Four centuries of nation-building
Europa Universalis IV puts you in charge of any nation on a world map starting before the Renaissance and runs through to the Age of Revolutions. You pick a country and take it through roughly four hundred years of history, accumulating wealth, land and prestige while everyone else competes for the same. You can start at any date in that span, with the historical monarchs and leaders of that moment in place. Hundreds of dynamic historical events fire along the way, from civil wars to the Protestant Reformation, so the path rarely stays predictable. Progress depends heavily on who sits on the throne: a skilled monarch speeds development up, a weaker heir slows it down, and monarch power is the currency you spend on long-term planning.
Running your country
The systems you manage are layered. Four centuries of research unlock new weapons, buildings and ship types, and over time you can take on national ideas that reflect your nation's legacy and ambitions. Trade is steered through provinces, ships and government policy to pull wealth into your ports. Diplomacy ranges from iron-bound alliances and royal marriages to keeping your options open with a flexible hand, and Great Power options give further ways to apply pressure without fighting. When diplomacy runs out, armies take new land and the riches behind it. The expansions included push these further: Art of War puts warfare at the center, Common Sense adds internal development and religious depth so you can build tall instead of wide, and Rights of Man adds monarch personality traits, new religious options and more Great Power diplomatic moves.
Playing together
Europa Universalis IV supports multiplayer, including online PvP and online co-op, with cross-platform multiplayer available. A group can each take a nation on the same map and compete or cooperate across the same four centuries, whether that means forming alliances, arranging royal marriages, or going to war against each other. Steam Workshop support means custom content can be brought in, and Steam Cloud keeps progress synced.
Before you start
Plan for a long game. The scope is a full world map over four hundred years, with research, trade, religion and diplomacy all demanding attention at once, so expect a slower, more deliberate pace than a round-based strategy game. The base game comes with three expansion packs and one cosmetic compilation pack, which adds unit art, event art and music alongside unique events from the American Dream pack. Expansion content beyond that is available through an in-game subscription that requires ownership of the base game. Note that the subscription is only available to players on Steam using Microsoft Windows, and that it renews monthly until cancelled. Steam Achievements, Trading Cards and Family Sharing are supported.