CK3 Has a Massive DLC Problem…

It is no small secret that Crusader Kings 3 and Paradox as of late have been aggressively pushing season passes in the form of 'Chapters', but I wanted to talk about why this approach may be more damaging than players think, and reflect on the current lineup of DLC that CK3 has to offer, with speculation on where we could go next

[Xtraordinaire]

Hope you liked the video! I spent a fair amount of time editing it, so let me know if you like the new changes!

Whether or not you’re new to the channel, I have a poll up in the community tab where you can vote on the next topic I cover!

[Notphenix]

My biggest issues with those dlc is insane prices for bad dlc, LoD should be like 5 dollars with how little it ad

[explosivo]

CK3 doesn't have a DLC problem, it has a price problem.

[ernimuja]

The real issue to me is that the community can make better content than paradox.

The dlc can barely compare to mods, and some dlc are just click button for mild modifier.

[TheMagnanimousTyrant]

I played CK3 when it first came out and it was decently enjoyable, I stopped playing a little after the first 2 DLC's and after character creation had been added.

I think the big mistake that Paradox is making with the DLC is that nobody wants to pay for each culture to be fleshed out more, one at a time, it makes all the other cultures feel more lackluster by comparison.

Instead they should sell DLC that impacts the game mechanics no matter who or how you play, and flesh out the cultures as part of the free updates to keep up player retention and attract new players.

[saosaoldian]

It’s hard to not fall to the FOMO, but I only buy Paradox DLC during 50% or more off Steam sales. Paradox knows the kind of community they have. Generally more disposable income than the average gamer. Therefore they continue to do this because they get away with it.

[hospod]

The problem is not as many say that it is too expensive or that modders do it better etc. it's that the dlcs do not add anything substantial. They only plaster over the pretty bare bones mechanical structure of the game with events, which was badly written at that. The way it now goes is that after a new dlc is released you click through the new events and are then again left with the same basic structure with nothing challenging or satisfying happening. The gameplay loop is the same for the whole duration of the game and is not very deep. The dlcs need to stop adding flavour and work on the core gameplay loop and make the game deeper not wider

[ervin]

I only want 3 more DLC’s:


- Asia Expansion
- Trading System
- More playable goverments

[A-Rather-Dubious-Character]

Paradox actually needs some damn competition on the market so that they can't keep selling us slop, or something decent but with a ridiculous price attached to it compared to what it actually adds to the game.

[Holiidayyyyy]

Paradox, "Buy an unfinished game with dlc worse than the mods."

[Notphenix]

Actually you can play a Zoroastrian character as some Sassanid character is still here with Zoroastrian secret faith

[Daniel-enon]

Meanwhile everyone is getting excited for EU5 while EU4 is still somehow getting MORE DLC (seriously how much DLC does that game need) and EU5 will be the same all over again.

The most recent Hoi4 DLC for South America wasn’t received well by many and seemed of lower quality in places.

Who knows what’s happening with Victoria 3 anymore. Not to mind Cities Skylines 2 and that whole fiasco.

Look, Paradox needs money if they are to continue updating their games, but overpriced lacklustre DLCs is not the way forward.

Like so many other products being turned into services with streaming/subscription services, so you never end up owning the DLCs you foul pay hundreds for.

These games when they’re good are great and can spend hundreds of hours in them but I’m getting really fed up and less and less people will be giving Paradox their hard earned money.

If they are to do DLCs they should enhance the base game whilst still not causing the base game to be a buggy unplayable mess or rely on other DLCs. Content of DLCs should be clearly explained and kept up to date with any changes. People don’t like being scammed and this makes Paradox look worse in the wrong run.

[skeetercreek]

The biggest thing i miss from ck2 is battle events. Yes you can gain prestige, Marshall perks, and increase weapon and armor fame. But never have I made a friend with a daring charge that wins the battle, never have I had to send my best man to cover a retreat, deciding whether it's the end of him or my army. My lord always leads the army, the prestige is nice but I can't forgive how shallow the battle events seem. It just seems like another day at the office. It's crazy to get the 100 battles boost on an armor, but have no REAL stories from those battles.. (friendships, memories, tapestries about your heroism, parties held in your honor are all ways it could be implemented into existing game mechanics) 🤔

[ShayGamerD]

DLC overabundance make it difficult to start with any PDX game which exists for more than a couple of years, not just CK3; try to start with EU4 now, or HOI4. And playing without DLCs in any of the PDX games doesn't really make sense, as you're missing on crucial features. When I was buying Stellaris a couple years ago I had to spread the cost over several months, and hunt for deals on Humble Bundle or Steam sales to buy everything. Still, their competition is even worse: try to buy Total War Warhammer III now, you need to own two previous games, and dozens of DLCs, the total cost is as expensive as several complete PDX games with DLCs. I spread the process of buying Total War Warhammer franchise for over a year I think, and with recent Creative Assembly drama not sure if it was worth it.
That's said, PDX clearly aims at subscription model, as recent Stellaris subscription shows (which, btw, is quite expensive; in my country it is more expensive than basic tier of Netflix or Spotify). I am sure they'll make a subscription for CK3 too. And PDX games are also available on Game Pass, so you can at least try them there if you are not sure if purchase makes sense for you.

[chrishoobler]

All paradox games do this. They release a bare bones unfinished game and after a few years you can buy the actual game for $500.

[Xmanz]

I think the request for landless play has always been a silly one, it's not what CK is about, and any gameplay for it is prone to being shallow and tacked on.

With paradox now trying to fulfill that request, I think it's going to be a train wreck.

[kjellduteweert]

I was put of by both Crusader Kings III and Cities 2 because, they don't have all the damn features of the previous games, and then they go strat pricing those features as new DLC again.

[iamthemistake]

Paradox relies too heavily on the "Good Will" of Modders & often times their DLC feels either Rushed or hollow.

Insta-sub because I sincerely want more honest reviews like yours that share these same sentiments, & are not just mouthpieces that get promoted by Paradox.

Paradox REALLY needs better management & direction if they're going to slam their fans by calling them toxic ala Cities Skyline's 2 & its disastrous release. It's baffling how Paradox gets glossed over with such shameless behavior that so many other industry giants are getting spit-roasted for.

[Odoxon]

I always wonder why they didn't add Nomad government for Nomads. I mean, you already had a flavour pack for Nomads in CK2, why not just carry it over to CK3. They are instead treated almost like a regular sedentary tribe.

Also, regarding royal court, it really feels like they don't put much love in it. Why do Nomadic and Norse kings have throne rooms made out of marble and stone? Why not have a big, decorated tent for Nomads and a wooden longhouse for the Norse?

[WillFleurant]

There's a reason why CK2's playerbase was split in half with people playing a total overhaul mod as opposed to the vanilla game. PDX knows modders are going to do better, which is why I think CK3 dlcs are pretty barebones and just integrate new systems (struggles, cultures, adventures, travels, legend seeds) for modders to go crazy on.

It's lazy, they can add 10 struggles as opposed to 2 in a year of development, but I think it's very intentional.