Crusader Kings III: By God Alone Expansion Launches September 30, 2026

Paradox Development Studio has pulled back the curtain on its next major Crusader Kings III expansion. Titled By God Alone, the release focuses on the intersection of faith, power, and medieval politics. It is scheduled to arrive on Steam for Linux, Steam Deck, Mac, and Windows on September 30, 2026.

The Church as a Strategic Battlefield

Rather than focusing on map-painting, By God Alone aims to turn the medieval church into a core gameplay system. Players will now have the ability to play as theocratic landholders, including the Papacy. This shift forces players to manage the church not just as a religious entity, but as a source of wealth, law, and land.

The expansion introduces the College of Cardinals, allowing secular rulers to influence appointments and puppet clerical characters to serve their own dynastic agendas. This adds a new layer to the game’s existing web of intrigue, where crowns and mitres will frequently clash.

Religious Pressure and Ecumenical Councils

The 867 start date will see a significant focus on the religious crossroads of the era, including the looming Great Schism between Western Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. The expansion introduces a "Situation" system that acts as long-term pressure for Christian realms.

Players can participate in Ecumenical Councils to shape religious tenets and beliefs, though these gatherings carry the risk of power grabs and internal instability. Heresies have also been given more mechanical weight; if religious rites drift too far from the standard faith, they can divert wealth and power away from the church, leading to difficult choices between rebellion or submission.

Spiritual Fulfillment and Monastic Orders

The expansion reworks how characters interact with their faith through a new Spiritual Fulfillment system. Sin and virtue are no longer just stress modifiers; they now influence a character’s internal life and their fear of the afterlife. This is intended to deepen the roleplay experience, allowing rulers to shift from true believers to calculated fakers of piety as their circumstances change.

Monastic Holy Orders also arrive as centers for research and theology. Hosting these orders provides bonuses and spiritual protection, reinforcing the game's focus on the tension between secular ambition and the desire for salvation.

By God Alone will be available as a standalone purchase or as part of the Chapter V content collection.