Muzzy Lane Software today announced the next game in its Making History series: Making History II: The War of the World, created in partnership with economic historian Niall Ferguson. MH2 lets grand strategy players experience the role of a WWII era national leader embroiled in the toxic mix of waning empires, economic crisis and ethnic fault lines that resulted in a global war. Armchair generals and grand strategy masters will be able to write their own account of history, choosing to either defend the world from tyranny or embark on a quest for global conquest.

In MHII, the player will make diplomatic decisions about everything from alliances to colonization, such as whether he grants full independence or creates a puppet state. Cities are customizable via a series of constructible add-on buildings, allowing the player to build a giant shipyard in New York or a munitions factory in Stuttgart. Military forces can be upgraded, repaired and reinforced, and veteran units develop experience over time. Every nation in the world is playable, but the choices and strategy can be vastly different.

The accompanying website will offer free content and updates, access to user-created mods and a new multiplayer service that launches from the web browser. It will find games, match players, track scores and player ranking, and connect to email or players’ favorite social network site to notify them to take their turn. To visit the website, go to www.making-history.com. Muzzy Lane will release Making History II this fall.