Creative Assembly making new Total War

By Robert Purchese Published 17 May, 2011

"We never stop."

Two months after Total War: Shogun 2 arrived, Creative Assembly has revealed the development of a brand new Total War game to Eurogamer.

"Yep," confirmed IP godfather Mike Simpson when asked whether another Total War game was under way. "We never stop, so yes."

Creative Assembly studio director Tim Heaton said work began "whilst we were finishing Shogun 2". "Absolutely we're on the next," he added.

What that new game will be, Simpson nor Heaton would say. When asked whether historically the period will be further back than Shogun 2's or further forward, Simpson stone-walled with an enigmatic "yes".

Sega recently revealed Shogun 2: Total War sales of 600,000 copies.

"It's doing fab," beamed Simpson. "We're 90 per cent Metacritic, which is exactly where we wanted to hit, and it's selling great."

"The original Shogun sold more copies in the second three years of its existence than it did in its first three years. They sell for ages. OK, they're not all at full price, but comparing one with another..."

"It's a really complex question," Heaton offered, "because Total War games have a really long tail. "

Newer Total War games also sell downloadable add-ons, which adds another layer of complexity when comparing specific instalment success.

On the quality of Shogun 2, however, Simpson was resolute: "[Shogun 2] is the best Total War game that we've made so far - no doubt about that."

Does Creative Assembly think Shogun 2 was a buggy launch?

"No," returned Simpson.

"No," echoed Heaton.

"We learnt a lot from Empire," Heaton expanded, "and we've been very, very careful. We followed Empire with Napoleon and that was really solid - we really bolted down on that. We're really happy with the release of Shogun 2."

There are seven games in the core Total War series: Shogun, Medieval, Rome, Medieval II, Empire, Napoleon and Shogun 2. Does Medieval and Shogun being treated to sequels suggest fans prefer an older, less technologically advanced period to wage war in?

"We've actually done work with our hardcore fanbase looking at different eras and which ones they prefer," said Simpson, "and it's really flat. As in, it's really quite evenly split across more or less every proposition we put in front of them."

"Mass market is a different issue: we spend a lot of time debating whether the kind of things that appeal to Hollywood are the same kind of things that appeal to the kind of gamers we're looking for. We're still arguing about that.

"My personal view," he continued, "is that there's a trade-off. The more mass media your period then the easier it is to get people into it. But the less really interesting stuff, the more obscure you go, then the harder it is to get people interested. But once you're in there, there's all sorts of stuff no one has heard of before.

"There's a balance between those two."

The only Total War game Eurogamer hasn't given 9/10 to is Napoleon: Total War, which received 8/10.

Eurogamer decided Total War: Shogun 2 was "a corker".

Total War: Shogun 2.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 10 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Hantheman #1 1 year ago

    Yay!

  • cen4pgb #2 1 year ago

    Rome 2 only era not to have a equal.

  • c_gill2004 #3 1 year ago

    I want Caveman: total war

  • S.F #4 1 year ago

    As long as they keep the quality up and the amount of bugs down I'm happy.

  • Stratix #5 1 year ago

    Shogun 2 is a fantastic game, and since it's recent patch I've had a brilliant time on it.

    I am happy in any of their current Eras, I like having to change my battle tactics around depending on the troops I have available.

    Rome 2? I wouldn't mind another sequel.

  • Hunam #6 1 year ago

    I bought Shogun 2 over the weekend and I'm enjoying it, more so because it seems to run really well compared to Empire which is nice. Loading is a bit lame though, takes forever.

    Maybe we'll get an ancient Greece one at somepoint.

  • Haunted_Tree #7 1 year ago

    Isn't the new one supposed to be Future Total War? They perhaps need a palate cleanser after all the historical stuff. Wonder how they would treat a 20th century conflict as well.

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #8 1 year ago

    I've not played Empire or Napoleon, but a game that went from, say, 1500 to 1800 would be quite good (Renaissance: Total War?). Not sure if there'd be overlap with Medieval or Empire tho.

    Alternatively: further back in the past (500-1000 AD?) or Victorian-era through to WWI.

    But that's just me :-)

  • username84 #9 1 year ago

    @Hunam I'm sure you could play as the Greeks & Spartans in Rome.
    I loved Rome but don't think they'll re-make it. The graphics and AI still hod up. If you look back at the early Shogun and Medieval they look pretty basic. Will be interesting to see which way they go. Africa maybe? Zulu VS Michael Caine?

  • username84 #10 1 year ago

    @Hunam I'm sure you could play as the Greeks & Spartans in Rome.
    I loved Rome but don't think they'll re-make it. The graphics and AI still hod up. If you look back at the early Shogun and Medieval they look pretty basic. Will be interesting to see which way they go. Africa maybe? Zulu VS Michael Caine?

