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ParadoxCon: Crusader Kings 3 is coming to PC and Xbox Game Pass in 2020

News by Lauren Aitken Contributor
Published on

It’s finally happening: Crusader Kings 3 is coming to PC in 2020.

ParadoxCon is well underway and we finally got our first look at Crusader Kings 3, which is due to release on PC via Steam and Xbox Game Pass in 2020.

As an added bonus, Crusader Kings 2 is now free and there's a new series of challenges, The Monarch's Journey, which will grant you in-game rewards for Crusader Kings 3.

The unintuitive user interface from Crusader Kings 2 is gone, replaced by a minimalist design that easy to use, which means you can spend more time invading foreign lands and planning assassinations. Game director, Henrik Fåhraeus, addressed the designer overhaul by saying that "user-friendliness was never our primary goal. Now we have a chance to address an even larger audience."

"Crusader Kings 3 is a grand medieval simulator where you are free to live out any plausible ruler fantasy that we could think of - but not without challenge", he said - be music to veteran's ears. By having a dedicated team working on interfaces, Crusader Kings 3 will be more accessible than its predecessor while still providing a formidable challenge for players.

Crusader Kings 3 has a sophisticated new RPG system where you can choose a Lifestyle for your leader, and we got a quick look at the Martial lifestyle for all you war-mongers out there. You’ll be able to unlock Perks for your leader as you complete various Schemes, and there are even Dynasty traits you can unlock that will shape how your lineage continues long after your starting leader is dead.

The ugly leadership interface has been replaced by an animated version of your leader, which you’ll also be able to see on the title game screen. Managing your leader’s stress levels will be crucial in Crusader Kings 3, and the Stress bar beneath your character will indicate if they need a break from castrating their enemies and marrying off their illegitimate children. #ShitCrusaderKingsSay

The new Tooltips function will let you dive down a research hole if you need to brush up on your feudalistic terminology, which opens up the door for new players who want to try their luck at one of the best grand strategy franchises around.

It’s an exciting new chapter for Paradox and Crusader Kings fans alike, and it's obvious that the development team hase paid close attention to what the community was hoping for in the next iteration.

Here's a brief overview of everything you can expect:

  • Shape Your Dynasty: Guide unique characters through history, choosing lifestyles best suited to their personalities and your ambitions.
  • Rewrite Medieval History: Dynasties will change and adapt to changes in family and politics, and religious beliefs are more firmly under your control.
  • Build a Mighty Kingdom: Use your vassals’ fear of you as a weapon or call on familial obligations to persuade reluctant relatives to submit.
  • Experience High Drama: Stranger than fiction stories leap off the screen, as characters plot against you and events push you to extremes.
  • Learn as You Go: Guided advice to help newcomers navigate a rich medieval world. In-game suggestions tip you off to paths you might not have considered.
  • The Usual Crusader Kings Fun: Keep a stubborn council in line, scheme against your overbearing uncle or marry the rich duchy...oops, I mean pious duke or duchess of your dreams.

It's not Vicky 3, but it'll tide you over in the meantime.

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