<s>
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
a	O
grand	O
strategy	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
the	O
Swedish	O
game	O
company	O
Paradox	O
Development	O
Studio	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Paradox	O
Interactive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
a	O
sequel	B-Language
to	O
Victoria	B-Application
:	I-Application
An	I-Application
Empire	I-Application
Under	I-Application
the	I-Application
Sun	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	O
Programming	O
published	O
the	O
Mac	B-Operating_System
OS	I-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
on	O
September	O
17	O
,	O
2010	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
App	O
Store	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
its	O
predecessor	B-Application
,	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
has	O
the	O
player	O
control	O
one	O
of	O
approximately	O
200	O
states	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
between	O
1836	O
and	O
1936	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
has	O
many	O
historical	O
aspects	O
to	O
it	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
colonize	B-Application
places	O
that	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
were	O
not	O
under	O
the	O
control	O
of	O
any	O
European	O
power	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Sub-Saharan	O
Africa	O
,	O
North	O
and	O
Western	O
Canada	O
,	O
and	O
parts	O
of	O
Asia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2021	O
Paradox	O
announced	O
a	O
sequel	B-Language
,	O
Victoria	B-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
October	O
25	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	B-Language
for	O
Victoria	B-Application
:	I-Application
An	I-Application
Empire	I-Application
Under	I-Application
the	I-Application
Sun	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
on	O
August	O
19	O
,	O
2009	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
GamesCon	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
after	O
the	O
announcement	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
head	O
of	O
Paradox	O
Interactive	O
Studios	O
,	O
Fredrik	O
Wester	O
,	O
publicly	O
stated	O
that	O
,	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
low	O
sales	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
,	O
he	O
did	O
not	O
believe	O
in	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
Victoria	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
he	O
voted	O
for	O
another	O
project	O
to	O
be	O
put	O
in	O
development	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
ready	O
to	O
shave	O
his	O
head	O
should	O
the	O
game	O
see	O
a	O
profit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
end	O
,	O
Andersson	O
and	O
Wester	O
made	O
a	O
bet	O
that	O
,	O
if	O
Victoria	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
successful	O
,	O
Wester	O
would	O
shave	O
is	O
head	O
,	O
and	O
if	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
,	O
he	O
would	O
have	O
sole	O
control	O
over	O
which	O
game	O
would	O
release	O
next	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
revealed	O
in	O
a	O
German	O
interview	O
with	O
Fredrik	O
that	O
70,000	O
copies	O
would	O
need	O
to	O
be	O
sold	O
for	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
to	O
be	O
profitable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
June	O
17	O
,	O
2010	O
,	O
when	O
it	O
became	O
known	O
that	O
there	O
would	O
be	O
many	O
pre-orders	O
giving	O
the	O
game	O
good	O
sales	O
,	O
Wester	O
asked	O
Jessica	O
Chobot	O
at	O
IGN	O
to	O
shave	O
his	O
head	O
and	O
upload	O
the	O
pictures	O
to	O
Twitter	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
working	O
beta	O
version	O
of	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
demonstrated	O
in	O
June	O
2010	O
at	O
the	O
E3	O
show	O
held	O
in	O
Los	O
Angeles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
spans	O
the	O
globe	O
from	O
1836	O
to	O
1936	O
with	O
over	O
200	O
playable	O
nations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
its	O
predecessor	B-Application
,	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
focuses	O
on	O
internal	O
management	O
,	O
covering	O
the	O
industrialization	O
and	O
social/political	O
changes	O
in	O
a	O
country	O
with	O
8	O
different	O
government	O
types	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
warfare	O
is	O
a	O
component	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
it	O
is	O
not	O
the	O
primary	O
focus	O
as	O
in	O
other	O
Paradox	O
Interactive	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Hearts	B-Application
of	I-Application
Iron	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
in	O
other	O
Paradox	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Europa	B-Application
Universalis	I-Application
,	O
historical	O
missions	O
called	O
"	O
decisions	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
micro-objectives	O
in	O
the	O
larger	O
game	O
,	O
have	O
been	O
added	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
contains	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
changes	O
and	O
improvements	O
from	O
its	O
predecessor	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
economic	O
system	O
in	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
attempts	O
to	O
simulate	O
the	O
flow	O
of	O
resources	O
in	O
a	O
world	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
production	O
and	O
unemployment	O
system	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Victoria	B-Application
has	O
been	O
revised	O
to	O
better	O
reflect	O
market	O
forces	O
,	O
whereas	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
,	O
the	O
state	O
provided	O
the	O
funds	O
for	O
resources	O
and	O
the	O
player	O
possessed	O
a	O
wide	O
range	O
of	O
options	O
with	O
which	O
to	O
build	O
their	O
economy	O
,	O
provided	O
they	O
had	O
access	O
to	O
the	O
proper	O
raw	O
materials	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
contains	O
a	O
deep	O
political	B-Application
simulation	I-Application
reflected	O
in	O
8	O
different	O
types	O
of	O
governments	O
,	O
7	O
ideologies	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
sphere	O
of	O
influence	O
system	O
,	O
gunboat	O
diplomacy	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
election	O
system	O
with	O
coalition	O
governments	O
and	O
legislatures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
diplomacy	O
in	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
other	O
Paradox	O
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
