It has been nine years since the grand strategy game Crusader Kings 2 launched and now it is getting a subscription-based DLC service on Steam. The base version of the game, which is also on Steam, is free to play on its own while added expansions can be purchased. The game is a dynasty simulator, letting players take control of historical factions that existed between the years of 1066 and 1452 in order to build their own, unique history.

Crusader Kings 2 was released back in February of 2012 and received mostly positive reviews. Over the years, a multitude of expansions were added to the game that included other historical societies not included in the base game. The modding community also put its stamp on Crusader Kings 2 by converting the game into a dynasty simulator for fictional worlds such as Lord of the Rings, The Witcher, and Game of Thrones to name a few.

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Now Crusader Kings 2 is getting an expansion subscription that allows players access to every piece of officially added content for the price of $4.99 every thirty days. The expansion subscription went live on Steam earlier today and it only requires players to have the base version of Crusader Kings 2. In contrast, purchasing just one of the major expansions on its own is at minimum equal to paying the subscription price once, but oftentimes the expansions are even more expensive.

A map in Crusader Kings II

This move seems rather strange not because the game is nine-years-old, but because it is not the most recent game in the series. Crusader Kings 3 launched in September of 2020 and has also received positive reviews like its predecessor. There is even an expansion and a Royal Edition already available for the third entry in the series on Steam and it appears that there is a lot more content to come.

Even though Crusader Kings 3 is out and doing quite well with DLC still releasing, the developers are still trying to get as much money out of its predecessor as possible. The many expansions that are available for Crusader Kings 2 are quite pricey at present and it does not look like that will change anytime soon. With the latest installment of the franchise out, longtime fans are unlikely to purchase any of the expansions they did not already have and instead put their money towards the newer game. This subscription service is meant to entice fans that did not get an opportunity to play all of the expansions and maybe earn a bit more money for the developers before the sequel to Crusader Kings 2 takes the throne.

Next: Craziest Crusader Kings 3 Family Dramas Discovered So Far

Source: Steam