Crusader Kings III – All Under Heaven brings East Asia to the map

Table of Content

Paradox has released All Under Heaven, the largest expansion to date for Crusader Kings III, launching today for Xbox on PC. The add‑on extends the grand strategy map to China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, introducing thousands of new provinces and characters. Beyond sheer scale, the studio reworked core systems to reflect political realities outside medieval Europe. Paradox says it collaborated with historians and community members to strengthen historical grounding and presentation.

The Xbox Series X|S version is planned for a later date. The team highlights that earlier mechanics served as a foundation, but East Asia’s structures – especially in China – required dedicated design to feel authentic inside CK3’s framework.

What expands with All Under Heaven

The expansion goes beyond a simple map extension, integrating regional governance and social systems into CK3’s simulation. Paradox builds on existing features from prior DLC to reflect how power was organized across East Asia.

• New regions on the map – China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia are now playable areas for the first time in CK3.
• Scale – The update adds thousands of new provinces and characters, broadening dynastic and geopolitical possibilities.
• Imperial examinations – Reflecting China’s professionalized bureaucracy, characters can organize or attend state exams, travel to the host location, face tests set by the organizer, and have their performance tracked for eligibility to higher office. Better results unlock better positions.
• Governance models adapted – The Administrative Empire concept (governors rather than vassals), explored in a previous add‑on, informs how non‑feudal structures are represented. A Byzantine‑inspired competition for influence suits medieval Japan’s noble families, while China receives bespoke systems centered on its bureaucracy.
• System continuity – Previously introduced features like travel and tournaments serve as design scaffolding for new activities such as examinations.

Historical approach and community input

Paradox acknowledges the gap between European feudal models and East Asia’s political realities, particularly under the Tang and Song dynasties, where mutual hierarchical obligations did not map neatly to CK3’s default systems. The team leveraged internal historians to identify missing pieces, then worked with Asian community members to refine terminology, art choices, character clothing and color palettes.

This collaboration aimed to avoid factual and cultural errors and to understand where historical debates exist – a crucial step for a plausible medieval simulation. The result is a design that builds on CK3’s foundations while distinguishing East Asia’s structures in meaningful ways.

Release timing and platforms

Read also our article: Dive into Beneath: Camel 101’s horror-FPS surfaces on Xbox

The expansion is available today for Xbox on PC. The Xbox Series X|S version will arrive at a later date. The table below summarizes the current release status.

Final takeaway – why it matters

All Under Heaven is positioned as CK3’s most ambitious step beyond Europe, pairing a larger map with systems tuned to East Asian history. For players, that means new power dynamics, fresh character paths through examinations and bureaucracy, and a broader canvas for emergent stories. If you thrive on CK3’s political drama, this expansion opens up an entirely new arena to test dynasties and rewrite the medieval world.