Where Are the Real Stats?

When in need of a laugh, one might turn to the Crusader Kings subreddit for some whimsical anecdotes. For instance, user mak112112 recently ‘discovered castration’ and humorously shared their delight with ’lopping off people’s fun bits.’ Another popular post from years past suggested using sick children as bioterrorism weapons.

These stories are essential to Crusader Kings. Similar to how The Sims is a comedy platform due to the mishaps that occur in a simulated life, CK3’s take on medieval kingdom management allows for frequent and hilarious incidents.

However, the recent annual statistics released by Paradox for CK3’s five-year anniversary lacked depth. They highlight impressive numbers, such as nearly 5 million failed seduction attempts and over 110 million total hours of gameplay recorded in the last year. Yet, the request for more engaging statistics remains unanswered.

Questions About Missing Popes
What’s missing in the report? How many times might the Pope have been taken hostage? What figures are associated with royal incest? How many efforts at castration have taken place? Detailed stats are what players desire most. In comparison, Larian Studios gave transparent figures regarding Baldur’s Gate 3’s players’ unique engagements, and gamers wish for that same openness from Paradox.

Community Insights
Community manager Trinexx expressed in the recent blog post: “Working on Crusader Kings 3 is a dream job. There’s immense passion within the team, and it’s rewarding to see that enthusiasm reflected in the player community over five years. We never anticipated this audience, and even though we may never meet you all, we hope you spot a part of yourself within this work we’ve created together.”