Next Crusader Kings II expansion is all about death and cats

Four years later, Paradox Interactive is still releasing expansion packs for Crusader Kings II. (All told, there's over $240 worth of expansions and DLC, but that whole conversation is beyond the scope of this news post.) The eleventh expansion pack is due in about three weeks, on August 25. It's called The Reaper's Due. Such a good name. The expansion puts the good ol' Black Plague smack dab in the middle of your Dark Ages, right where it belongs.

As usual, a patch simultaneously launches alongside The Reaper's Due, whether or not you buy The Reaper's Due. The patch tweaks custom rules at the start for epidemics, invasions, legal changes and more. There's new auto-save interval management, a new interface hoping to clean up death and successions of rulers, adjustments to how alliances work, etc. 

Another feature that didn't make it into the bullet points, however, is cats. Yes, "our Feline Overlords, Befurred Ninjas, Gods of the Internet," as a CK2 dev diary puts it. If you've been dying for a cat companion, you're about to be in heaven. Interestingly, though, you can't adopt a cat—a cat adopts you. 

Crusader Kings II: The Reaper's Due launches on August 25 for Windows, Mac and Linux.

  

Paradox Announces When The Reaper’s Due in Crusader Kings II

Deadly New Expansion to Launch on August 25 with New Patch

STOCKHOLM — Aug. 2, 2016 — Paradox Interactive, a publisher and developer whose games have serious reaper-cussions, today announced the release date for “The Reaper’s Due,” the upcoming expansion for the medieval grand strategy game Crusader Kings II. Featuring new disease and medicine mechanics and a whole host of deadly new challenges for players’ in-game nobles, The Reaper’s Due will be available on Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs on August 25, 2016.

This expansion will return the Black Death to its rightful place in the center of medieval history, and add new systems that reward sound realm management and planning. But, as with all expansions from Paradox, The Reaper’s Due will launch with a new content patch for Crusader Kings II, updating the game for all players, whether they purchase The Reaper’s Due or not.

Among the changes coming in the new patch will be:

New custom rules options at start up for epidemics, invasions, legal changes and so on,so you get the Middle Ages that you want.
New options to auto-save the game at different time intervals
A new interface for better understanding the death and succession of rulers
Adjustments to how alliances work, including AI attitudes to disloyal allies
Major improvements to game optimization
“Continue” button on game launcher to get you to your map even faster
New mod triggers to account for The Reaper’s Due content
Tons and tons of balance and gameplay tweaks, plus new events

The new patch will also be available with the release of The Reaper’s Due on August 25, 2016.
For those who want more details on The Reapers Due Paradox Development Studio releases regular developer diaries on their forums:  https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/

For more information about Crusader Kings II, visit www.crusaderkings.com/