Crusader Kings 3 hits 4 million sales—and you still haven't played it?

Four million copies sold. That’s the headline, and yes, Crusader Kings 3 has officially joined Paradox’s hall of fame. Not that it wasn’t already there—it’s been killing it since day one—but this milestone puts some respect on a game that most folks still treat like it’s some unapproachable niche sim for medieval map nerds.

It’s not. It’s so much weirder—and way more fun—than that.

“I can spend the weekend creating a Viking kingdom in Egypt… or engage in some cannibalism.”

That quote isn’t an exaggeration. CK3 is a sandbox where your dynasty is the toy, and the world is just waiting for your unhinged decisions to shape it. Want to start a cult that worships nudity and blood? Go for it. Marry your cousin, steal a pope’s hat, assassinate your siblings, become the horse pope. It’s all there. The game doesn't just allow chaos—it encourages it.

Which is why it's wild that so many gamers still haven't given it a go. Especially considering how CK3 walks the line between grand strategy and RPG way better than it has any right to. Sure, it's got your standard Paradox world map and buttons and charts and all that, but underneath is a full-blown character drama where your ruler’s emotions, health, family feuds, and personal choices actually matter. You’re not just managing empires—you’re managing egos, grudges, and medieval trauma.

“It continues to be the ultimate bizarro story generator.”

That's the main hook. CK3 doesn’t tell you what story to play—it throws you into the middle of some medieval mess and lets you figure out whether to fix it or make it way, way worse. Every game session turns into a unique saga, usually ending with someone dying horribly or accidentally starting a war with their own in-laws.

The modding scene, of course, pushes things even further. People have turned CK3 into everything from Middle-earth to Vampire: The Masquerade, and if you're not already deep into the Nexus Mods rabbit hole, you’re missing out. Paradox has historically supported mods like crazy, and CK3 is no different—there are hundreds of mods adding new mechanics, overhauling the UI, or just making things extra cursed (yes, there's a full cannibalism-focused religion mod. No, I won’t link it. You’ll find it.)

And it’s not slowing down. The recent Roads to Power expansion added a full-blown RPG adventure mode, letting you ditch your land and title to roam the medieval world like some noble vagabond, collecting stories and maybe stabbing a few barons along the way. It's basically Crusader Witcher 3, and it rules.

“The last expansion, Roads to Power, is one of the best DLCs Paradox has ever developed.”

Next up? Khans of the Steppe. It’s shaping up to be a dream come true for players who want to ride across Eurasia as a nomadic warlord, pillaging everything in sight and rewriting history in the most violent, horse-fueled way possible. Exactly the kind of shakeup a CK3 campaign needs after 200 years of Habsburg inbreeding.

Four years in, Crusader Kings 3 is still getting better. It’s also more approachable now than ever, with better tutorials, cleaner UI, and plenty of built-in hints to help new players get the hang of it. You don’t need to be a Paradox veteran to get into it anymore—you just need to want to roleplay some medieval lunacy.

So yeah, congrats on the 4 million sales, CK3. But that number should be higher. If you haven’t played it yet, this is your sign. It’s time to betray your cousin, marry a witch, and accidentally start a holy war. You’ll thank me later.