Crusader Kings III

- Developer
- Paradox Development Studio
- Publisher
- Paradox Interactive
- Released
- Sep 1, 2020
- Steam reviews
- 90% of players recommend it, from 142,416 reviews — Steam calls that “Very Positive”
- Tags
- RPGSimulationStrategy
On Linux, Steam Deck and Steam Machine
Ships a native Linux build on Steam — no Proton needed. Valve rates it Playable on Steam Deck.
Valve rates it Playable on Steam Machine. Valve marks it SteamOS Compatible.
Native build: Steam · Proton tier: ProtonDB · Deck rating: Valve · Steam Machine, Steam Frame and SteamOS ratings: Valve · Compare 2,053 games · Every game Valve rated for Steam Machine
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About this game
The developer's description, from the game's Steam store page.

Your legacy awaits. Choose your noble house and lead your dynasty to greatness in a Middle Ages epic that spans generations. War is but one of many tools to establish your reign, as real strategy requires expert diplomatic skill, mastery of your realm, and true cunning. Crusader Kings III continues the popular series made by Paradox Development Studio, featuring the widely acclaimed marriage of immersive grand strategy and deep, dramatic medieval roleplaying.

- Take command of your house and expand your dynasty through a meticulously researched Middle Ages. Begin in 867, 1066 or 1178 and claim lands, titles, and vassals to secure a realm worthy of your royal blood. Your death is only a footnote as your lineage continues with new playable heirs, either planned… or not.
- Discover a sprawling simulated world teeming with peasants and knights, courtiers, spies, knaves and jesters, and secret love affairs. An extensive cast of historical characters can be romanced, betrayed, executed, or subtly influenced.
- Explore a vast medieval map stretching from the snowswept Nordic lands to the Horn of Africa, and the British Isles in the west to the exotic riches of Burma in the east. Claim, conquer, and rule thousands of unique counties, duchies, kingdoms, and empires.

- Each character is larger than life, with traits and lifestyle choices determining their actions and schemes. Prompt fear and dread as you rule with an iron fist, or inspire your subjects with magnanimous deeds. Genetics can be passed along to your children, be it the gift of genius or crippling stupidity.
- Groom your heir with the appropriate guardians or educate them yourself. If found wanting, marry them off or despatch them through other means.
- Customize your ruler and noble house, from appearance to attributes, and create a monarch worthy of all their inherited virtues and vices.

- Govern an ever-evolving realm and grant titles to whom you see fit - or usurp your liege to claim their crown as your own. Be wary of rivals, from restless serfs to revengeful concubines.
- The shadows stir frequently, and danger lurks around every darkened corner. Recruit agents and other unsavory elements to undermine, blackmail, or murder those who stand in your path. Or be inspired by the bard and ballad, and seduce your way to power and influence.
- Blood will flow. Assemble men-at-arms units and powerful knights. Manage your battlefield tactics and armies. Raid and plunder nearby lands or hire mercenaries and Holy Orders for your major conflicts.

- Be a pious king to invite the religious powers to your side, or design your own faith as you battle between everlasting fame or eternal damnation.
- Bring novel innovations to your culture and construct mighty castles and bastions to increase the wealth, prestige, and security of your realm.
- The paths to follow are limitless: experience thousands of dynamic events and life-altering decisions tailored to each and every conceivable situation and character. There are countless ways of securing and keeping your place in the history books.
System requirements
As Steam lists them.
Windows
Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS
- Windows® 10 Home 64 bit
- Processor
- Intel Core i5-750 | AMD FX 4300
- Memory
- 8 GB RAM
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 | AMD Radeon HD 7870 | Intel Arc A310 | Intel Iris Plus G7 | AMD Radeon Vega 11
- Storage
- 20 GB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS
- Windows® 10 Home 64 bit or Windows® 11
- Processor
- Intel Core i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
- Memory
- 16 GB RAM
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 | AMD Radeon RX 480 | Intel Arc A580
- Storage
- 20 GB available space
macOS
Minimum
- OS
- macOS Sequoia v15 or newer
- Processor
- Intel Core i5-6500 or newer | Apple M1 or newer
- Memory
- 8 GB RAM
- Graphics
- AMD Radeon R9 M380 2GB or better (for Intel systems) | Intel Iris Plus G7 | AMD Radeon Vega 11 | Apple M1 integrated GPU
- Storage
- 20 GB available space
Recommended
- OS
- macOS Sequoia v15 or newer
- Processor
- Intel® Core™ i5-7600K
- Memory
- 16 GB RAM
- Graphics
- AMD® Radeon™ PRO 580 (8GB)
- Storage
- 8 GB available space
SteamOS + Linux
Minimum
- OS
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
- Processor
- Intel Core i5-750 | AMD FX 4300
- Memory
- 8 GB RAM
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 | AMD Radeon HD 7870 | Intel Arc A310 | Intel Iris Plus G7 | AMD Radeon Vega 11
- Storage
- 20 GB available space
Recommended
- OS
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
- Processor
- Intel Core i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
- Memory
- 16 GB RAM
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 | AMD Radeon RX 480 | Intel Arc A580
- Storage
- 20 GB available space
Downloadable content
Steam lists 33 items of downloadable content for this game.
All 33 on Steam ↗News
What Crusader Kings III's studio and the outlets Valve syndicates on Steam have said recently.
Mods
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