Creative Assembly and Sega have announced the next Total War game, Total War: Medieval 3. Game director Pawel Wojs said in a blog post that the team is announcing the game early in its development cycle because it wants to speak transparently with fans about the game as it’s being made.
“Our goal is to talk to you more about what we’re working on and why we’re doing it. It is a very new way for us to communicate about these early phases of game development, but we’re excited to take you on the journey,” he said.
Wojs said fans can look forward to new updates about once a quarter. The last entry in the series, Medieval 2: Total War, was released all the way back in 2006.
But what is Medieval 3 all about? Wojs said the game aims to be the “ultimate ‘What if?’ game where you can alter the course of history.”
“We aim to set the scene by immersing you in the historical authenticity you expect from Total War. As you play, the world responds in ways that feel genuinely plausible. You can choose to follow the course as written in the history books or take a bold step towards rewriting it,” he said.
The developer went on to say it will have more to show and discuss over time, and that the studio will “give you a voce to shape certain decisions.”
“But game development is challenging, so we’re only going to be able to discuss certain areas when we’re confident they’re ready to be shown. Through this, we hope to provide more insight than ever before into the development of a Total War title. We’re going to make some mistakes, but we’re excited to make this journey with you,” he explained.
He went on to say that Creative Assembly wanted to make Medieval 3 for “a very long time” already, and the studio “made attempts to bring it to life in the past, but we never felt we could truly do it justice.”
It’s happening now–some 19 years after the last game, 2006’s Medieval 2: Total War–for a variety of reasons, including the fact that Creative Assembly is using an updated version of its Warcore engine that is more powerful and feature-rich. Creative Assembly also waited until it could find the right people to make Medieval 3.
“It was essential to bring together the right people–a team with decades of experience and a deep understanding of what makes historical strategy so compelling,” he said. “This expertise, combined with the passion of those who helped shape the series, gives us the foundation to build something truly special.”
Medieval 3 is now in “early pre-production,” so it is still “years away,” Wojs said. “This phase is about laying the foundations: defining scope, prioritizing features which number in the hundreds at this stage, and shaping how our vision will translate into an unforgettable experience,” he explained.
Wojs went on to say people should expect some “bumps and bruises” in the process of talking to fans about Medieval 3, in part because the studio has never discussed an upcoming game with fans so early in the process. “So please bear with us whilst we find our rhythm,” he said.