RPG · February 14, 2012

Crusader Kings II (2012)

trophy161 achievementsextension32 DLCgroup1M–10M ownerstrending_up1.4k peak concurrentrecommend30.8k recommendations
The Dark Ages might be drawing to a close, but Europe is still in turmoil. Petty lords vie against beleaguered kings who struggle to assert control over their fragmented realms. The Pope calls for a Crusade to protect the Christians in the Holy Land even as he refuses to relinquish control over the investiture of bishops - and their riches. Now is the time for greatness. Expand your demesne and secure the future of your dynasty. Fill your coffers, appoint vassals, root out traitors and heretics, introduce laws and interact with hundreds of nobles, each with their own agenda. A good lord will always need friends to support him. But beware, as loyal vassals can quickly turn to bitter rivals, and some might not be as reliable as they seem... Stand ready, and increase your prestige until the world whispers your name in awe. Do you have what it takes to become a Crusader King? Crusader Kings II explores one of the defining periods in world history in an experience crafted by the masters of Grand Strategy. Medieval Europe is brought to life in this epic game of knights, schemes, and thrones... Key features: Start a game at any point between 1066 and 1337 and play until 1453 Pick a Christian lord and make sure his dynasty survives as you play a succession of his descendants through the ages Gain Prestige for every successive character you play, furthering the glory of your Dynasty Expand your feudal domain - and keep it from falling apart Unravel the plots of your courtiers and vassals, each with their own opinions and agendas Take up the Cross and fight the Moor, the Heathen and the Heretic. Defend against the onslaught of the Mongol Horde Struggle with the Pope for control of the bishops Relive the Middle Ages with up to 32 other players in a competitive multiplayer mode

Position in RPG

MetricThis titleGenre position
Review volume73.8k Steam reviewsTop 8% in RPG
Positive rating90% positiveGenre average: 83% — this title sits in top 33%
Metacritic82/100Genre average 78 — top 37% of RPG titles
Concurrent peak1.4k playersTop 9% in RPG by live player count
Engagement hours55 h averageTop 15% for session depth among RPG

Community Tag Signals

Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.

  • Grand Strategy · 4.2k
  • Strategy · 2.1k
  • Medieval · 2.0k
  • Historical · 1.7k
  • Political Sim · 1.6k
  • Simulation · 1.3k
  • RPG · 1.1k
  • Sandbox · 907
  • Multiplayer · 710
  • Politics · 619
  • Diplomacy · 584
  • Singleplayer · 560
  • Replay Value · 547
  • Real-Time with Pause · 512
  • Moddable · 440

Peer RPG titles

Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.

Reception Metrics

Steam community

90%Very Positive · 73.8k reviews

66.4k positive · 7.4k negative

Metacritic

82/100 critic aggregate

Open Metacritic page

Metacritic user score

8.7/10

Curator recommendations

30.8k

Peak concurrent players

1.4k

More from Paradox Development Studio

Paradox Development Studio has 9 titles indexed — top 6 by review volume below.

Press Quotes

“...playing is winning, and there’s something quite satisfying about leading your house to power and glory through whatever means you can, for as long as you can.” 9,5/10 – Strategy Informer “In short, Crusader Kings II is a majestic feudal sandbox, the greatest generator of hilarious medieval soap opera ever created and Paradox Interactive’s best title to date.” 90/100 – IncGamers “It's perfectly possible to have made a few too many enemies, anger the Pope and find most of Europe…

RPG releases from 2012

7 RPG titles launched in 2012 — top 6 by review volume.

Engagement Profile

All-time avg

55h

substantial (40–100 hours)

Median

4h

Typical completion time

2-week avg

7h

Current engagement

Achievements

161

Steam unlocks available

Release & Availability

Release dateFeb 14, 2012
DeveloperParadox Development Studio
PublisherParadox Interactive
Base priceFree-to-play
DLC / Add-ons32 released
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
Estimated owners1M–10M
External linksOfficial site · Metacritic page · Support

Localization Coverage

Interface / Subtitles (4)

  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish - Spain

Features & Capabilities

Multiplayer

  • Multi-player

Community

  • Steam Trading Cards

Other

  • Single-player

Editions & Packages

  • Subscription