Paradox Announces Crusader Kings III

Published: October 19, 2019 1:30 PM /

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An image of early gameplay from Crusader Kings III

One of the biggest announcements to come from Paradox Interactive's PDXCON is Crusader Kings III. The sequel to the renowned Middle Ages political intrigue simulator is set to release on PC next year.

The Crusader Kings games, unlike most kingdom-building strategy games, is one more focused on individual characters. As one of many royal characters in the Middle Ages, players rule kingdoms, be ruled, and engage in plenty of court intrigue. Crusader Kings II, the most popular of the series so far, has been supported for seven years so far with thirteen main expansion DLCs. These DLC packs let players explore other religions and parts of the medieval world, engage with various societies and groups, and deal with diseases like the Black Plague. No one ever said the medieval times were easy to live in.

Given all that the current rendition has, Crusader Kings III, which has been in development for four years, has plenty to live up to. However, there's plenty to be excited about. The game will be starting out with much more than it's predecessor and include features from some of its DLC on day one. One such example is the ability to create dynamic faiths and heresies from Holy Fury. If all of the features sound like too much, efforts are being made to make the game more accessible. A new "suggestion" window will provide players with hints on actions they can do, such as marrying off relatives or declaring wars to get titles.

A WIP skill tree for Crusader Kings III

With the game's myriad of options and character traits, roleplaying is a big part of the Crusader Kings games. Judging by some of the new features, Paradox is leaning into that angle. Characters will have skill trees based off of the lifestyle mechanics from the Way of Life DLC. By gaining experience, they can gain skills that can boost their main stats and grant other benefits. There will also be a stress mechanic that causes health problems for characters that play wildly against their personality.

Crusader Kings III will release sometime next year for the PC via Steam and Xbox Game Pass. As for the current rendition, Crusader Kings II is currently free to keep on Steam

What do you think of Crusader Kings III? Do you plan on picking it up? Did you play Crusader Kings II or plan on giving it a shot? Let us know in the comments below!

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| Former Staff Writer

I am a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a major in writing and a minor in gaming. I have a passion for video games and writing. I also… More about Brian