9/10 strategy game on Steam adds new Starter Edition for an easy entrance

Paradox Interactive

Though they offer unique experiences, the grand strategy games from Paradox Interactive have a certain reputation of being difficult to get into – both due to their mechanical depth and the big chunks of DLC the studio keeps releasing for them. Reducing that entry hurdle has been one of Paradox’s focus points in recent years and measures like the Expansion Pass, which bundles up forthcoming DLC into a single purchase, frequent discounts, and free updates to go along with new expansions have somewhat helped alleviate the issue.

When it comes to Crusader Kings 3, Paradox has made it even simpler to get started in a good place now – the studio has retired the game’s Royal Edition on Steam and replaced it with the brand-new Starter Edition.

The Crusader Kings 3 Starter Edition contains the base game alongside two of the most crucial expansions as well as three cosmetic packs, making it the best way to start the game.

Crusader Kings 3 Starter Edition – content and price

For a price of $64.99 USD, the Crusader Kings 3 Starter Edition contains the following content:

• Crusader Kings 3 – Base Game
• Tours & Tournaments – Major Expansion
• Friends & Foes – Event Pack
• Garments of the Holy Roman Empire – Cosmetic Pack
• Elegance of the Empire – Cosmetic Pack
• Fashion of the Abbasid Court – Cosmetic Pack

Compared to buying all of this content separately, this bundle saves you around $20 USD.

What’s more, it’s undoubtedly the best content mix to get someone unfamiliar with Crusader Kings 3 started on their journey of intrigue, conquest, and romance. Tours & Tournaments is absolutely game-changing for the title, introducing the ability to host and participate in major events like jousts or taxation tours, which themselves open up many different new options. 

Friends & Foes introduced tons of events related to rivalry and friendship, deepening the connection between your character and everyone else in the world, making it all feel a lot more personal and immersive.

Both of these packs are vital to understand the allure of Crusader Kings 3, the game in which you become a noble in the Middle Ages and have to navigate your way through war, disease, intrigue, and love – it’s the best Game of Thrones-esque game there is (and thanks to a great mod, you can literally make it a Games of Thrones game).