Earlier today, Creative Assembly released a major new development update blog; the first that the studio has released for months. In it, the studio delves much further into their future plans than they have typically done in the past; confirming a variety of content as either in development or in planning stages. This includes Total War: Three Kingdoms DLC, Total War: Warhammer 2 DLC, hints at Total War: Warhammer 3, and news for the Total War Saga series.
Future Plans for Total War: Three Kingdoms DLC
Last month, Creative Assembly released their first post-launch Total War: Three Kingdoms DLC, and first Chapter Pack DLC; Eight Princes. The DLC launch was mostly positive. However, many fans have been hoping for more content to be added to the game’s base campaign. Apparently, this is exactly what Creative Assembly is planning on delivering. “We still like the idea of Chapter Packs that explore other chapters of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” reads the blog post; “though the next one will be more recognisable to the majority of players. We’re also working on DLC that adds significantly to the main campaign…”
In fact, the studio wasn’t content to just vaguely hint at what might be on the horizon. They went on to confirm; “Yes absolutely, the Nanman are coming. Before then over the next year though, we’ll be visiting the era of the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Liang Province Rebellion, and then the clash of Cao Cao vs. Lu Bu in the central plains”. Additionally, fans can look forward to a free update coming to Total War: Three Kingdoms next month. The exact content of this update wasn’t specified. However, the studio did write that some characters will get new, unique campaign art. Concluding the Three Kingdoms section, Creative Assembly writes; “You can be sure, a few years down the line, that Three Kingdoms will evolve from the great game it is now to something vastly more epic.”
Future Plans for Total War: Warhammer 2 DLC
Of course, it isn’t just Three Kingdoms that Creative Assembly is working on. The studio also commented on their upcoming plans for the Total War: Warhammer series, including Total War: Warhammer 2 DLC. Following the recent release of The Hunter and The Beast, it seems that fans won’t need to wait long for the next content pack. In fact, the studio also confirmed that Total War: Warhammer 3 is currently in development with the largest of their project teams; “We have more WH2 DLC on the way and, of course, the third part of our trilogy is deep into production with the largest of our TW project teams revved up.
“We’re aiming for our next WH2 DLC and FLC to be out for Festag,” they continue; “and as mentioned in the recent patch notes, we’re planning a number of fixes and improvements rather than revisiting an Old World Race in conjunction with this one. We hope you’ll like what we have planned and not to worry, because yes, Greenskins will be getting updated next year.”
According to the blog post, Creative Assembly plans to be more open about their upcoming projects and plans. However, they do warn fans that this could mean that delays or changes become more visible as a result. However, they cited the delays to Total War: Three Kingdoms, where the fan response was clear; fans would rather wait for a polished final product than have the studio release an incomplete game. “While we’ll always try to aim true with dates, choosing to move a date back is almost certainly going to happen again at some point, or we may decide to change the content we have planned. This very much in the nature of game development and is driven by our desire to make great stuff and do what’s best for the game, and therefore players.”
Another Total War Saga Game is on the Way
Finally, Creative Assembly ended the blog with some hints about the future of the Total War Saga series. Thrones of Britannia was the first Total War Saga game. More recently, the studio re-released Fall of the Samurai as the second standalone Total War Saga title. (It was originally released as an expansion for Total War: Shogun 2.) In discussing the series, the studio makes it clear that they’re aware how polarising it has been; “We’re absolutely aware that Thrones of Britannia split its audience between those who felt it didn’t do enough, those who felt it was a roaring telling of the period, and some who list it as the best TW we’ve done.”
They go on to say that Thrones of Britannia continues to be a success and attract new fans. As a result, they are planning to revisit the format of the series. However, it will learn from the responses to Thrones of Britannia; “We want to get the balance right between making a conventional Total War game at a tighter scale,” explains the studio; “that a wide audience can enjoy, but being brave with new features and dynamics to push the series forward in interesting ways”. There were no specifics about what this next Saga title might be. However, the blog does state that fans can look forward to news “very soon”.