Crusader Kings 3 gets September release date on PC
Also on Xbox Game Pass for PC at launch.
Paradox Interactive's grand strategy sequel Crusader Kings 3 will come to PC on 1st September.
It's been eight years (and a whopping 15 expansions) since the launch of Crusader Kings 2, and although its successor's premise remains the same - to guide a dynasty from the Middle Ages onward, by way of devious political machination, whether that be through diplomacy, warring, scheming, or spying - much has changed for its long-awaited follow-up.
As Eurogamer's Chris Tapsell put it when he spoke with Paradox last year, Crusader Kings 3 is Crusader Kings 2, "but tall as opposed to broad" - substantially deepening its predecessor's much-loved grand strategy formula to offer a rich array of new possibilities, while aiming to be a little less intimidating to newcomers at the same time.
Crusader Kings 3's world is much bigger for a start - stretching from Iceland to India, from the Arctic Circle to Central Africa, as Paradox puts it - and characters are now represented by 3D portraits, giving them more presence as their player-defined stories unfold.
Among Crusader Kings 3's other new features are five different lifestyles for characters to adopt, each with its own distinct skills; a new stress system, threatening to push rulers over the edge if player choices conflict with their traits; a new religion mechanic, enabling players to adopt an existing faith or create a new one, and it's possible to pass on genetic code to influence the characteristics of future generations too.
There are, then, a huge number of permutations to play around with as the centuries unfold, and the price of entry for Paradox's expansive historical sandbox will be £41.99/$49.99USD (or £57.99/$74.99 with an expansion pass) when the game comes to PC on 1st September. It'll also be available as part of Xbox Game Pass for PC from launch day.