureaucracies: 8 new bureaucracy options drawn from North African history.
• New Iberian Historical Events: Many new historical events for the region, including general Iberian content as well as unique dynamic events for Castile/Spain, Portugal, Aragon and Navarre.
• New Maghrebi Historical Events: Many new historical events for the region, including general Maghrebi content as well as unique dynamic events for Morocco, Granada and other nations in the region.
• New Technological Advances: Dozens of new advances to research, unique to Iberian or Maghrebi nations.
• New Cosmetic Flavor: New unit and ship models, portrait assets, event illustrations, monuments and Works of Art are available for Iberian and Maghrebi nations.
• New Music: Six new Castilian-themed songs, played on baroque instruments and sung in medieval Spanish, plus three new Moroccan-themed songs inspired by 16th-century call-and-response songs and played on the guembri and qraqeb.

Europa Universalis V: Across the Pillars will be released alongside the free 1.4 ‘Rio Salado’’ update for the base game. This major update to Europa Universalis V is a significant part of Paradox Tinto’s campaign to add free new game features, systems and flavor to the game. Over the first year, the team has been making changes, big and small, to the game, and ‘Rio Salado’ is the biggest update yet, adding Expeditions (character led missions to distant lands), making changes to Catholicism (reworked religious orders and changes to how cardinals are managed), improving dynastic gameplay, major changes to trade and more.

Europa Universalis V: Across the Pillars will be available on 28 October 2026 for the suggested retail price of $19.99/£16.99/€19.99. This Chronicle Pack is also available as a part of the Europa Universalis V: Premium Edition.

Key Features:

• New “pop” based system: A region’s population is reflected by pop units, varying in culture, religion, and social position. A prosperous society will see the population grow, while plague and war can prove costly to the core of your game.
• Earliest Starting Date in Europa Universalis history, beginning with the world of 1337. The French and English are about to start the Hundred Years’ War, the Yuan dynasty thrives in China, and the Black Death has yet to happen. Guide a nation through 500 years of history, written by your decisions.
• The Biggest Paradox Map ever uses a more accurate projection of the globe and small province units. This means greater fidelity to the historical world that Europa Universalis V represents and more variety in the strategies available to the player.
• Deeper Economic System including multiple goods and resources in each province. Resources can be fed into a production system, creating key goods for your society or for trade in regional and global markets.
• Expanded Research Game: Unlock new technologies and ideas across diplomatic, administrative and military realms. Progress along each research branch will allow new weapons, new industries, and new ways to organize your realm.
• Detailed Government System: Give tasks to your cabinet advisors to ease your rule, adopt new laws and national characteristics, and keep the factions of your nation in line by doling out privileges to various Estates.
• New Military System that draws soldiers from your population. Raise the levies and watch commerce grind to a halt, or hire mercenaries to fill your ranks. Slowly develop a professional standing army and organize your battlefield posture as you fight for territory and glory.
• And more: Historical situations to immerse you in real world events, multiple religions and government types, greater importance of characters and dynastic relationships, and dramatic world changing events.

Europa Universalis V is available for PC (Steam).