Victoria 3 is the critically-acclaimed third installment of the Victoria grand strategy games. Players assume the role of one of 100 nations between 1836 to 1936 and manage their nation’s politics, demographics, diplomacy, and even wartime measures should the situation call for them. The game was released in 2022 and nominated for Best Sim/Strategy Game at the 2022 Game Awards.
Victoria 3 Premise
Victoria 3 tasks players with guiding a nation for a century — between 1836 and 1936 — and managing its military and nonmilitary functions. The goal is to build the player’s idea of a utopic society. To do so, they must balance the global economy, internal and external politics, special interests, and demographics while being careful not to offend any other nations.
This is the third game in the Victoria grand strategy series. It follows 2010’s Victoria II and 2003’s Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun. Victoria 3 updates the series’ economic systems, such as a reliance on the gold standard, forcing players to use real-life strategies to complete their goals. The game also updated its colonialization system, allowing players to either follow the historical instances of colonizing people — or establish new nations that never existed before.
Victoria 3 Main Characters
The main characters of Victoria 3 vary based on the nation you choose. Many of the big names from your high school history class are available here. Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Ulysses S Grant, Karl Marx, Oscar Wilde, and more can spawn during a playthrough. If they do, they can impact your instance’s world accordingly.
Certain characters are also locked behind certain historical events. The Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Meiji Restoration, the unification of Germany, and more are just a few events that can occur.
Victoria Titles in the Series
So far, there are three games in the Victoria series:
- Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun (1993)
- Victoria II (2010)
- Victoria 3 (2022)
Victoria 3 Cheat Codes and Console Commands
To access cheats, you must first activate debug mode. This can be accomplished in multiple ways, including:
- Activating it in the game launcher by selecting “Open game in Debug mode”
- Editing the game’s properties on Steam
- Right-click the game
- Open “Properties”
- Add -debug_mode to the launch options
- Start the game
- Editing the internal files through Windows
- Find the folder with all your Victoria 3 files, then find the “binaries” folder
- Right-click victoria3.exe and create a shortcut
- Right-click the shortcut, then open Properties
- In the Target field add -debug_mode at the end (
"...\victoria3.exe" -debug_mode
) - Launch the game using that shortcut
Once debug mode is activated, you will be able to use all the following cheats. Activate the debug menu by hitting the ` key or by pressing the combination of Shift+Alt+C.
Command (Case-sensitive) | Description |
---|---|
3dstats | Toggles 3D Stats |
3dstats.EnableGfxZoneStats | Toggles 3D Gfx Zone Stats |
Adjacencies.Rebuild | Rebuild all adjacencies |
Application.ChangeResolution | Change the resolution through the console |
Browser.OpenURL [<url>] | Opens up a browser with the provided URL |
Camera.Debug | Prints out camera debug information |
Camera.Load | Load camera position |
Camera.Save | Save camera position |
Checksum.Log | Log the game state checksums to the game log. |
CrashReporter.DeleteCrashData | Delete local crash dumps older than X days. |
CrashReporter.SimulateCrash | Simulates a crash (resulting in the game exiting). |
Debug.Achievements.Lock [<key>] | Locks an achievement again |
Debug.Achievements.ResetAll | Locks all achievements again |
Debug.Achievements.ToggleDebug [<value>] | Puts the achievements system in debug mode |
Debug.Achievements.Unlock [<key>] | Unlocks an achievements given the key |
Debug.TextureMode [Name of debug mode] | Enables a texture mode for debugging |
Dockables.Create [Dockable name] | Create dockable |
Dockables.CreateUserLayout [Dockable layout name] | Unlocks an achievement given the key |
Dockables.DeleteUserLayout [Dockable layout name] | Delete layout as user layout |
Dockables.HideLayout | Hide any shown dockable layout |
Dockables.SaveUserLayout | Save current layout to disk as user layout, optionally under a new name. |
Dockables.ShowLayout [Dockable layout name] | Save the current layout to disk as user layout, optionally under a new name. |
Dockables.ShowManager | Show dockable layout manager |
GUI.AnimationTimeline.LogStats | Dump stats of the GUI Animation Timeline system to the debug log. |
GUI.ClearWidgets | Show an existing (user) layout, hide the current layout |
GUI.CreateDockable [File name] [Widget name] [Dockable id. If doesn’t exist, it will be registered] | Creates a dummy dockable widget. With 0 arguments the file name will be gui/test_gui.gui, and the widget name will be test_window |
GUI.CreateWidget | Creates a dummy widget. With 0 arguments the file name will be gui/test_gui.gui, and the widget name will be test_window |
