Paradox Interactive has launched a subscription service for its venerable, DLC-heavy WW2 grand strategy wargame Hearts of Iron 4. If you own a copy of the base game, then, for a monthly fee, you’ll be able to access all of its expansions and add-on packs, including the recent No Step Back DLC. The Hearts of Iron 4 subscription costs $4.99 / £3.99 per month.
Signing up for the subscription service will bag you all the Hearts of Iron 4 DLC, including five full expansion packs, two country packs, and the game’s sound and cosmetic packs. Any future expansions and content added to the game will also be added to the service (although this is likely to be somewhat limited, as Paradox has said it won’t be releasing any more major expansions for HOI4). You’ll need to own Hearts of Iron 4 on Steam to sign up for the scheme.
Paradox introduced an equivalent subscription service (right down to the same pricing) for its early modern strategy title, Europa Universalis 4, early last year, and gives a similar explanation for its current decision with Hearts of Iron 4. With the subscription service it’s targeting players who’ve picked up Hearts of Iron 4 but are daunted by the sheer number of expansions on offer.
Paradox Interactive say the subscription is for those “unable or unwilling to commit to six years of added content” and that it will be “especially helpful for new players who are unsure where to start when buying expansions or country packs.” Over the years, HOI4 has had more DLC than the Soviet Union has divisions [not sure about that – Ed.] , and the subscription will let players try them all out without paying the $ 165.13 / £121.85 it would cost to purchase each and every one.
Heart of Iron 4’s most recent expansion, No Step Back, which focuses on the Eastern Front, was released on 23 November 2021. According to a recent post on Steam by the game’s director, Arheo (aka Peter Nicholson), Paradox plans to up the tempo of releases for Hearts of Iron IV in 2022. However, a dev diary last year mentioned that future DLC releases for the game would take the form of smaller scale country packs and free updates rather than major, game-changing expansions.
For the full low down on Hearts of Iron 4’s numerous expansions, including which you should prioritise picking up, head to our Hearts of Iron 4 DLC guide. If you’re looking for other ways to get more from the game, these are the top HOI4 mods and HOI 4 cheats.
Alternatively, if you simply have a passion for Paradox, you might be more interested in our Crusader Kings: Royal Court DLC review.