Democracy 3: Africa Expandalone Announced

"If you want to play a deep, balanced politics simulator, and prove your ideals correct, then Democracy probably won't satisfy past a couple of hours of play," our Graham said in his Wot I Think of Democracy 3. "But if you want to teach someone about the basic connections that form society, Democracy 3 is the perfect way to do it."

Come next year, you'll be able to poke at the underpinnings of other, perhaps less familiar societies, as the political simulator's developers Positech have announced a standalone expansion named Democracy 3: Africa [official site].

D3: Africa will let you join the ruling government of Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, Senegal, Tunisia, Botswana, and Mauritius, with "a series of new events and dilemmas tuned to the issues and situations that are relevant in contemporary Africa." Positech head honch Cliff Harris adds in the announcement, "Poor infrastructure and low levels of literacy are not much of a problem in the west, but they are definite factors in Africa. The problems are different, making for different strategy, and hopefully, a very different and interesting gaming experience."

Africa was Harris's idea, but development's mostly being handled by Jeff Sheen of Stargazy Studios.

The original Democracy 3 simulated the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, France, and Germany. Yes, thankfully Harris is at least aware of the problems in modelling societies they don't know too much about. He says:

"... yes, we will probably get the tone of some of this wrong, and people will accuse us of misrepresenting African countries and people, and we expect to learn a lot, and to be in full-on listening mode. We are two white guys in the UK making a game about Africa. I've never even been there. I get that. I know we will make mistakes, but they won't be intentional. If we have any 'agenda' here at all, its just to develop a game with an unusual and interesting setting, and to learn a little about Africa in the process."

If they haven't already, it'd be mighty sensible to reach out to communities, organisations, and game developers who know more than "two white guys in the UK". Harris himself has an interest in the continent, having recently paid for the building of a school in Cameroon.

The expandalone's due in 2016, probably before the end of March.