Today, Paradox Interactive announced that Crusader Kings 3: By God Alone will release for PC on September 30, 2026. The expansion is included in Crusader Kings 3: Chapter V and will also be available as a standalone purchase for $19.99.
Crusader Kings 3: By God Alone centers on religion and church politics, expanding Christian gameplay throughout the medieval era. The update adds playable theocratic rulers, new church power struggles, and systems that reflect changing doctrine, dissent, and the spiritual lives of rulers and their subjects.
Players can now rule as theocracies, taking control of territories led by archbishops or even the Pope. These governments feature unique authority systems and provide access to new sources of wealth, influence, and church power, separating them from secular realms.
Crusader Kings 3: By God Alone also adds a new Christian Situation mechanic that tracks the faith’s development throughout the medieval world, giving rulers new decisions tied to religious development. Ecumenical Councils become central, letting players debate and resolve issues that can change doctrine, tenets, and the direction of Christianity.
Religious divisions play a larger role, with divergent rites and practices now deemed heretical. Rulers and clergy must choose between enforcing orthodoxy and accepting dissent, which can lead to the Great Schism, permanently splitting Catholic and Orthodox Christianity.
Monastic Holy Orders are now powerful institutions that serve as centers for learning, research, and theology. Supporting these orders grants rulers major bonuses, while the orders provide spiritual legitimacy and protection to secular leaders seeking stronger ties with the Church.
The faith system now places greater emphasis on personal spirituality. Religious tenets emphasize behavior and each character’s relationship with their beliefs. A new Spiritual Fulfillment mechanic tracks a character’s inner religious life, covering concerns about salvation, devotion, and the afterlife beyond the usual stress system.
Church politics are more dynamic with the new College of Cardinals, where non-religious rulers can compete for influence at the top of church governance. Holy sites will change over time, and cathedrals can become major centers for pilgrimage, sainthood, and religious prestige.
Secular rulers can now use trusted church figures as clerical puppets to act on their behalf within church institutions. This adds a new way to influence Church affairs and pursue political goals from inside the religious hierarchy.
If you’re unfamiliar with Crusader Kings 3, it’s a grand-strategy game with extremely compelling RPG elements, available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Unfortunately, new content on consoles arrives with significant delays compared to PC, including the By God Alone Expansion.
For more information on Crusader Kings 3: By God Alone, the base game, or other Paradox strategy titles, be sure to check back to Simulation Daily for updates.
