All changed, changed utterly: a terrible beauty is born. Paradox Interactive are partnering with My Little Pony developers Magic Spark to make a Roblox game inspired by the legendarily mucky and backstabby strategy sim Crusader Kings 3. Out in early access this year, the currently untitled spin-off “captures the spirit of medieval intrigue in a fun, social environment”, according to a press release.

It’s certainly an… interesting combination! Still getting my head around it, to be honest. Crusader Kings 3, the game lets you simulate incest and pump Henry the Eighth full of Godzilla DNA, and Roblox, a globe-straddling melting pot of meme horror and ungodly monetisation with an alleged significant child abuse problem.

The Roblox Crusader Kings project is being overseen by Paradox Arc, the part of Paradox who handle smaller experimental games. It’s broadly about gathering “power and prestige on a dynamic map” (see world map approximation below) and “includes the blend of roleplaying and strategy that has made the Crusader Kings games some of the most popular strategy games in the world”. Though again, it’s not a direct replication.

Please prepare to “engage in light-hearted mischief and drama in a medieval setting,” as the press release explains. “Scheming with allies in your chambers, building a strong kingdom and preparing campaigns of conquest from your war tent. Live the royal life, gathering friends and followers and painting the map in the colors of your dynasty.”

Magic Spark – based in Tallinn, Estonia, and previously known as Simple Magic – are filling the Crusaderblox project with everything they’ve learned from their previous Roblox adaptations of My Little Pony and Conan the Barbarian. I can see the Conan overlap in terms of decadent throneroom scenes, I guess. I suspect there’s plenty of court intrigue and bloodshed in the Ponyverse as well.

“As long-time fans of grand strategy games, our team saw a strong opportunity to reimagine the drama and intrigue of medieval kingdoms in a way that’s fun and accessible for Roblox players,” says Nele Vaarmets, Magic Spark CEO, in the release. “This project isn’t about recreating the entire Crusader Kings experience, it’s about giving players a new way to roleplay as kings and queens, build their domains, and write their own stories in a lively Roblox world.”