It's been almost four years since the announcement of Evil Genius 2 (opens in new tab), the sequel to the 2004 RTS about running a satirical supervillain organization modeled after the James Bond films of the 1960s and '70s—or, perhaps more accurately, the Austin Powers trilogy. It's been slow going since, but the pace began to pick up last year: We got our first look at gameplay (opens in new tab) at the PC Gaming Show in June, a more in-depth preview (opens in new tab) in October, and the promise of dodos—scientific dodos (opens in new tab)—in November.
And now, in January 2021, we have a new trailer and, more importantly, a release date. Developer Rebellion said today that Evil Genius 2: World Domination will be released on Steam on March 30.
Evil Genius 2 will actually feature four villainous masterminds—narcissist despot Max, heavy-muscle madman Ivan, manipulative ex-spymaster Emma, and scientist zealot Zalika—each with their own unique story campaign. One of three different island locales will serve as the home for your bad-guy HQ, which you'll design, build, and customize with "modern base-building mechanics," before unleashing your campaign of worldwide domination.
"Send your minions and henchmen on missions across the globe as you exert your influence and control over world regions," Rebellion said. "Complete lucrative schemes, expand your criminal network, recruit new henchmen and steal all manner of useful loot—from the Doors to Fort Knox to a living, breathing dodo."
There's more to come: Rebellion promised "loads of fiendishly exciting surprises on the way in the coming weeks," including a new, unannounced game mode. In the meantime, you can check out a bunch of screens below, and learn more about the game on Steam (opens in new tab).