GenerateCoastalRegionNavalExits | |
Graphics.CapFramerate | |
Graphics.DumpMemoryInformation | |
Localization.ToggleIncludeKeyInLocOutput | Shows only the loc key in the localization output |
Localization.ToggleOnlyKeyInLocOutput | Shows only the loc key in localization output |
Localization.ToggleSkipDataSystemInLocOutput | Don’t run the data system at all in localization |
Log.ClearAll | Clears all logs |
Log.ClearErrorLog | Clears out the error log and resets the error count |
Map.SavePNG [<map mode>] [<file name>] [<yes/no> Should render flat (optional)] | Save a png of the map for a specific map mode. The only map mode which is known to work is “countries” |
MapObjects.Debug | Prints out map object debug information |
MapObjects.GenerateGameLocators | Generates locators for the game’s map objects |
MapObjects.Painter.AddPosition | Place a map object under the cursor |
ModifierNode.Graph | Open a graph view of the tick tasks |
ModifierNode.List | Open a graph view of the tick tasks |
Music.PauseFactor | Shows or sets the current pause_factor of the music system |
Music.PlayTrack [<track name>] | Plays the specified track |
Music.Reset | Resets the music system |
Music.StopTrack | Stops the currently playing track |
PopsFileStorage.Sync | Sync POP File Storage |
Portrait.ClearCache | Clears the portrait cache. Forces all portraits to refresh |
Print.EventDebug | Includes the loc key in the localization output |
RandomLog | Toggles random logging |
RandomLog.Dump [Frame count to dump, or * to dump all available frames (defaults to *)] [Target filename (defaults to random.log)] | Dump random log data to a file. |
SDL.EventLogging | |
ScriptProfiling.Dump | |
SplineNetwork.AppendAssets | |
SplineNetwork.ClearAssets | |
SplineNetwork.Database.Reload | |
SplineNetwork.Graphics.AddAllSplines | |
SplineNetwork.Graphics.ClearAllSplines | |
SplineNetwork.SetAssetGenerationMode | Sets mode for spline strips and anchors generation <naval/default> |
SplineNetwork.ValidateSplines | Validate the integrity of in-game spline system |
Terrain.Regenerate | Regenerates terrain bitmap |
Terrain.Save | |
Threading.TaskThreadCount [The number of task threads] | Set or get the number of task threads |
TickTask.Graph | Open a graph view of the tick tasks |
TickTask.List | Open a graph view of the tick tasks |
add_approval (interest group name) (amount) (time) | Validate the integrity of the in-game spline system |
add_clout (interest group name) (amount) (time) | Adds or removes clout of the interest group by changing their political strength with a timed modifier. (amount is optional, default=1) (time in months is optional, default=1) |
add_ideology (interest group name) (Ideology to add.) | Add an ideology to a given interest group |
add_loyalists (culture) (amount) | Adds an approval-timed modifier to a given interest group. (amount is optional, default=1) (time in months is optional, default=1) |
add_radicals (culture) (amount) | Adds radicals to culture by fraction of the population |
add_relations | Changes relations with a country by a given value |
add_war_support (country_tag) (amount) | Alters wars support of a country in ALL of their wars by the amount |
ai.debug (tag) | Dumps debug info for a country |
ai.goal (tag) (goal type) | Checks AI goal |
ai_evaluate_building [<building key> <state region key>] | Prints AI debug data for the selected state & building type. |
ai_evaluate_interest [<strategic region key>] | Prints AI debug data for the selected strategic region declared interest. |
ai_evaluate_production_method [<building key> <pm key> <state region key>] | Prints AI debug data for the selected production method in a state for a building type. |
ai_evaluate_trade_route [<goods key> <country tag>] | Prints AI debug data for the selected goods & country trade partner. |
annex (country tag/id) | Annexes a country |
annex_all | Annexes all other countries |
audio.cpu_info | Shows current CPU usage |
audio.list_events | List audio event |
audio.play_event (audio event) | Play audio event |
callstack | Print the callstack |
change_law | Changes a Law to the specified key |
changestatepop (state_id) (pop_type / all) (factor) | Changes the population size of the given pop type (can be ‘all’) by at most the given factor. Will be capped by max employment for each pop. |
check_pollution_level (state region tag) | Print out pollution for the specified state region |
check_save | Checks that saving and loading are consistent |
clearlines | Clear lines |
clearspawnedentities | Clears entities spawned with ‘spawnentity’ command |
coa_preview_window | Open the Coat of Arms Preview Window |
compound_nodeeditor | Compound Node Editor |
conquerall (country tag) | Set all enemy provinces under our control |
crash | Cause the application to crash |
create_ai (self/all/tag) | Creates AI for a country or countries |
create_building_history | Creates a game-history compliant .txt file of all buildings in the world/state ID as well as their PM/subsidy configurations. |
