Shout Out / Europa Universalis

• The cheat in EU II for "always win battles" is "DIFrules!". DIF is a hockey team in Stockholm, where Paradox Interactive is located. Said cheat also changes your country's flag to that of the DIF hockey team.
• In EU III, once Aragón learns about said province, it can get the mission "Become King of Gonder". Yeah, notice what they did there... Heir to the Throne expanded on the theme with the addition of the Turkish Beylik of Saruhan... and their flag featuring a white hand. (Needless to say, Aragon now can get "Defeat Saruhan" as a mission, too). These 2 missions made a return in EU IV.
• EU III and EU IV have an event called "A visit from some shady people", with two options "It's an offer..." "... that we can refuse, actually."
• EU IV also has the description of the Spanish Inquisition national idea: No one expected it.
  • And with the release of Art of War, Canadians now have Singing Lumberjacks.
• If you have Plutocracy idea group in EU IV, there is one event that is basically a reference to Braveheart.
• A flavour event that triggers when Paris becomes Swedish culture references the forum Something Awful, which several developers frequent and Johan has described as "the best forum I'm not an administrator of".
• The Hashashin (if you imported them from CK 2)'s first national idea is something about a Creed.
• In EU4, Venice can get a mission to expand into mainland Italy. Where? In fair Verona, where we lay our scene. (There's a high probability that you won't get this mission due to the fact that at 1444 start Venice already owns Verona.)
• The description for transport ships goes like this: "Everybody knows that soldiers simply cannot turn into boats."
• Both EU3 and EU4 have an event called Fear and Loathing in (capital). In the latter, at least, some of the options for the event chain reference lines from The Shining.
  • In EU4, it's possible to get an event that decreases unjustified demands called Justify my War, with the text "For you, to justify my..."
• In EU4, when you are the Holy Roman Emperor, and you win a war in defence of the empire, a possible acceptance option of the announcement that you've earned Imperial Authority from coming to the rescue is "I have foreseen it!"
• In EU4, countries involved in colonialism can get an event which sparks a boom in emigration to the colonies, fueled by the sentiment: "A new life awaits you in the colonies!"
• EU4 has an event where one parliamentary seat changes their stance on the issue selected, and the only selection for the event says: "You may very well think that. I couldn't comment."
• One of Bavaria's ideas talks about how there is a conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.
• Some of the Random New World province names in EU4, such as Cymmeria and Xanadu, are drawn from other works of fiction. (Other cases, such as "Gitgud," are drawn from memes.)
• One possible Russian dynasty name is Woland.
• If a province of yours triggers the Diamond District event, the option you get says "Gems are truly outrageous."
• If you demand a bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire to convert back to Catholicism by event, the only choice is "The Emperor protects."
• In EU4, Crusader States that conquer the New World can get a mission that rewards them with a Scottish-cultured Conquistador, as well as missions regarding a certain Fountain of Youth.

• Many, many EU4 achievements:
  • The Mare Nostrum achievement for corrupting officials in a rival nation, "Just Resting In My Account," even features Father Ted in the icon.
  • The achievement for restoring the Danelaw to England is called "The Iron Price".
  • Forming the Spice-rich nation of Malaya grants you the achievement "The Spice Must Flow".
  • "Imposter Syndrome" involves the North African state of Sus being caught spying on three other countries.
  • "Mewar Never Changes", which you get for completing Mewar's mission tree. The icon for it is also a reference to The Lone Wanderer and Dogmeat.
  • "Nobody wants to die" (Own Timbuktu as Songhai) is a reference to Swedish artist Timbuktu and his song "Alla vill till himmelen men ingen vill dö" ("Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die").
  • The achievements "The Freest Man in the World" and "All Blue", and the pirate republic government reform "War Against the World" are all references to One Piece, with the icon for the former even featuring Luffy's iconic straw hat.
  • The achievements "Golden Wind" and "Stardust Crusaders".
  • "Norwegian Wood", gained by owning every Naval Supply province as Norway.
  • "KHAAAAN" (restore the Mongol Empire by 1610).
  • "Empire of Mann" (control every island in the world as Mann)
    • "Blood for the Sky God!" (have Nahuatl as a syncretic faith as a Tengri nation)
  • "Around the world in 80 years" (own a number of locations from the novel in the first 80 years of the game).
  • "These Banners Need a Saga" (raise 100 Banner regiments as a Manchu nation).
  • "Spice Girls (have a female ruler and earn trading bonuses in Spices, Cloves, Salt, and Sugar).
  • Spaghetti Western (form Mexico or Texas as Bolonga; the icon shows Clint Eastwood in the Dollars trilogy).
  • One nation to rule them all (have 9 loyal subjects as Saruhan).
    • "One Family to Rule them All" (have your dynasty on 8 thrones at once)
  • The icon for "It's All Greek to Me" shows Leonidas from 300.
  • "Everything's Coming Up Mulhouse (become Holy Roman Emperor as Mulhouse and decentralize the Empire).
  • "Dracula's Revenge" (form Romania and unite the Balkans)
  • "Back to the Piast" (reform Poland as a nation with the Piast dynasty)
  • "The Manchurian Candidate" - form Qing as a Manchu tribe).
  • "No Country for Old Tercios"
  • "Victorian Three" (max out tech as a minor by Lake Victoria; added to EU4 when Victoria 3 was just a rumor)
  • "The Bohemians" (own Dublin as Bohemia) is a reference to Dublin football side Bohemian F.C.
  • "Super Trooper" (as Sweden, have 80 Carolean regiments while maxing infantry combat ability)
  • "Sleepless in Seattle" (own 10 coffee provinces while having a capital in Seattle)
  • "Live Long and Prosper" (have a 70 year old ruler and 30 states with prosperity)
  • "Hannukah Mutapah" (convert to Judaism as Mutapa and celebrate a festival)
  • "Georgia on my Mind" (own the country of Georgia, the state of Georgia, and the island of South Georgia)
  • "All Your Trade Are Belong To Us" (dominate Genoese, Venetian, and English Channel trade)
  • "You Get A New Home, And You Get A New Home" (expel 5 different minorities to your colonies).
  • "The Princess is in this Castle (have a female heir and a castle in your capital).
  • "Sweet Home Qaraqorum (assimilate Mongolian culture as the Mughals).
  • "Surfing USA" (form the US as Hawaii).
  • "Queen of Mercury" (as Kilwa, own Zanzibar and Bombay).
  • "Purify the Temple" (raid Rome as a Salvific Plutocracy Riga).
  • "Let It Go" (as Norway, move to Canada and own no land in Scandinavia).
  • "Tear Down This Wall" (use an Artillery Barrage on Berlin).