Crusader Kings 2 is unique among video games. The grand strategy game was released in 2o12 and remains one of the most popular games in the genre 9 years later. Part of the reason why Crusader Kings 2 remains popular is the continued post-launch content releases from Paradox. Now, however, Paradox is in a difficult position. It has years of great Crusader Kings 2 content and a reliance on the income DLC brings in, but needed a way to monetize that content without charging large prices to new players. The answer, it seems, is a subscription service.
The idea is that the base Crusader Kings 2 game is officially free-to-play. Now, however, players who want more Crusader Kings 2 content have choices. They can purchase Crusader Kings 2 DLC like normal, piece by piece, which can cost hundreds of dollars, or they can purchase a Crusader Kings 2 subscription for a much lower monthly price. The subscription is available now on Steam, though it's not linked to the main Crusader Kings 2 profile for some reason, and costs just $4.99 a month.
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The $4.99 Crusader Kings 2 subscription unlocks everything for the grand strategy game. The list includes 13 major expansions, 12 unit packs, 14 music packs, 10 portrait packs, the Crusader Kings 2 save converter for Europa Universalis 4, the Crusader Kings 2 Ruler Designer for monarch customization, and more.
This won't impact those who already have as much Crusader Kings 2 DLC as they want, nor will it impact those who want to purchase Crusader Kings 2 DLC in a more traditional manner. This is an entirely optional subscription service. Depending on its success, Paradox may also bring it to some of its other games.
Crusader Kings 2 is available now on PC.