Last year, developer Eugen Systems partnered with popular strategy game publisher Paradox Interactive to release Steel Division: Normandy 44. Today, Eugen Systems announced its sequel, Steel Division 2, which brings a lot of new features to the table, but also revealed that they will be self-publishing the game, a first for the studio.

According to the developers, Steel Division 2 has players partake in Operation Bagration, the Soviet's gigantic offensive during the summer of 1944. In addition to its 10v10 multiplayer battles, the game also features a variety of new gameplay features and single player content. When it comes to the number of things players can tinker around with, Steel Division 2 features over 600 playable units, 18 new divisions, and 25 realistic-looking maps.

Some smaller tweaks have also been made to the game's deck building and combat mechanics to make the game more involved and strategic, while the graphics have become more realistic. Steel Division 2's biggest new addition are the Dynamic Strategic Campaigns, turned based battles that recreate famous battles down to a tee. Every turn lasts half a day, and let's play strategically plan their next moves with their commanders while keeping an eye on their units and supply lines.

Steel Division 2 is also running on an updated version of Eugen System's IrisZoom engine, resulting in increased visual fidelity and giving player the ability to seamlessly zoom in and out from the front lines. As I mentioned before, Eugen Systems is also making an interesting move by opting to self-publish Steel Division 2, which should definitely be an interesting experience for both the game and the studio.

Alexis Le Dressay, Co-Founder and Game Director at Eugen Systems, also commented on the improvements Steel Division 2 makes, and when players can expect to hear more about it:

"We’ve made a lot of improvements to Steel Division 2 based on direct feedback from our most avid fans of Steel Division: Normandy 44. For instance, we know they will love the new single-player Dynamic Strategic Campaigns. But we are planning much more for Steel Division 2. Expect more details about new features and units after Gamescom 2018. The game is a true passion project for us, and we hope players look forward to seeing more as development continues.

You can check out the game's announcement trailer and first screenshots, which are both rendered in-engine, below. Steel Division 2 is currently in development for PC.