The grand strategy genre hasn’t been historically well represented on consoles. Even in the age of multiplatform development, it is still largely PC territory. Luckily for console-only players, Crusader Kings III is getting an adaptation for their platform of choice.
Releasing on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on March 29, adaptation is the keyword. Rather than porting the existing game and calling it a day, Lab42 has spent its development cycle making adjustments to Crusader King’s design to fit the console environment.
Rather than using an analog-driven cursor, the entire user interface has been redesigned to make for easier navigation with the directional pad. The console announcement trailer also shows a radial menu, which is a common change some studios make when transitioning a PC title to consoles.
The developers have confirmed support for “super-fast load times” on consoles, suggesting specific optimization for the respective platforms’ storage APIs. Quick resume support on Xbox Series consoles has also been confirmed.
PlayStation 5 users can also expect DualSense features. As characters become more stressed out, Crusader Kings III applies more trigger resistance. The developers are also making use of the PS5 activity cards and game help features to guide newcomers into the world of grand strategy.
