CK3 director reveals what he would do differently, if he got to launch it again

Crusader Kings 3, the popular game where you lead a medieval dynasty, turned five years old earlier in 2024. Soon, it will get a huge update called ‘All Under Heaven,’ adding even more to the experience.

Around the game’s anniversary, I was able to ask Crusader Kings 3 director Alexander Oltner some questions for a written interview. We discussed the game’s initial release and how it’s changed since then, acknowledging that its development didn’t always follow the team’s original vision.

Oltner and his team were really surprised by how many players started campaigns with characters who hadn’t yet established a home base. He now says, looking back, that if he could redesign the game’s launch, he’d definitely include that option from the very beginning.

I also asked if they might explore a version based on ancient Rome – the core ideas would fit perfectly – but Oltner and his team aren’t currently considering that. I really did ask, for those of us who love Rome!

Find the full CK3 anniversary Q&A with Alexander Oltner below.

Q: Having a game evolve over time is always part of the Paradox experience, but has there been feedback over the years that drove CK3 into a direction that was unexpected even for you?

When we start long-term projects, we generally have a basic plan. We always intended to expand into East Asia and update the Byzantium content. However, player feedback often reveals unexpected opportunities. We didn’t anticipate so many players would prefer starting with unlanded adventurers, but that’s something we can definitely build on in future updates.

Q: CK3 is a remarkably versatile game. Some play it as an RPG, some as a grand strategy title. How do you keep the balance between all these elements and ensure that all your fans get what they need from the experience?

For years, Crusader Kings has been the leading grand strategy role-playing game, and usually it’s easy to cater to our players. However, we see a wide range of playstyles – some people enjoy focusing on family drama and storytelling, while others want a difficult path to world domination. Designing the game with one of these approaches in mind can sometimes make it less enjoyable for those who prefer the other. We conduct user research and carefully consider feedback to try and strike a balance.

Q: Suppose you had the time and budget to add one feature that’s in the game today to its launch version back in the day. What would you pick and why?

You know, as a fan, I’ve been thinking about how the game could have unfolded differently. I really think starting with adventurers who hadn’t landed yet would have been a great move. Getting that whole landing process out of the way early on – and it was a huge undertaking to build, honestly – would have given the developers so much more time to focus on making the rest of the game even better, with more polish and balance. It just feels like it could have opened up a lot more possibilities!

Q: Has there been a mod you encountered over the years that made you go “Damn, wish we’d thought of that” and if so, what was so impressive about it?

It’s tough to highlight just one mod because there are so many great ones! We often see mods that make small but smart improvements to the game, and we frequently think, ‘That’s a really good idea – we should incorporate that into the game ourselves!’

Q: This is completely independent of any future plans whatsoever. But of all the aspects of medieval life, society, and politics, what element would you personally like to see fleshed out most – or introduced – in CK3?

Opinions on this vary within the team, just like with players. Some of us would like to see a more detailed portrayal of religion, as the Catholic Church historically limited the power of rulers for many years. We’d also appreciate more focus on the challenges of governing, rather than just warfare and romance, but we don’t want to take away from what players enjoy. The medieval period is incredibly complex, and even in a game as detailed as Crusader Kings III, we can only scratch the surface of it.

Q: Your colleagues at Paradox Tinto have chosen ‘Be ambitious’ as the tagline for EU5 — a line that’s applicable to you guys as well, given your plans with All Under Heaven. Why is it the right time to take that step over the horizon?

Expanding into East Asia was always a long-term plan for the game. China was the world’s dominant power at that time, even with changing dynasties. However, we needed to first perfect the idea of ‘Administrative Empires’ – something we introduced last year with the ‘Road to Power’ expansion. The new ‘Celestial Empire’ is a more complex version of that, but we needed to prove the basic concept worked first. A feudal map wouldn’t have suited the Eastern Roman Empire, but it would have been even less fitting for China during the Tang or Song dynasties.

So, while ‘All Under Heaven’ is a large-scale expansion, it’s been carefully planned – we laid the groundwork with previous updates.

Q: After the expansion of space comes the expansion of time. I think CK3 would be a great foundation for a similar game set in Ancient Rome’s mire of intrigue and conquest, don’t you?

We’re not currently working on a family-friendly game set in ancient Rome, but it’s not entirely off the table. Several people at our studio enjoy historical games focusing on the Roman Republic and Empire – we even published ‘Imperator: Rome’ recently. So, while it’s possible we might explore that setting in the future, it’s not a priority for us right now.

Q: Okay, looping things back to the anniversary: Comparing CK3 at launch and today, what are you most proud of?

It’s definitely our team! We’re lucky to have incredibly talented people who are passionate about tackling challenging design issues and exploring the game’s rich history. While not every change has been a hit with players, our love for the game and its community keeps us motivated, even when things get tough.

Q: I’m sure you’ve all seen a fair share of insane plays from the community over the years. Do you remember one that made the team scratch its collective head?

The first thing I thought of was someone completing the game and conquering the world in under a year – definitely sounds like a speedrun!

Q: CK3 is a story generator for all of us, but doubly so for you. Is there any especially memorable anecdote you can share with fans from behind the scenes?

We recently attended Medieval Week in Visby with a small team, setting up a booth along the main path. It was a fantastic opportunity to talk with all kinds of players – those who’ve been with us for a long time, new players just discovering our games, and even people who were completely unfamiliar with us but intrigued by what we were doing.

Hearing players share how a game mechanic finally made sense after hours of play, or how they researched their family history using our game, was incredibly rewarding. It gave us valuable perspective. We love history and strategy games ourselves, but nothing compares to connecting directly with our fans. While we have data and market research to help us understand what players want, talking to them in person brings that information to life. Ultimately, we create games so players can create their own stories.

Medieval Week was tiring, but it left us feeling energized and with a deeper understanding of how our players bring the game to life.

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2025-10-23 17:48