Good news, everyone! We might have a non-Paradox grand strategy game on the market!
Hooded Horse—the publisher behind games such as Manor Lords and 9 Kings—picked up a grand strategy title known as Gilded Destiny.
Gilded Destiny takes place during the industrial revolution with a start date of 1822. The game seems to do what Victoria 3 failed to deliver to Victoria II fans, which would make it a more faithful sequel than what Paradox managed to deliver. It also adds some pretty neat stuff like a globe map, a HOI4-inspired combat system, a leader system where you can appoint people to manage certain parts of your government (no ugly 3D models this time), and
built-in modding tools!
I recommend checking this Dev Diary out:
They are also releasing an alpha version to their backers this summer. (I was

enough to give them money despite how I pirated every Paradox game I "own".)