The strategy game Crusader Kings 3 (Steam, PS5, Xbox) has finally presented its plans for the ongoing year today, on March 12, 2025: Chapter 4 brings the Mongols and mechanics for the steppe peoples. In addition, more attention will be paid to the crowning of a monarch. By the end of the year, the world will then be expanded in the east. China, Japan, and Southeast Asia will be newly included in the game. Paradox rejoices: This will be the biggest expansion for Crusader Kings of all time.

Here are the next highlights for Crusader Kings 3 in 2025: Paradox is again selling a chapter pass for Crusader Kings 3, which includes 4 expansions, two major and two minor:

Starting today, “Crowns of the World” is live: This is a cosmetic pack with 6 new crowns, 4 new hairstyles, and 2 beards. The pack is available immediately with the purchase of the chapter pass. Along with the cosmetic DLC, a new patch is also being released that improves AI and makes it easier to coordinate large army formations. Furthermore, the key roles at court have been revised.

On April 28, the €20 DLC Khans of the Steppes will be launched. This DLC further develops the nomadic peoples of the steppe government and introduces its own mechanics.

The goal of the DLC will be to become the “Scourge of God”: To become a Great Khan who rules the steppe and leads a conquest campaign from the east deep into the west.

The DLC will also bring cosmetic items for the Mongol people.

The map of Crusader Kings 3 will be significantly expanded in the east

What happens next? 2025 will still see the DLC “Coronations” being released. It will focus on events or event chains surrounding the crowning of a new monarch. A coronation ceremony is currently missing from the event collection in the game: Although one can marry pompously, go hunting, attend university, celebrate festivals, and even carry one’s father to the grave, there is still no event for a coronation.

2025 will end with the expansion “All under Haven” where Paradox promises new regions China, Japan, and Southeast Asia along with map expansion in the east. The game will then range from Ireland in the west to Japan in the east.

Paradox speaks of unique forms of government for Japan, South Korea, and the “God-Emperors” of the Indonesian archipelago – along with new cultures and religions.

New forms of government are also set to come to Crusader Kings 3, special events, roles for characters, and other features. China will apparently stand a level above the current largest empires and become a hegemony. As a special feature for China, there will be “dynastic cycles” that make it difficult to maintain a dynasty stable, along with a special treasury.

The existing world map is expected to grow significantly further in the east:

The largest and most ambitious expansion in the history of Crusader Kings 3

So Paradox praises the expansion: While the steppe peoples are already known from earlier parts of the series, Paradox rejoices here: This has never been seen in previous parts of Crusader Kings 3.

Paradox states: This is the “largest and most ambitious expansion” in the history of Crusader Kings.

Fans fear even larger performance issues

How is this received? It is certainly a “strategic expansion” – the games from Paradox have many fans in Asia, who can also get irate. Players from Asia, who know other Paradox games where China or Japan can be played, are now obviously being targeted to bring them to Crusader Kings 3.

Some fear, however, that an even larger map could cause the already sluggish game to run even slower.

Also, the relatively high price (€44), which is to be paid practically in advance, rankles some. After all, one still doesn’t know whether the DLCs will be good. And the high prices have been a constant topic for Crusader Kings 3.

However, there are also some who are completely thrilled by the proposals. Paradox is listening to the player base.

More on the topic

More on the topic

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von Schuhmann

Expansion follows an “economic” logic, not necessarily a gameplay one

This is how MeinMMO author Schuhmann sees it: For me, this is nothing now. Japan and China can be played in Victoria 3 and Europa Universalis IV – I don’t necessarily need that in Crusader Kings 3. I see it more as a game focused on knights, castles, and the crusades.

The Mongols are also, from my point of view, more of an “endgame threat” in a game where I never reach an endgame with my play style.

I expected the Mongols to arrive by the end of 2024, because such a military threat is currently still missing in the game, after the Black Death brought the plague as a threat.

However, I would have wished for a deepening of the existing game system, especially DLCs that further expand the role-playing aspect, such as secret societies, perhaps a revision of the Vikings, or a DLC for Great Britain or France.

For me, it would also be more interesting to start historically earlier and have a starting point of 800 AD – but well, tastes clearly differ here. Crusader Kings 3 as a major game on Steam surely reaches many more players in Asia than earlier titles, so it is probably economically logical that Paradox tries to attract strategy players from China here.

In 2024, Crusader Kings 3 was significantly expanded: I am obsessed with a game on Steam, have spent 1,360 hours in it – Now the series is getting the best new feature in 20 years

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