Paradox Interactive’s games are considered difficult and lengthy. The studio itself is amused by the idea that no one ever finishes their strategy epic Crusader Kings 3. But now they plan to lure more players into its dark clutches. A new free update is planned for Steam and a new starter edition for Steam has also been completed.
What is the reputation of Crusader Kings 3? The developers themselves once made fun of it and quoted a human rights activist (via Twitter):
“In Sweden people make games, but they are just cards. Nobody knows how to play them, and people just stare at them for hours and watch them change colors.”
In fact, the Swedes are proud that their “grand strategy” games like Crusader King 3 are rarely played to the end, as the games are often too lengthy. Most experienced players start a game with a specific goal in mind and stop the game once the goal is achieved. Even if hundreds of years and hours of play would pass until the end of the game.
Many beginners fail to even get into the games. For some, Crusader Kings 3 is harder than Elden Ring: too many menus and submenus, too many game mechanics, no clear objective.
Crusader Kings III introduces its legends
More videos
Autoplay
“Legends of Crusader Kings 3” should provide a clear introduction
What should change? Of all Paradox’s difficult games, Crusader Kings 3 is considered the most accessible, Paradox knows.
Crusader Kings 3 is a mix of strategy and role-playing game in which you lead the fortunes of a ruling dynasty and steer it over the centuries: you recruit knights, look for a wife, attack neighbors, stab your cousin, plunder, pillage and murder is well-behaved and has developed a region over the centuries from forests and meadows into flourishing cities and market towns.
Now they want to make the epic Crusader Kings 3 even more accessible in Sweden. There is already a tutorial on the green island of Ireland for Crusader Kings 3, which was released in 2020, but now they want to offer players expanded tutorials:
5 important historical figures are intended to serve as entry-level characters for players into the world of Crusader Kings 3. Each of these should represent one of the 5 playing styles in the game:
The common thread is intended to guide beginners
This is what lies behind it: Beginners are usually put off by the fact that Crusader Kings 3 is so open and offers a massive sandbox without explaining to the player what to do in that sandbox.
With the “Legends of Crusader Kings 3” update, the aim is now to give players more of a campaign, a common thread that they can follow. Let them play a specific character and promote a certain style of play.
It is surprising that they chose characters that are relatively unknown in the community and not an established character. The Viking Haestein, for example, would be ideal for “warlike play”, as he starts with a powerful army and usually invades England at the beginning of a game.
The free update is scheduled to come to the game in May.
New Starter Edition on Steam is already starting
At the same time, a “Starter Edition” has been available on Steam since April 3rd: The base game and some essential DLCs are now available to purchase in one package.
I’ve already spent 100 hours in 2 weeks with the new DLC for Crusader Kings 3 on Steam