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Hearts of Iron IV Devs Ask Players What National Focus Trees Need Next

An early concept centers on economic cooperation, with countries gaining bonuses through company-like partnerships.

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Hearts of Iron IV title artwork with a tank and the words National Focus Flavor

Paradox Development Studio has opened a new feedback discussion for Hearts of Iron IV, asking players how national focus trees should deliver more country-specific flavor and interact with one another. The conversation appears in a new Steam Dev Corner, and the ideas are still being discussed rather than confirmed as final additions.

This entry begins a new round of Dev Corners. It focuses on broad design questions, while later entries will look more closely at specific countries and content drafts. No patch or release date was announced.

Paradox wants feedback on focus tree flavor

Players are being asked whether focus trees should connect across national borders more often. Shared branches are one option, but the team is also interested in country-specific focuses that could work together even when they are not part of a shared branch.

The developer also wants to know what players prefer from optional political-flavor focuses: national spirits with bonuses that fit a country’s regime, distinctive country leaders and traits, or flavor events. Another question centers on mechanics that focus trees do not often interact with. License bonuses were given as one example.

An early look at international cooperation

The Dev Corner includes an early idea for a country-specific mechanic built around economic cooperation. Under the concept, a country could gain bonuses by working with other nations, treating those partners much like companies within the system.

International Cooperation concept screen showing country partnerships and tank production options

The concept screen is titled International Cooperation. It shows a country selecting partners before choosing actions such as signing a trade agreement with the German Reich, purchasing light, medium, or heavy tanks, and setting up production for those tank classes.

The screen also shows a cooperation cost of 0.33 per country each day and says diplomats can operate in up to five countries at once. Since this is presented as an idea in development, those details may still change.

The feedback-first approach follows a recent discussion about how military production works, which also asked for player opinions without confirming a system change. Together, the posts point to a wider set of design conversations around Hearts of Iron IV’s core mechanics.

The direction is still open to feedback, so tell us which focus-tree interactions and flavor rewards you would like to see in Hearts of Iron IV in the comments. You can also follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.

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.