Crusader Kings 3's next DLC will spice up Spain

Following the meaty Royal Court expansion, which let Crusader Kings 3's monarchs rule from within a customisable throne room and create entirely new cultures with all sorts of game-changing traits, Paradox has turned its attention to Spain and Portugal with the Fate of Iberia flavour pack.

Flavour pack implies something cosmetic and not particularly essential, but like the Northern Lords DLC, Fate of Iberia is more than just a bunch of new character art and unit designs. That's included as well, of course, but it's on top of the new struggle system, a pair of additional dynastic legacies to pursue, more cultural traditions specific to the Iberian peninsula and additional dynamic events.

The announcement doesn't go into a lot of detail in regards to the new struggle system, but it will apparently flesh out "the unique historical circumstances that typify regions that have been centres of conflict." So it doesn't sound like it's exclusive to dynasties mucking around in Iberia, though it's a region where it's a great fit. "In Fate of Iberia, players will have new tools to deal with the region's particular situation, with rival claims and personal grudges taking centre stage amidst the vibrant cultural mosaic of Medieval Spain."

Northern Lords did wonders for the Viking experience, which I thought I'd exhausted across CK2 and 3, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll get something of the same quality here.

If you'd rather not shell out for more DLC, as always its launch will also be accompanied by a free update that includes some of its features, including a new faction type, heads of faith that can be shared by multiple religions and a new starting bookmark that shows off some of the most interesting characters involved in the fight over Iberia.

Fate of Iberia is due out on May 31.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.