Hearts of Iron IV’s Open Beta SE™ Update 2 Targets Better Performance on Newer PCs

The Operation Postern v1.19.2.0.910f (b554) build also hardens multiplayer host controls, while balance and experimental changes are being held for a later beta update.

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Hearts of Iron IV Open Beta SE Update Two artwork showing four military leaders over a world map

Hearts of Iron IV‘s second Summer Open Beta update focuses on the technology under the hood instead of another round of battlefield tuning. Paradox Development Studio introduced the build in its Steam announcement, explaining that it updates the game’s threading libraries to better suit some newer CPU setups.

When the game was released, four-core processors with roughly eight hardware threads were common. Current CPUs often have more cores and threads, and some use a mix of core types. Update 2 changes the libraries Hearts of Iron IV uses for threading, with the goal of improving performance on some machines.

Because PC configurations vary widely, Paradox is asking beta participants to watch for hardware-specific slowdowns or other performance problems before these changes reach the wider player base. The team wants to catch any unexpected issues before the new libraries are pushed to everyone.

Multiplayer hosts also receive extra protection for actions such as kicking and banning players. The hardening addresses malicious interactions that players previously reported on the forums.

Update 2 follows the first Summer Open Beta update, which focused on balance, doctrine, naval tuning, and bug fixes. This week’s build does not include balance changes or new experimental systems. Game designer Zwirbaum said those changes will return in the very near future after the team reviews player feedback.

Hearts of Iron IV Open Beta SE™ Update 2 Patch Notes

The changelog is short, but it affects two areas: threading for newer hardware configurations and multiplayer host operations.

Updated the threading libraries used in HoI4 to work better for some more modern hardware configurations
Increased MP hardening to host operations such as kicking and banning players in MP

How to join the Hearts of Iron IV open beta

The beta client is Operation Postern v1.19.2.0.910f (b554). To access it through Steam:

Right-click Hearts of Iron IV in your library.
Select Properties.
Open Game Versions & Betas.
Choose the open_beta branch.

Players already using the Open Beta client should receive the update automatically. Any problems should be reported through the Hearts of Iron IV bug report forum, along with the exact game version in use.

How does the new threading build perform on your PC? Share your thoughts in the comments, and stay connected through X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

Hearts of Iron is the first ever World War II PC game of true Grand Strategic scope. The game map spans the entire world and allows players to take part in any front they choose. You can play any nation in the world, but the game focuses on the epic struggle between the great alliances of the world orders - Fascism, Communism and Democracy.