In the new developer video for Europa Universalis 5, Paradox shows how you can assimilate or drive millions of people into rebellion through art, language, and laws.
The strategy game, which will be released on November 4, 2025, simulates a world in which almost 300 religions and over 2,000 cultures dynamically exist and emerge. Each pop (population unit) carries this identity and thus influences bonuses, institutions, and national stability. Religious diversity is reinforced by multinational organizations such as the Catholic Church or the Moscow Patriarchate, which enact laws across borders.
You can tolerate or accept cultures, which costs cultural capacity. Those who go too far lose cabinet efficiency. Alternatively, there is slow assimilation into the primary culture. Here, your nation’s cultural influence (reinforced by works of art) prevails over the cultural tradition of the local population. If you achieve global dominance, you become the cultural hegemon and assimilate entire regions in a flash.
Compact explanation: How cultures and religions work in EU5
Closely linked to culture is the language system. Languages have linguistic power, divided into court, market, common, and liturgical languages. The latter directly influences research speed and class satisfaction. EU5 forces you to balance the desires and beliefs of your population. The success of your empire stands and falls with international understanding.
Doesn’t sound that complicated, does it? OR??