The games from Paradox Interactive are known to be difficult and time-consuming. The studio itself finds it amusing that no one ever finishes their strategy epic Crusader Kings 3. However, they are now planning to lure more players into their dark grasp. A new free update for Steam is planned, and they have also prepared a new Starter Edition for Steam.
What is the reputation of Crusader Kings 3? The developers themselves have joked about it and quoted a human rights activist (via twitter):
“In Sweden, people make games, but they are just cards. No one knows how to play them, and people just stare at them for hours, watching them change colors.”
Indeed, Swedes take pride in the fact that their “Grand Strategy” games like Crusader Kings 3 are rarely finished, as the games are often too lengthy. Most experienced players start a game with a specific goal in mind and quit the game as soon as the goal is reached, even if hundreds of years and game hours remain until the end of the game.
Many beginners struggle to even get into the games. For some, Crusader Kings 3 is harder than an Elden Ring: Too many menus and submenus, too many game mechanics, no clear objectives.
“Legends of Crusader Kings 3” aims to provide a clear entry point
What is supposed to change? Among all the difficult games from Paradox, Crusader Kings 3 is still considered the most accessible, according to Paradox.
Crusader Kings 3 is a mix of strategy and role-playing game, where you guide the fate of a ruling dynasty over the centuries: You recruit knights, find a wife, raid neighbors, stab your cousin, plunder, pillage, and murder, or play nicely and develop a region from forest and meadow into flourishing cities and market towns over the centuries.
Now, they want to make the epic Crusader Kings 3 even more accessible in Sweden. Although there is already a tutorial for Crusader Kings 3, released in 2020, on the green island of Ireland, they now want to offer players extended tutorials:
5 prominent historical figures are to serve as starting characters for players in the world of Crusader Kings 3. Each of them is meant to represent one of the 5 play styles in the game:
- Diplomacy: Murchad of Munster in Ireland
- Administration: Vrastislav of Bohemia
- Education: Matilda of Tuscany
- Intrigue: Emir Yahya of Toledo
- Warlike: Duke Robert of Apulia
A guiding thread aims to assist beginners
What is behind it: Beginners are usually discouraged by the openness of Crusader Kings 3, which offers a vast sandbox without explaining to the player what to do in this sandbox.
With the update “Legends of Crusader Kings 3,” they apparently want to give players a campaign, a guiding thread they can follow. They let players play as a specific character and promote a certain play style.
It is surprising that they chose characters that are rather unknown in the community and lack an established character. For a “warlike play,” a Viking named Haestein would be suitable, who starts with a powerful army and typically invades England at the beginning of a game.
The free update is set to arrive in May for the game.
New Starter Edition on Steam is already available
In parallel, since April 3rd, a “Starter Edition” is available for purchase on Steam: Now, the base game and some essential DLCs can be bought in one package.
I have already spent 100 hours with the new DLC for Crusader Kings 3 on Steam in just 2 weeks