create_country (country definition) (country type) (culture) (state id) | Creates a country |
create_political_movement [<law type key>] | Creates a political movement |
create_pop_history | Creates a dump in debug.log with a complete pop history |
create_state_region_data | Creates a game database-compliant .txt file of all state regions in the world and their provinces/resources |
cthulhu | ???????? |
data_types_explorer | Opens the data types explorer dockable |
data_wrappers_stats (Filter) | Prints statistics about data wrappers |
date (date in format yyyy.mm.dd.hh) | Changes current date |
debug (arguments) | Various debugging actions. See console command arguments. |
debug_lens_option | Toggles the cheat mode debug_lens_option |
debug_mode | Toggles debug mode |
debugcharacters | Creates a semi-colon delimited logfile with debug info regarding all characters. |
debugcountrybudgets | Creates a semi-colon delimited logfile with debug info regarding all countries and their budgets. |
debugemployment | Creates and appends a comma-delimited logfile with debug info regarding employment in the specified state ID. |
debugmarkets | Creates a semi-colon delimited logfile with debug info regarding all goods and markets. |
debugpopconsumption | Creates a semi-colon delimited logfile with debug info regarding all pops’ consumption |
debugpopwealth | Creates a semi-colon delimited logfile of the current wealth status of all pops. |
debugstates | Write a semi-colon delimited logfile with debug info regarding all states. |
debugterrainweights | Prints out the number of |
debugtheaters | Write a semi-colon delimited logfile with debug info regarding all theaters. |
deiron | Disables Ironman mode |
disable_ai (all/tag) | Disables AI |
disable_pop_growth | Toggles the cheat mode disable_pop_growth |
disable_retooling | Toggles the cheat mode disable_retooling |
drawcmdsviewer | Draw Cmds Viewer |
dump_data_types | Dumps the registered data types |
dump_ref_lookup_memory_report | |
enable_ai (all/tag) | Enables AI |
entity_editor | Entity Editor Dockable |
escalate (amount) | Adds escalation to player diplomatic plays. |
event (event name) (country_tag/province_id) | Executes an event |
explorer | Shows an object explorer window |
exportbuildings | Writes a semi-colon delimited logfile with all building type info |
fastbuild | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fastbuild’; makes all constructions instant (affects AI) |
fastenact | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fastenact’; enactment of policies is instant |
fasthire | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fasthire’ |
fastinstitutions | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fastinstitutions’ |
fastinterests | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fastinterests’ |
fastmobilize | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fastmobilize’ |
fastresearch | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fastresearch’ |
fastrevolution | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fastrevolution’ |
fastsecession | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fastsecession’ |
fasttravels | Toggles the cheat mode ‘fasttravels’ |
find_unemployed | Find and report all unemployed pops with an optional cutoff |
fix_state_regions | Fix state regions. |
force_oos | Make this client go out of sync in multiplayer |
generate_province_center_objects | Generates a file with meshes in the center of each province |
gfx.reloadtexture | Reload textures |
gfx.skin | Select active gfx skin |
gfx.texture_limit | Set texture video memory limit in megabytes |
gui_animation_editor | GUI Animation Timeline Dockable |
gui_editor | Spawns GUI editor |
help [command name] | Print out all console commands or a specific command description. |
hq_show_id | Toggles the cheat mode hq_show_id |
ignore_government_support | Toggles the cheat mode ignore_government_support |
invalidate_character (character id) | Invalidate the modifier on the character with the specified ID |
invalidate_country (country id) | Invalidate the modifier on the country with the specified ID |
invalidate_ig (interest group id) | Invalidate the modifier on the interest group with the specified ID |
invalidate_state (state id) | Invalidate the modifier on the state with the specified ID |
io_stats | Toggles IO Stats |
io_stats.Reset | Resets IO Stats |
kill_character (character name) | Kills the named character |
log_status | Log Status Dockable |
log_ticktask_performance | Start outputting tick task performance data to profiling.log |
log_viewer | Log Viewer Dockable |
map_editor | Toggle map editor |
mapmode [mapmode] | Switches to a given map mode |
measure_frame_time (start” or “stop” measuring) | Measures avg/min/max frame time and prints the result to debug.log once stopped |
memory_stats | Toggles Memory Stats |
memory_stats.Reset | Resets Memory Stats |
minidump (file path) | Creates a minidump |
