There's this Discord server I've been looking through for mod recommendations, but I'm curious if you guys have had any good experiences modding Victoria 3.

So far, the only one I've tried out adds a bunch of formable nations, and I had a great game unifying the Caribbean

I have experience with all of the PDX grand strategy games, and despite their monetization policy, I’ve enjoyed my time in all of them.

I’ve been playing Victoria 3 and I’m really enjoying it. I do still prefer Victoria 2, but I’m sure with more content eventually 3 will overtake 2 for me. I love looking at spreadsheets in general, so the sheer amount of information presented in Victoria 3 is fun to poke through. I find it very fun and satisfying to try to make my country as rich as possible and become my region’s economy capital.

But that’s the thing, capitalism as a concept literally only makes sense in video games. If there were no stakes in real life, it would be fun to compete against my friends to see who could make the most money. Almost like a high score on a leaderboard.

For the bourgeoisie, capitalism in real life is a game. There are no stakes for them, just like there aren’t any for anyone in Victoria 3. The proletariat are not players in the game, the proletariat are the pieces with which the game is played through the exploitation of their labor.

I know this isn’t a new concept, but I just found it funny to recognize how much I enjoy the competitive aspect of capitalism as a Marxist and wanted to share.

From the moment I first opened the game, I was filled with awe at the complete complexity of the intricate systems that manage the massive economies across the globe. The design aesthetic of the map was wonderfully delightful, a symphony for the eyes as much as the soundtrack was for the ears.

Although everything was complicating and confusing at first, as they all say, fortune favors the prepared. I had spent many long hours poring over every single page in the Victoria 3 wiki previous to "privateering" it. Therefore, I was quickly able to conclude that the way to solve the annoying shortages that were plaguing my economy was to build specific buildings to increase supply of certain goods.

After several horrible games as Prussia, Shewa, and the Qing Empire, I finally decided to play as Mexico, a nation where my primary issue regarding money was that I had an excess of it due to my lucrative gold mining industry, to the point where I was forced into the position of bankrolling Britain to clear up my gold reserves.

I can say for certain that Victoria 3 was extremely well-planned and designed. The gameplay is rich and in-depth, bringing to life the Victorian era better than any previous game could.

I do have some minor criticisms, namely the lackluster warfare, although I will say that warfare is not a large focus of the game, and there's much satisfaction to be extracted from staring at numbers get smaller as your superior armies devastate those of your opponents.

In conclusion, Victoria 3 is one of the best, if not the best, grand strategy games ever made. I would encourage you to buy it if you haven't already, or, if you're so inclined, obtain it through other means.