Old World adds major Crusader Kings 3 mechanics in Behind the Throne DLC

Mohawk Games / Hooded Horse

Foreign invasions, domestic squabbling, ungrateful relatives – it’s not easy to be a monarch in the ancient world. Behind the Throne, an upcoming DLC for turn-based 4X strategy game Old World, will make things even more difficult by introducing a stress mechanic into the title.

Old World, developed by Mohawk Games and published by Hooded Horse, already fused the recipes of Civilization and Crusader Kings 3 together by adding family trees, ruler characters, and all sorts of personal interactions to the traditional 4X gameplay. In the Behind the Throne DLC, a key mechanic from the Paradox Interactive series is making the jump into the ancient world, reflecting the toll ruling takes on a monarch.

Stress mechanics can negatively affect your character, forcing you to give them a bit of free time to relax – and, let’s be honest, that’s probably going to be very expensive. Have you ever heard of a monarch with tastes that are not extravagant? I weep for the national finances.

This, in turn, may feed into another new mechanic: Rivals. Be careful not to let your popularity or authority get undermined by someone else, as they may challenge you for the right to rule.

Over 350 brand-new events themed around politics, ambitions, and intrigues, ten fresh character traits, new goals and ambitions, three new improvements and city projects, six historical figures that can become rising stars in your empire (and this great allies or terrible rivals), and a whole bunch of fresh character and event art are included in the expansion.

If you needed a little more Game of Thrones in your Old World campaigns, then Behind the Throne seems like it’s the right expansion to get. It’ll be out on May 28, 2024, on PC and for impressions you can check out the reveal trailer.