How are country colors determined in Paradox games?

They are tied to national flags and widely accepted symbolic colors. Britain, the Soviet Union, and the Communist Party of China use red; France and the United States use blue; Muslim-majority countries use green; and Byzantium uses purple. Minor or background nations are assigned colors more arbitrarily. A given country may be represented by different colors across different Paradox games, depending on priority—for instance, bright red was originally assigned to Britain, but had to be ceded to the Soviet Union once it appeared as a playable nation. This pattern is not strictly enforced and can change at any time based on a Paradox developer’s whim, rendering any attempt to deduce rigid rules pointless. That said, this does remind me of the Four Color Theorem.

How was the 2017 Color of the Year launched? We spoke with Pantone — an exclusive interview by SocialBeta

At the end of 2015, Pantone—the globally renowned authority on color research—announced Rose Quartz and Serenity Blue as its Colors of the Year. This marked the first time Pantone had selected two colors simultaneously for its annual designation. Throughout that year, these hues appeared almost everywhere—in fashion runways of major brands, magazine covers, product packaging, handbags and ready-to-wear apparel, and even on Bentley automobiles. Pantone’s annual Color of the Year announcement seemed, at times, to dictate the world’s ‘chromatic direction.’ On December 8, 2016, Pantone announced Greenery—a vibrant shade evoking the freshness and renewal of early spring—as the 2017 Color of the Year. On December 12, Pantone held its first-ever Color of the Year 2017 launch event in Shanghai, China, attended by over 200 guests—including media representatives, Pantone swatch book and licensed-product distributors, and numerous Chinese clients such as Huawei and Xiaomi. Pantone stated that China would be its top priority market for expansion. Prior to the event, SocialBeta had the privilege of interviewing Ron Potesky, Senior Vice President of Pantone, and Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, discussing how Pantone selects its Color of the Year and the underlying logic and considerations behind the choice. S = SocialBeta R = Ron Potesky L = Leatrice Eiseman Pantone: Inspiring people and advancing color exploration through products, services, and technology Just what kind of company is Pantone? To many, this remains a source of confusion. Founded in 1963 in New Jersey, USA, by chemist Lawrence Herbert, the company emerged from Herbert’s realization that individuals perceive and interpret the same light spectrum—and thus color—differently. To facilitate accurate color identification, matching, and communication, Herbert developed an innovative color system: the Pantone Matching System (PMS), comprising standardized reference colors. This system solved the longstanding challenge of achieving precise color consistency in graphic arts, enabling designers, architects, and other professionals to reliably communicate about the exact same hue. S: Could you briefly introduce Pantone’s core business offerings? R: Pantone operates three primary business lines: color standardization services (e.g., physical color swatch books) for consumer markets; color consulting; and licensing of Pantone-branded products.

PPG Announces 'Country Soil' as 2027 Color of the Year

12 hours ago

PPG Industries has selected 'Country Soil' as its 2027 Color of the Year, reflecting a trend toward muted, earthy tones inspired by natural elements like clay and stone for interior and exterior applications.

PPG Industries

2026-09-29

PPG Announces 'Country Soil' as 2027 Color of the Year

PPG Announces 'Country Soil' as 2027 Color of the Year

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