The massively popular grand strategy game Crusader Kings III hit PC last year, but unlike the previous games in the franchise, it won't be limited to the platform for much longer. Paradox Interactive today announced Crusader Kings III for latest-gen consoles, bringing the medieval role-playing experience to fresh audiences.
Paradox is partnering with Lab42 for developing this version, which is hitting Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. This is not the first time Paradox has brought one of its popular PC franchises to consoles, with Cities Skylines, Stellaris, and Age of Wonders: Planetfall being some.
For new players unclear on what Crusader Kings is about, here's a list of features straight from the developer:
- Character Focused Gameplay: Every character you play or interact with has their own unique personality. Events and options in the game are largely determined by the type of person you are.
- Infinite Possibilities: Play as any noble house from Iceland to India, Finland to Central Africa, over five centuries. Interact with wandering guests, stubborn children, devious spymasters and saintly holy men in an elaborate tapestry of medieval life.
- Waging War: Rally your vassals and raise your men-at-arms to besiege enemy castles or put down rebellions. Personal prowess on the battlefield can win you great honor, but strategic planning is the path to victory.
- Royal Marriages: Spread your dynastic DNA throughout the world, stamping your royal seal on the crests of kingdoms and duchies far and wide. Marry for power and raise children to press claims on new lands.
- Saints and Sinners: Keep faith with your religious leaders or perform great crimes in the interest of the state. When the going gets tough, you can always embrace a heresy or craft a new religion more in line with your character’s priorities.
The console version will ship with official gamepad support — something that's not even available on PC yet — which will bring radial menus for quickly sorting through the in-depth menus while on the couch.
The developer also promises super-fast load times thanks to the consoles' SSDs as well as platform-specific enhancements. The Xbox Series X|S systems were specifically mentioned to have quick switching support for checking relevant gameplay guides while playing. The PlayStation 5's DualSense controller will be getting official support as well.
Unfortunately, Paradox did not attach a launch date to this console version of Crusader Kings III. But it is good news for Xbox Game Pass users on console, as just like the PC version, members will gain the title at launch for no extra cost.