money (amount) | Adds the specified amount of money to your total |
net_debuginfo | Print debug info about the networking layer |
net_stats | Toggles Net Stats |
net_stats.Reset | Resets Net Stats |
norevolution | Toggles the cheat mode ‘norevolution’; removes ability for revolution events |
nosecession | Toggles the cheat mode ‘nosecession’; removes possibility of recession events |
observe | Start observing the game |
own (province id/state region tag) (country tag) | Change the owner of the specified province or state region. The state region tags can be found in the list of state regions |
particleeditor | Particle Node Editor |
permitmarginalizedingovernment | Toggles the cheat mode ‘permitmarginalizedingovernment’ |
pops_account_disconnect_steam | Disconnect the Paradox account from Steam |
pops_account_login (email) (password) | Log in to a POPS Account |
pops_account_logout | Logout from a POPS Account |
pops_account_status | Show whether you are currently logged into POPS or not. |
popstat | Recalculate cached game state data. |
portrait_editor | Opens the portrait editor |
print_gamestate_modifiers | Prints Gamestate Modifiers |
province_borders (true/false) | Toggle main swap chains vsync |
pseudoLoc | Enable/Disable Pseudo Localization on Text Widgets |
recalc_cached_data | Toggles showing province borders |
release_mode | Toggles release mode |
reload (file name) | Reloads assets |
rendertype | Reports which render backend is being used |
research (technology key) | Acquire technologies |
save_game_analyzer | Open the save game analyzer |
screenshot | Takes a screenshot |
script_docs | Prints the script documentation |
set_devastation_level (state region tag) (amount) | Set devastation level in specified state region |
set_pollution_level (state region tag) (amount) | Set pollution level in specified state region |
settings | Spawns a settings GUI with an optional argument for an initially selected category |
shader_debug | |
shader_editor | Shader Editor Dockable |
show_goals | Show AI goals |
skip_migration | Toggles the cheat mode skip_migration |
sleep (#) | Sleep for a specified amount of milliseconds |
social_addfriend (Context Index) (Account ID) | Add a friend to your friends list |
social_debuginfo | Print debug info about the social layer |
social_joinroom (Context Index) (Room Name) (Nick Name) | Join a chat room using the given social context |
social_sendmessage (Context Index) (Room Name) (Message) | Send a message to a chat room. |
spawnentity [<entity name>] [<state>] | Spawns specified entity at the cursor position |
spawnentity_at [<entity name>] [x] [y] [<state>] | Spawns specified entity at x/y-position |
spawnline [<line name>] [<start position ‘x,y,z’> (no spaces)] [<end position x,y,z> (no spaces)] | Spawns specified line between 2 positions |
spawnnotification (notificationtype) [<scopeindex>] | Spawns a notification of the specified type. |
swapchain.buffers | Query/Set swapchain buffers |
switchlanguage (language name) | Reload localization files and switch language |
tag (country tag) | Switch control to another country |
testaipacts | Test whether AI would dissolve current pacts |
testevent (event name) (country_tag/province_id) | Tests an event |
testobjective (subgoal key) | Tests objective triggered effects |
texturelist | Texture List |
textureviewer | Texture Viewer |
time | What time is it? |
tools.skins | Skin Editor |
treatyport (state region tag) | Takes treaty port in a state region |
tweak | Spawns a tweaker GUI |
update_distribution | Updates garrison unit distribution in HQ of specified State ID |
update_employment | Transfers employees between buildings in the specified state ID. |
validate_employment | Print out unemployment in states. |
validate_hubs | |
validate_income | Print out countries with income deficits. |
validate_naval_exits | |
validate_pops | Ensures all pops have valid parameters and prints them to the error log otherwise. |
version | Shows current build information, put 1 as the second parameter for the long version |
vsync | Toggles vsync |
wagerate (building) (rate) | Get or set a building’s wage rate |
yesmen | AI will agree to all diplomatic proposals & sway offers from players |
Victoria 3 Cheat Code FAQs
How Do I Activate the Debug Menu?
You can activate Debug Menu in Victoria 3 through one of three methods:
- Activate it in the game launcher by selecting “Open game in Debug mode”
- Edit the game’s properties on Steam
- Right-click the game
- Open “Properties”
- Add -debug_mode to the launch options
- Start the game
- Edit the internal files through Windows
- Find the folder with all your Victoria 3 files, then find the “binaries” folder
- Right-click victoria3.exe and create a shortcut
- Right-click the shortcut, then open Properties
- In the Target field add -debug_mode at the end (
"...\victoria3.exe" -debug_mode
) - Launch the game using that shortcut
How Do I Activate Cheats?
Once you activate the debug menu, hit the ` key or hit the combination of Shift+Alt+C.