Straight from the history books, Paradox Interactive's flagship title Europa Universalis III has now hit gold status and is ready for shipping on January 23 in North America - right on time, and just as they promised.

It being the new year and all, one can't help looking at the future and expecting a lot of stuff for the next couple of months. So how else can you start all the future forecasting but by taking a look at our past?

Europa Universalis III takes the player on a historically accurate journey through time, as they choose one among 250 nations to control and look after. Whether in exploration, trade, warfare or diplomacy, you must progress your nation to become a global empire. With this, the developers are expecting the game to appeal to both old and new fans alike.

The standard edition of the game costs US$ 39.99, while the Collector's Edition will set you back for US$ 49.99.