R.U.S.E. Multiplayer VIP Beta begins Nov. 30

On Nov. 30, the R.U.S.E. extended multiplayer VIP beta for PC will be made available worldwide, says Ubisoft. The VIP beta content will initially include two factions (US and Germany), three maps and a chance for players to experience some multiplayer features. After which, says Ubisoft, it will be updated on an ongoing basis with new content including four additional factions (USSR, France, Italy and UK), more maps and more game modes.

R.U.S.E. is a grand real-time strategy game developed by Eugen Systems that allows players to bluff their enemies to lead their nation to victory. It is tentatively scheduled for release during Q1 2010 on PC and consoles.

For further details on the game, visit www.rusegame.com.

For the Glory gold, in stores Nov. 10

Paradox Interactive latest historical strategy game set in the Europa Universalis universe has gone gold. For the Glory: A Europa Universalis Game will be released via digital download at all major digital download portals on November 10th. Developed by Crystal Empire Games, a team formed from Paradox’s Europa Universalis II fan community, the game was built using the Europa Engine. The title is a product of the developers’ vision for the ultimate historical strategy game. Players take the reins of a country, guide domestic and foreign policy, navigate thousands of historical events, engage in various struggles and lead their country to prosperity… or to ruin.

Those interested in get a look inside the game’s development should check out a series of developer diaries that can be found on the For the Glory forums.

Hearts of Iron III demo released

Paradox Interactive has released a playable demo for Hearts of Iron III, the third installment in its popular World War II strategy game series. The playable demo gives players a taste of what they can expect from the complete game upon its release. It contains a tutorial and the single player Campaign of 1939. The Hearts of Iron III demo allows you to play as either Germany, France, Poland or the United Kingdom for the first four months of World War II.

Demo mirror links can be found on on www.paradoxplaza.com.

Hearts of Iron III will be in stores in North America and via all major digital download portals on August 7th. Releases in Europe will follow on August 14 (UK, Scandinavia) and August 28 (France and Germany).

Hearts of Iron 3 development complete

Paradox Interactive announced that production has been completed on Hearts of Iron 3 - or, as we like to say in the news department - the game has gone gold. The third installment of the World War II-themed grand strategy series, Hearts of Iron 3 is ready for release North American retail shelves and all major digital download portals on August 7. The game will hit stores in the UK and Scandinavia on August 14 and Germany and France on August 28.

Featuring turn-based battle simulations that occur throughout 1936-1948, Hearts of Iron 3 will promises to appeal to both veteran players and newcomers with brand new features, including a game map with more than 14,000 land and sea provinces. Players will have the opportunity to take control of countries ranging from larger superpowers such as Russia or the United States, to smaller nations such as Costa Rica.

For more details on Hearts of Iron 3, check out www.paradoxplaza.com.

Europa Universalis: Rome - GOLD ships to retail

Paradox Interactive’s Europa Universalis: Rome - GOLD has shipped to stores in the United States and Europe. This new compilation contains the original grand strategy game set in ancient times - EU: Rome, along with what Paradox calls “substantial updates” via the Vae Victis expansion pack. It’s not hyperbole to say that, for many years, the Europa Universalis series has proven to be the standard bearer for high level grand strategy games. I’ll leave the analysis on the series to experts like Troy Goodfellow and Tom Chick, but there’s no denying the series has lasted this long for a reason.

Europa Universalis: Rome - GOLD offers new features previously only available through the digital download only expansion pack, like AI controlled opponents now behave with more vigor and purpose, governments that have more power over what happens in a given nation, Senates and tribal councils that test the player with missions and objectives, ands all the usual trade, diplomacy, production and war you’d expect from a Europa Universalis game.

Europa Universalis: Rome - GOLD has a SRP of $19.99/ € 19.99/£14.99 and will also be available on all leading digital distribution portals on July 10, 2009.

Supreme Ruler 2020 Features

The Supreme Ruler series of geo-political strategy games has had its share of ups and downs over the years, but the latest game, Supreme Ruler 2020, hopes to take the independently developed franchise in a more positive direction. Publisher Paradox Interactive revealed some of the key features that players can expect when this game is released — most notably a new sandbox mode that promises unlimited replay and customization options. That bulleted list of features, unmolested by these savage hands, can be found below:

- Control any department within your government or delegate decisions to your Cabinet Ministers
- Sophisticated Military Strategic and Tactical Command System
- Select from hundreds of actual military vehicles to research, build, and deploy
- Choose conventional warfare or develop your nuclear weapons program
- Detailed Economic and Political Models
- Flexible Diplomatic Interface allowing sophisticated negotiations
- Play any one of over 250 Regions world-wide
- High Resolution Satellite imagery provided courtesy of NASA
- Single Player or Multi Player support
- Includes Map Editor and extensive modability
- Varied Game-play options include Regional Battles, Missions and Campaigns
- Next Generation AI
- Introducing BattleGoat’’s new Super Sandbox Mode for unlimited customization and replayability

Supreme Ruler 2020 will be released by Paradox Entertainment in May.