Imperial 2030 (English/German)

Categories: Economic, Nautical, Political

Mechanics: Area Majority/Influence, Area Movement, Investment, Ownership, Rondel, Stock Holding, Victory Points as a Resource

Players: 2–6

Ages: 12+

Playtime: 120–180 Min

Imperial 2030 is a standalone game that builds on the rules of Imperial. In this game, players act as international investors rather than directly controlling nations. They invest in six major powers—USA, Europe, Russia, China, India, and Brazil—to influence their industrial development, military buildup, and territorial control.

Players invest money into these powers, each with its own treasury, to sway politics and gain control of governments. The biggest investor in each nation determines its actions, and since control can shift with each investment, players may end up controlling multiple governments. The focus is on strategic investment rather than direct military dominance.

Released at Essen 2009 by PD-Games and Rio Grande Games, Imperial 2030 introduces several new features:

• New wooden components
• The Swiss Bank
• A new 30 million bond for investment
• Expanded neutral territories with higher taxation
• Fewer home provinces
• Control of key canals like Panama and Suez

For existing Imperial owners, there was an option to purchase just the new map and bonds at Essen '09, allowing them to integrate the new elements using their old components.