War	O
goals	O
from	O
Heir	B-Application
to	I-Application
the	I-Application
Throne	I-Application
,	O
an	O
expansion	O
for	O
Europa	B-Application
Universalis	I-Application
III	I-Application
have	O
been	O
integrated	O
though	O
they	O
function	O
in	O
a	O
slightly	O
different	O
way	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
struggle	O
for	O
influence	O
that	O
the	O
Great	O
Powers	O
wage	O
around	O
the	O
world	O
is	O
not	O
a	O
simple	O
bilateral	O
basis	O
but	O
occurs	O
with	O
each	O
other	O
inside	O
different	O
countries	O
,	O
giving	O
an	O
added	O
dimension	O
to	O
diplomacy	O
which	O
was	O
not	O
present	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
Victoria	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Warfare	O
is	O
regarded	O
as	O
a	O
lesser	O
priority	O
than	O
politics	O
and	O
economics	O
in	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
though	O
it	O
follows	O
the	O
basic	O
pattern	O
used	O
in	O
other	O
Paradox	O
grand	O
strategy	O
games	O
,	O
with	O
armies	O
moving	O
between	O
provinces	O
and	O
engaging	O
enemy	O
armies	O
and	O
capturing	O
enemy	O
territory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
basic	O
combat	O
system	O
is	O
a	O
combination	O
of	O
the	O
systems	O
used	O
in	O
Europa	B-Application
Universalis	I-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
Europa	B-Application
Universalis	I-Application
:	I-Application
Rome	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Hearts	B-Application
of	I-Application
Iron	I-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
key	O
component	O
to	O
combat	O
is	O
"	O
frontage	O
"	O
:	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
units	O
in	O
an	O
army	O
at	O
the	O
front	B-Application
line	I-Application
,	O
which	O
decreases	O
as	O
technology	O
improves	O
to	O
simulate	O
the	O
change	O
from	O
the	O
roving	O
armies	O
of	O
the	O
Napoleonic	O
Era	O
to	O
the	O
continuous	O
trench	O
lines	O
of	O
World	O
War	O
I	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
aspects	O
of	O
the	O
military	O
have	O
been	O
changed	O
from	O
Victoria	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
base	O
unit	O
has	O
been	O
reduced	O
from	O
a	O
10,000	O
-unit	O
division	O
to	O
a	O
3,000	O
-unit	O
brigade	B-Application
,	O
which	O
is	O
no	O
longer	O
raised	O
from	O
a	O
national	O
manpower	O
pool	O
but	O
directly	O
raised	O
from	O
a	O
provincial	O
soldier	O
POP	O
,	O
to	O
which	O
the	O
brigade	B-Application
remains	O
connected	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
has	O
received	O
two	O
main	O
expansion	O
packs	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
minor	O
cosmetic	O
DLC	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
February	O
2	O
,	O
2012	O
,	O
for	O
Windows	O
and	O
on	O
March	O
30	O
,	O
2012	O
,	O
for	O
OS	B-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
;	O
it	O
is	O
currently	O
only	O
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
by	O
download	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Heart	I-Application
of	I-Application
Darkness	I-Application
expansion	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
April	O
16	O
,	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
brand	O
new	O
colonization	B-Application
system	O
;	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
selection	O
of	O
smaller	O
DLC	O
has	O
been	O
made	O
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
for	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
received	O
generally	O
favourable	O
reviews	O
,	O
achieving	O
a	O
75%	O
average	O
on	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
said	O
that	O
there	O
was	O
much	O
less	O
micromanagement	O
than	O
in	O
its	O
predecessor	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
stated	O
:	O
"	O
Thanks	O
to	O
a	O
friendlier	O
interface	O
and	O
tutorials	O
,	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
a	O
lot	O
more	O
playable	O
and	O
enjoyable	O
than	O
its	O
predecessor.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GameShark	B-Device
was	O
less	O
enthusiastic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
said	O
:	O
"	O
As	O
a	O
strategy	O
game	O
,	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
frustrates	O
me	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Watching	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
hypnotic	O
and	O
frequently	O
awe-inspiring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gaming	O
Nexus	O
gave	O
the	O
final	O
product	O
a	O
verdict	O
of	O
8.5	O
(	O
"	O
very	O
good	O
"	O
)	O
and	O
commented	O
that	O
"	O
after	O
some	O
patching	O
and	O
a	O
couple	O
of	O
expansions	O
,	O
Victoria	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
rounding	O
into	O
shape	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
an	O
Ask	O
Me	O
Anything	O
thread	O
on	O
Reddit	B-Application
in	O
October	O
2013	O
,	O
PDS	O
manager	O
Johan	O
Andersson	O
stated	O
that	O
they	O
would	O
consider	O
making	O
a	O
sequel	B-Language
to	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
but	O
that	O
this	O
would	O
likely	O
come	O
after	O
Hearts	B-Application
of	I-Application
Iron	I-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
December	O
2015	O
,	O
a	O
beta	O
patch	O
was	O
made	O
for	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
long	O
after	O
it	O
was	O
assumed	O
that	O
no	O
further	O
patches	O
would	O
be	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
prompted	O
speculation	O
that	O
there	O
could	O
be	O
refreshed	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
Victoria	B-Application
series	O
,	O
although	O
in	O
a	O
Reddit	B-Application
thread	O
these	O
rumours	O
were	O
played	O
down	O
by	O
Paradox	O
developers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
an	O
interview	O
for	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
Paradox	O
Podcast	O
in	O
February	O
2018	O
,	O
CEO	O
Fredrik	O
Wester	O
mentioned	O
"	O
I	O
'm	O
not	O
a	O
firm	O
believer	O
that	O
Victoria	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
the	O
most	O
prioritised	O
game	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
sequel	B-Language
out	O
of	O
"	O
,	O
that	O
he	O
wo	O
n't	O
be	O
the	O
one	O
making	O
the	O
decision	O
either	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
come	O
"	O
before	O
2025	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
PDXCON	O
2021	O
,	O
Victoria	B-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Victoria	B-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
25	O
October	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
