A few minutes ago, Crusader Kings 3 was announced at PDXCon in Berlin, with an actual choir of hooded figures, and this splendidly grim trailer. Predecessor Crusader Kings 2 is still going strong after nearly eight years, with its last expansion launched last November, but now it’s time for that old warhorse to be put to pasture. Or perhaps become pope. Either way, it’s free to play now.

But what’s in store for budding Dukes, Caliphs, and Holy Roman Emperors in CK3? Luckily, I spent the start of the month with Paradox in Stockholm, where even a thematically appropriate run-in with blood poisoning couldn’t stop me soaking up all there was to know about the grand strategy behemoth under construction. I’ll be posting some longer pieces getting into the meat of the game in the weeks to come, but for now, here’s a summary of what we know so far:

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We’re (probably) still many, many years away from the Elder Scrolls 6 release date, but to help kill time between now and the year 2034, some of the series’ original creators are developing a new ‘spiritual successor’ to its earliest games.

OnceLost Games is a new indie studio founded by some of The Elder Scrolls’ most notable veterans. Julian LeFay, known by some as ‘The Father of The Elder Scrolls’, is working alongside Ted Peterson, who worked on everything from Arena to Oblivion, and Vijay Lakshman, who was lead designer and producer on Arena.

In an announcement on Discord last month, the team said that it’s in pre-production while it seeks financing for the project, but that details are likely to be scarce until development steps up a notch. The post does, however, outline some of the “principal game pillars,” which the devs say are “inspired [by] classic RPGs.” Those pillars include “a huge dynamic world to explore,” “rich lore” that will be uncovered through NPCs and in-game books, and “robust character generation and advancement.” So far, so Elder Scrolls.

RELATED LINKS: Elder Scrolls 6 release date, Elder Scrolls 6 setting, Fallout 5 news

Twinfinite reports on Wheel of Fate which is described as being an "AI" RPG capable of thousands of story possibilities. Developer UDX Interactive has today announced a new project called Wheel of Fate. The game’s genre is described as an artificial intelligence RPG, in which player decisions shape the world around them using unique technology....

An ancient evil has returned to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out. The fate of Faerun lies in your hands. Alone, you may resist. But together, you can overcome.

Larian Studios have just announced that they are developing and publishing Baldur’s Gate III. Created in close collaboration with the Dungeons & Dragons team at Wizards of the Coast, Baldur’s Gate III is based off current D&D mechanics and spells and is the official new chapter in the legendary series.

Baldur’s Gate III will push the boundaries of the RPG genre and offer a rich narrative with unparalleled player freedom, high-stakes decisions, unique companion characters and memorable combat. It is Larian Studios’ biggest production ever and will be playable together with friends or as a single-player adventure.

Prepare for the return of a malevolent presence to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out, corrupting everything that remains in the Forgotten Realms.

Alone you may resist, but together you can overcome. Gather your party.

“I actually wish we had started with Malks,” said Brian Mitsoda, “Because honestly the number one thing I think people ask is, ‘Are malkavians in the game?’” I had a chat with Mitsoda, narrative lead on Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 and lead designer on the original Bloodlines, for the new Clan reveal. Yup, the Malkavians are back, baby. There will be comments.

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There are two things that matter to all of us gamers: the games we play and the friends we play them with. But as more titles come with dedicated launchers and clients, our games and gaming buddies become scattered in between them. With GOG GALAXY 2.0, you’ll be able to combine multiple libraries into one and connect with your friends across all gaming platforms!

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More

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