  • Seoh #11 1 year ago

    I wonder if they would ever be tempted to do a fantasy version perhaps Warhammer: Total War?

  • Zapatero #12 1 year ago

    Yes, fantasy would be lovely. I loved Warrior Kings and the King Arthur game isn't too bad either.

    My vote would be for a proper Lords of Midnight sequel. There's a Medieval II mod that is a decent head start for the team to look at.

  • Hunam #13 1 year ago

    @Haunted Tree

    Any modern (WW1 or post) would be a bit different to Total War kind of games as military tactics changed, from trench warfare and armoured vehicles, to WW2 with tanks, planes and infantry fights that took place in the streets rather than the battlefield. Total War has always been about the old school meeting in a field in ranks and files in formations, which disappeared with the arrival of automatic/semi automatic weapons and smokeless rounds (thanks Nobel!).

    @Seoh

    If you like that sort of thing try Warhammer: Battlemarch, it's very similar in some respects, well the combat system is at least.

  • deadstoned #14 1 year ago

    Rome 2 please =D , take as long as you want to make it though. Rome 1 was so amazing, Rome 2 would require a lot of work to live up to the hype.

  • DoctorZoidberg #15 1 year ago

    Lord of the Rings : TotalWar would be epic...

  • thiagots85 #16 1 year ago

    totally agreeing on the Caveman: Total War idea

  • SAMagic #17 1 year ago

    I can't think of any era that's particularly interesting to the mass media that hasn't been done already. Despite buying it on release, I could never get into Empire - the masses of ranged units made the battles feel really slow, where you would point regiments at the enemy instead of charging or micro-managing units around them.

    So what next? I suppose a US Civil War is a possibility, ala Sid Meier's Gettysburg. An expansion pack of Shogun 2 that centres on all of Asia is a possibility, maybe once again focus on the Mongol invasions, or set it centuries later with the Boxer Rebellion. The World Wars would definitely require a very different engine - but Company of Heroes crossed with RUSE could be epic.

    Personally, I'd kill for a fantasy version, whether, as already mentioned, Lord of the Rings or Warhammer.

  • JonnyPx #18 1 year ago

    It has to be Total War: Shogun 2. I LOVED the first game, and to see it running in todays tech would be great.

  • misinformed #19 1 year ago

    These used to be must guy games, now its this years iteration of the last years one.

  • whatfruit #20 1 year ago

    Please Please PLEASE get together with GW and make Warhammer: Total War. Make every geeks dream come true.
    Edited by whatfruit at 18/05/11 @ 13:05

  • dimzard #21 1 year ago

    Love shogun 2 and I would love to see a Total War game in the three Kingdoms era of China. Should be epic.

  • Trafford #22 1 year ago

    I'd like to see Empire2, with shorter focused campaigns like Crimea, Boer and
    American civil war. The scramble for Africa could be a centerpiece.

    There is a Zulu mod for Napoleon btw.

    [link url=http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1660
    ]http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisp...[/link]

    I really love Shogun2. I've played TW games since day one and this one has pushed me over the edge.

  • minahina #23 11 months ago

    They NEED to make a Medieval era Total War that covers the whole world. Let's just agree that the medieval eras had some of the best things. America colonization, Europe War, Mongols invading, Chinese dinasties, Japan's era of war..... etc. Seriously, a medieval one covering the whole (or nearly) world would be just epic. -Just don't do the same crap of all clans/factions declaring war on you at a certain point, please?-

    EDIT: But american civil war? You need to be kidding me. That's too self-centered, no offense.
    Edited by minahina at 29/06/11 @ 01:58

  • zt76831 #24 11 months ago

    I would like to see the next Total War cover the era from, say, 1853 (Crimean War; Linear Tactics become obsolete) to 1975, at the latest (the end of the conflict in Vietnam; wars become "mobile," so to speak).

    Here, you have The Crimean War, the American Civil War, "the Scramble for Africa," and all that it entails, the First World War (perhaps The Creative Assembly can be the first to master WWI), the Second World War, the Korean War, and the War in Vietnam, along with any smaller conflicts along the way.

    Admittedly, though, Vietnam wouldn't work very well, as there were few "battles" (at least in the traditional sense), but rather, skirmishes.

    Edited by zt76831 at 01/07/11 @ 04:29

  • ardernmate #25 10 months ago

    mongol:Total War! that would be epic

  • Jacob1300x #26 10 months ago

    I think they will make Asia: total war ( fight between Muslims and Sikhs or something like that) or south America: total war ( fight between Indians, Azteks and mayans)