Dev would "love to do" console Total War

By Robert Purchese Published 24 September, 2008

"It would be an immense challenge."

Creative Assembly has told Eurogamer that it would "love to do" Total War on consoles.

The developer has dabbled in console spin-offs such as Spartan: Total Warrior and Viking: Battle for Asgard in the past, but both stopped short of Total War levels of critical acclaim.

"It's something we've talked about a lot over the years, but nothing has really happened with it," said Kevin McDowell, lead artist, during a roundtable session. "We've definitely thought about it," added senior designer Jamie Ferguson.

Lead programmer Guy Davidson offered: "We'd love to do it, yeah. Whether or not we will..."

Converting the series to console would, as Davison pointed out, be an "immense challenge". Total War is famed for complex real-time strategy battles and an intricate campaign element not unlike playing Sid Meier's Civilization.

Also, reasoned battle AI boss Richard Bull, console lifespan would be too short to create and fit a proper Total War instalment into.

The PC series returns in February 2009 with Empire: Total War, which adds fully-implemented naval warfare plus a host of other features, including a brand new historical setting that takes place between 1700 and 1800.

Periods of history covered so far by Total War include ancient Japan, ancient Rome and the medieval times. So, where next?

"There are so many periods of history; there are so many ways we can go." said Jamie Ferguson. "We're not short of ideas of new stuff to do."

"We do have a question of like, do we go bigger? Do we go to the future? Do we go to the past? Do we go smaller again? Who knows?" pondered Kevin McDowelle, who added that it was a "fair consideration" to leave behind solid historical fact in favour of a self-made setting.

"If we did it," interjected Ferguson, "it would have to be stonkingly amazing."

Empire: Total War is due for release on 6th February 2009. Head to our Empire: Total War preview to find out more.

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.

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

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Comments (23) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • dllord #1 3 years ago

    Dev from Coronation Street? :/

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #2 3 years ago

    They should team up with Microsoft to make Halo: Tota War :-)

  • rowsdower #3 3 years ago

    Don't do it, CA. Don't waste your time. Make bigger and better games for the PC and, if at all possible, release them in working and balanced states. Hmm, going by the releases they've given us in the past, maybe I'm asking too much.

  • makeamazing #4 3 years ago

    I agree with rowsdower, Total war on consoles, sorry just wouldnt work... give it up as a bad idea now before all that time and effort is wasted.

  • MrChuckles #5 3 years ago

    Fantasy, with spells. Any setting. The point is, as soon as you go Fantasy you open up so many more tactics in the 3d battles that simply cant exist with a historically accurate wargame.

    fantasy might be a bit cheesier, but it'll have so much more tactical depth.

  • T4RG4 #6 3 years ago

    I'm not into the fantasy idea above so here is my counter:

    I'm all for tactical depth but straight off people know 18 riflemen are likely to fair well against four blind kangaroos. What I'm trying to say is - realistic settings and equipment at least give people an easier in-route to understanding what to use where and when. If you start playing with four homsgard spoons and wicked mustard gas versus a black wombat you arent going to know your arse from your elbow.

    However - you could well mean fantasy as in cavemen with sticks versus dinos, in which case the above point should really be invisible.

  • hiddenranbir #7 3 years ago

    They need to make a Total Warrior with the scale and scope of Total War.


  • ZuluHero #8 3 years ago

    I'm probably the only one in the world to say this - but i really liked sorely underrated Viking. Plus it was cool and showed that CA CAN do stuff on a console and at an epic scale :)

  • Davemanz #9 3 years ago

    I've considered picking up Spartan and Viking in the past because I eat up everything they do on PC, but I'd rather they keep their console efforts different from their main focus. I'm definitely picking up Empire the day it's released and I'll upgrade my computer as their games demand, but I'd really rather not see a dumbed-down TW for consoles. Civ Rev and Bladestorm did it sort of well but neither gets anywhere near the depth of the TW series.

  • makeamazing #10 3 years ago

    To be honest if they dont sort out the dodgy fight AI I think i will probably install it once, play it for a day, and then put it back in its box and never play it again (what a waste)... think i will stick to Stronghold... much more fun :)

  • Mr_Brown #11 3 years ago

    Yes to a console version of Total War. It could work, it would be different to the PC version for sure, but there is no reason they couldn't make it work. Just look at Civilisation Revolution. That is the game they should look at to do a real console conversion. Something many people didn't think could happen.

    As for fantasy in Total War. No. Definatly not. Its the historical accurecy (not totally acurate but close enough) that appeals to me as a game. Add magic and monsters and it will diminish the gameplay, the tactics and the feel of the game. Also alienating its fanbase all together. Yes, fanasy could add many alternative strategies, but they would undermind fundemental strategy of any given era. Any magic, monster summoning etc will always win over numbers or quality of soldiers and people will just stock up their armies with wizards and what not, not experienced troops. Not to mention it would break the gameplay as every battle on Total War is based upon who panics and runs first. Introduce magic and battles will be won or lost in seconds.

    I'd be interested in seeing a more streamlined, war based Total War. It could work, but the PC version will always be number one.

  • Skywise #12 3 years ago

    I love their PC games, but Total Warrior was a huge disappointment for me. Viking does look nice though...

  • hiddenranbir #13 3 years ago

    Fantasy ruins fundamental strategy in games? What?!

  • Mr_Brown #14 3 years ago

    Not in games, but it would in TOTAL WAR GAMES. Read the post carefully please :-)

  • Cider86 #15 3 years ago

    I'm guessing similar stuff has been done before, but don't you think a Lord of the Rings: Total War would just be the shitznaz
    Edited by 1 at 25/09/08 @ 00:11

  • Harmonica #16 3 years ago

    @ T4RG4: However - you could well mean fantasy as in cavemen with sticks versus dinos, in which case the above point should really be invisible.

    It's a question of whether there is a market for a tactically 'realistic' game based in a fictional setting. All the TW fans I know are history buffs or history students, I think that's who get the most out of the games. As a side effect the games are great for anyone else because they are made for obsessives, and feature that level of depth, but a crossover title might be a bit of a hard sell.

    We all know how well BC fared (best game not to get made in the last five years).
    Edited by 2 at 25/09/08 @ 03:45

  • GunzManiac #17 3 years ago

    I'm hoping they don't make a Total war on the console, cause i'd rather they focus'd on making great stradegy games on the PC Which there are very good at, rather than devoting half there energy to a cheap, poor console rip-off. Civ Revolution, while a very good attempt at a console stradgey game, was very poor in comparision to it's PC Conterparts.
    And em, Bring on Rome 2 : Total war :D

  • rufus_the_stunt_bum #18 3 years ago

    can't see it working... however would save me the cost of upgrading.

  • glaeken #19 3 years ago

    I can see a Total war game working on a console. The turn based stuff would be fairly straight forward and I think the battles actually have a chance of working better than most console based RTS's as they tend to be slower and the ability to pause would allow you to issue unit orders without cursing the lack of speed mouse control gives you.

  • FWB #20 3 years ago

    Can you not get a mouse for a console? Then just use the pad for hotkeys. Why is nobody doing this? Would solve all RTS problems and make FPSs far more enjoyable.

  • glaeken #21 3 years ago

    Well MS won't allow a mouse for the 360 as they want to keep the console business seperate from their PC business. Apparently a 360 with a mouse instantly becomes a PC. No such problems on the PS3 though as far as I am aware.

  • kangarootoo #22 3 years ago

    UT3 on PS3 supports mouse and keyboard controls.

  • Harmonica #23 3 years ago

    Let's face it though, Sony would do anything to get a few more people playing their consoles, even if it means upstaging their beloved dualschlock.