When Crusader Kings 3 launched on September 2, Aussies were in for a nasty surprise. Despite the game being widely available around the world, it was not available for purchase in Australia and required an odd (and quickly patched) workaround via Xbox Game Pass to play locally. This brief snafu was attributed to a mix up with classification — but it appears these issues have now been resolved.
Crusader Kings 3 has been officially granted an MA15+ rating in Australia, as confirmed by the Australian Classification Board to Kotaku Australia.
Initially, Crusader Kings 3 was given a Refused Classification (RC) rating in Australia. While the exact reason was unclear, it appeared to be a clerical mix-up rather than a ban for any untoward content. Australia’s Classification Board is notoriously strict due to outdated regulation, but it’s not immediately obvious whether any of the game’s content had to be changed to meet this rating.
In a Steam blog update on September 4, Paradox Interactive confirmed Crusader Kings 3 had been granted an MA15+ rating in Australia and indicated the game would soon be available for all Australians to purchase and play. A further update was promised later this week, likely detailing the reasons for the initial RC rating and whether any changes were implemented:
“Greetings Kings and Queens! We have received a rating of MA15+ from the Australian Classification Board. This means that you will soon be able to purchase and play Crusader Kings III if you live in Australia. For Game Pass users, your access to the game will resume shortly!”
As of writing, Crusader Kings 3 is now available on the Microsoft Store for a $74.95 outright purchase, or via download through Xbox Game Pass.
Unfortunately for Steam users, the game listing still states, “In agreement with the publisher, Crusader Kings III is currently not available for purchase in your region.” Expect this to change sometime this week as Paradox Interactive works to get the game online for all Australian users.
After a short but agonising wait, Crusader Kings 3 is finally (officially) available in Australia — no legally-ambiguous workaround needed.
You can celebrate this good news by bullying an infant and seducing your mortal enemies in battle. Your Kingdom awaits.
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