Europa Universalis V: Is Across the Pillars Worth the Price?

Europa Universalis V: Across the Pillars was released on October 28, 2026, and it focuses on the historical rivalry between Castile, Morocco and Granada, bringing new scenarios, national events, administrative options and alternative historical paths to the western Mediterranean. On paper, it sounds like an interesting addition to Paradox Tinto's grand strategy game. However, its 19.99 € base price tag and predominantly negative Steam reviews have made the expansion considerably more controversial than expected.

At the time of writing, approximately 26% of its 326 Steam reviews are positive. This represents a decline from its initial reception of 35% positive reviews out of 151 submissions, suggesting that dissatisfaction has grown as more players have experienced the content. The question is whether Across the Pillars genuinely justifies its price and, more importantly, whether Paradox is taking the right approach to developing and monetizing its latest installment.

The Battle of the Strait and the Golden Century

The DLC's main attraction is The Battle of the Strait, a new historical situation centred on the struggle between Castile, Marinid Morocco and Granada for control of the Strait of Gibraltar and the political future of the Iberian Peninsula. Dedicated decisions, cabinet actions, country interactions and historical events give the conflict additional depth. Depending on the outcome, the victorious nation can progress towards The Golden Century, a second historical situation that expands the possibilities for Castile and Morocco. This introduces new paths towards European and colonial dominance, regional flashpoints, additional events, the Crown of Al-Andalus government reform and the possibility of restoring Cordoba. Granada also receives an interesting role, offering a challenging campaign focused on survival and diplomacy between two powerful neighbours.

Beyond these historical situations, the DLC introduces some regional content:

• Iberian unification: New possibilities through the reworked Iberian Wedding, including centralized and federalized political models.

• Administration: 20 new bureaucracy options, 12 Iberian and eight Maghrebi.

• Historical content: New events for Castile, Spain, Portugal, Aragon, Navarre, Morocco and Granada, alongside Jewish historical events.

• Technology and military: Dozens of regional technological advances and unique Iberian military orders.

• Exploration and economy: Exclusive expeditions, gold caravans and treasure fleets.

• Audiovisual content: New unit and ship models, portraits, monuments, Works of Art and nine musical compositions.

There is undoubtedly plenty of historical flavour here. Paradox has attempted to make the region more distinctive and provide players with additional reasons to explore countries that are often overshadowed by the major European powers. However, the quantity of content does not necessarily translate into a substantial transformation of the gameplay.

More historical flavour, but where are the new mechanics?

This is arguably the expansion's biggest weakness. Much of Across the Pillars revolves around historical situations, events, decisions and country-specific progression. These additions can make individual campaigns more interesting, but their impact is largely restricted to the geographical area covered by the DLC. Unlike expansions that introduce major systems affecting the entire game, this Chronicle Pack concentrates primarily on expanding existing mechanics through regional content.

There is nothing inherently wrong with that approach. Regional expansions are an important part of Paradox's development model. However, at €19.99, players naturally expect something more substantial. For players who rarely visit Iberia or North Africa, the expansion offers relatively few reasons to purchase it.

Why are players unhappy?

The overwhelmingly negative Steam reception reflects several recurring concerns.

First, the price-to-content ratio. At 19.99 €, players expect a substantial expansion, particularly when the base game already costs 59.99 €. The criticism is not necessarily that the content is worthless, but that it does not appear extensive enough to justify the asking price.

Second, the lack of major new gameplay systems. Players expecting a significant mechanical expansion may find themselves disappointed by the emphasis on regional events and existing features.

Third, its geographical limitations. Castile, Morocco and Granada are interesting nations, but players who prefer campaigns in Asia, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe or the Americas have considerably fewer reasons to invest in this DLC.

The criticism is not unanimous. Across the Pillars is not necessarily a bad expansion. It is a specialised product whose price makes its limited appeal harder to justify.

The free 1.4 Rio Salado update complicates the picture

The DLC launched alongside the free 1.4 Rio Salado update, which introduces broader improvements to the base game. Among its additions are the core Expedition system, changes to Catholicism and religious orders, improvements to cardinal management, dynastic gameplay adjustments and trade changes. These wider systems are not exclusive: they are available for all who own Europa Universalis V.

This deserves recognition: Paradox is still investing in improvements available to the entire player base. However, it also creates an awkward contrast. Some of the most meaningful additions to the overall experience arrive through the free update, while the paid DLC concentrates on geographically limited content. From a consumer perspective, that makes the price of the DLC even harder to defend.

Is Paradox following the right DLC strategy?

This is the bigger issue. Paradox has built much of its reputation around long-term support for games such as Europa Universalis IV, Crusader Kings III, Stellaris and Hearts of Iron IV. Its expansion model has clear advantages: it allows games to evolve for years, introduces new mechanics and gives players the freedom to purchase the content that interests them.

However, the model depends on one essential condition: players must feel that the base game is already worth their investment and that paid expansions provide meaningful additional value.

The legacy of Europa Universalis IV makes this particularly challenging. After more than a decade of expansions, Europa Universalis IV became an extraordinarily detailed game. Its successor cannot realistically reproduce all that content immediately, but players expect a sufficiently developed foundation and a clear sense of progress. If Paradox gives the impression that basic historical depth, national identity and meaningful gameplay options are being withheld to create a long sequence of paid DLC, resentment will grow.

What should Paradox do differently?

Paradox should introduce more substantial mechanics alongside historical flavour, maintain a clear distinction between free improvements and paid regional content, and price expansions according to their actual scope. Above all, the company needs to rebuild confidence through consistent communication, transparent development priorities and continued improvements to the base game. Players expect every purchase to feel worthwhile. At the end of the day, the perceived value is what decides whether a player purchases a DLC or not.

Is Across the Pillars worth buying?

For fans of Castile, Portugal, Morocco, Granada and the history of the western Mediterranean, the DLC offers interesting scenarios, national content and alternative historical possibilities.

For everyone else, its limited geographical focus, relatively modest mechanical additions and 19.99 € price make it difficult to recommend. At its current price, Across the Pillars is difficult to justify unless its featured nations and historical setting are particularly appealing. At a reduced price, it becomes a much more attractive proposition. In any case, our recommendation is to check our comparator for the best discounts and find the cheapest price for Europa Universalis V: Across the Pillars if you are interested in the DLC. That way you will have an optimal return for your money.