Making History II: The War of the World (MHII) allows players to experience grand strategy on an epic scale as they take World War II history in their own hands and reshape the destiny of nations. National leaders will contend with competing military, economic and ethnic interests as they fight to fulfill each country’s aspirations. More than simply winning battles, MHII is about exercising diplomacy and waging war. Players might choose to invade a neighboring country, use espionage against allies and enemies, or destabilize a government by crippling their economy. 

Making History II includes both single-player campaigns and multiplayer support. Each turn, players generate income, conduct research, develop the natural resources within their borders, grow their industry and build military forces.  Ultimate success requires smart strategic decisions in combat, but also in the management of the economy and the country’s resources.  Rival political factions (both domestic and international) must be dealt with. Diplomatic choices realistically affect a nation's status and reputation.  The turn-by-turn nature of the game allows players time to plan and judge each move with an eye to possible long-term consequences.

Economic historian and policy icon Niall Ferguson, who collaborated on the game, is a leading proponent of the concept that economic and ethnic instability play key roles in creating and sustaining major conflicts.  Economic duress and competing ethnic groups can lead even the most neutral of nations to extreme ideologies, a breakdown in stability, even civil war. The grand strategist must consider those elements in addition to military planning. Making History II turns these ideas into gameplay to offer players a more complete grand strategy experience.

The game is a return to fun communal board games coupled with the latest social networking functionality. The current making-history.com website supports personal user pages, a web-enabled messaging system, friend lists, and more.  When the game hosting service launches this summer it will add leaderboards, multiplayer matchmaking, persistent hosted games, and group management support to the site. In addition to the usual head-to-head gameplay, the service will allow MHII players to experience online games played in an asymmetric fashion where players can come by, take a turn, and leave, with no time spent waiting for other players.  Games can take days, weeks, or months through customizable turn durations and email notifications. 

“We believe Making History II is offering a unique and satisfying experience for strategy fans, with deeper and more interesting gameplay, a devious AI and superior graphics that deliver more information visually,” says Dave McCool, president and CEO of Muzzy Lane. “While this release is a major milestone, we want players and fans to know that this is just the beginning of what we have planned for them.  More features and updates delivered automatically, editing tools, and especially the multiplayer service.  Our Gaming Headquarters gives our community a place to gather and communicate with each other and with us.   We’ll respond to their input and continue to improve MHII in the months ahead!”

The game can also be downloaded immediately from Stardock’s Impulse, GamersGate or Muzzy Lane’s own Gaming Headquarters, www.making-history.com and once released, through Steam and Direct2Drive.  Boxed copies are available on Amazon.com and major retail outlets. Those who opt for the box release can immediately update the game to the current digital version through an automatic update on the day of release.

Features:

• Play any nation on a beautifully rendered 3D world map.
• Control hundreds of different land, sea and air units that represent historic vehicles and weapons used by major and minor powers of the era.
• Research an array of weapon systems and tactical improvements that allow upgrades for existing forces and structures to match advancing technology.
• Fly bombing missions against industrial and military targets or establish air patrols over enemy regions.
• Manage an extensive economic system covering production of resources, domestic food consumption, and international trade.
• Initiate infrastructure projects that modernize your nation and expand your economic potential.
• Construct factories and research facilities that increase the power of your nation or sabotage and destroy the buildings controlled by your enemies.
• Battle an intelligent AI that instigates, reacts and adapts to the changing game dynamics, generating action on the home front and abroad.
• Encounter unique nations, each with their own characteristics that influence behavior.
• Discover diverse populations divided by culture, ethnicity, religion and political ideology; factors that destabilize nations, provoking revolts, coups and civil wars.
• Develop your colonies, liberate captured nations, establish puppet states or annex enemy territories.
• Engage in espionage and interfere in the internal affairs of your neighbors.
• Enjoy a new, innovative multiplayer system that greatly reduces the obstacles to long-term games.

Find out more at the official website: http://making-history.com/products/mhii

And to celebrate the launch ther is a new YouTube video: