Total War is a series of strategy games created by a British company called Creative Assembly for computers. These games mix turn-based strategy, managing resources, and controlling battles in real time. Unlike most real-time strategy games, side attacks and group formations are very important in how the game is played. The first game in the series, Shogun: Total War, was released in June 2000. The most recent major game, Total War: Pharaoh, was released on October 11, 2023. By April 2021, the series had sold more than 36 million copies.
Main games
Shogun: Total War was released in June 2000. It is the first game in the series and is set in feudal Japan. The single-player version includes interactive videos that show possible choices, such as converting to Christianity. The original Shogun was not widely popular but gained a loyal group of fans. An expansion pack called The Mongol Invasion was included in the Warlord Edition when the game was first released.
Medieval: Total War was released in August 2002. It uses the same game engine as Shogun and takes place in medieval Europe. The expansion pack is named Viking Invasion, and the combined version of the game is called the Battle Collection. This game was one of the best-selling titles in the Total War series.
Rome: Total War was released in 2004. It is set in the Roman Republic and introduced free map movement, which allowed players to move freely across maps instead of being limited to specific provinces. This was the first game in the series to feature a 3D map. The first expansion pack, Barbarian Invasion, was released on September 27, 2005. A Gold Edition, which combined the original game and its first expansion on one DVD, was released on February 14, 2006. A Mac version of the Gold Edition was released on February 12, 2010. A second expansion, Rome: Total War: Alexander, was released on June 19, 2006. A compilation of the original game and both expansions, called Rome: Total War Anthology, was released on March 16, 2007. The game also inspired popular mods that aim to improve historical accuracy. A mobile version of the game was later released. Rome: Total War won many awards for its realistic gameplay and visuals. A remastered version, Total War: Rome Remastered, was released on April 29, 2021.
Medieval II: Total War, a sequel to Medieval: Total War, was released on November 10, 2006, in Europe and November 14, 2006, in North America. It includes more detailed characters and covers events such as the Age of Discovery, the colonization of the Americas, and the Mongol and Timurid invasions. An expansion pack, Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms, was released on August 28, 2007. A Gold Edition, which included the original game and the expansion, was released on February 1, 2008. The Kingdoms expansion added four new campaigns: Britannia, set in the British Isles in 1258; the Crusades, set in the Middle East in 1174; the Teutonic Campaign, set in the Baltic region in 1250; and the Americas Campaign, set in the New World in 1521 during the decline of the Aztec and Maya civilizations.
Empire: Total War was announced on August 22, 2007, by Sega. It was secretly developed since the release of the Barbarian Invasion expansion. Players choose an 18th-century faction and aim to dominate the world through military, diplomacy, espionage, and economics. This was the first Total War game to include real-time 3D naval battles. The game also introduced a feature where provinces could operate independently of their capitals, adding realism. Empire: Total War was released on March 3, 2009, in North America and March 4, 2009, in Europe. An expansion pack, Warpath, was released in October 2009. Warpath allows players to control Native American nations in the Americas. While the game was praised for its innovation, it faced criticism for technical issues. Sega claims most problems were fixed after release. The game was the first in the series to use Valve's Steamworks system, requiring Steam to play. A mobile version was released on November 21, 2024, for iOS and Android.
Napoleon: Total War was released on February 23, 2010, in North America and February 26, 2010, in Europe. It focuses on the politics and military campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. The game was released in several editions, including Standard, Imperial, and Emperor's Edition (available only in Australia and New Zealand). Players take the role of Napoleon Bonaparte or his rivals in a turn-based campaign and engage in real-time battles. Like Empire: Total War, Napoleon includes three campaigns: the Italian and Egyptian campaigns, the European campaign, and the Battle of Waterloo. A separate campaign called "Campaigns of the Coalition" lets players control Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, or Russia across Europe. Another campaign, "Peninsular," is available as downloadable content and focuses on the Iberian Peninsula. A Mac version of the Gold Edition was released on June 3, 2013.
On June 2, 2010, Creative Assembly released a preview of Total War: Shogun 2, set in 16th-century Japan during the Sengoku Jidai period. The game's battle engine supports up to 56,000 soldiers in a single battle, more than in Napoleon. Shogun 2 was the first game in the series to use the franchise's name as the primary title. It was released on March 15, 2011.
Total War: Shogun 2: Fall of the Samurai is an expansion to Shogun 2, released in March 2012. It explores the conflict between the Imperial throne and the last Shogun during the Boshin War in 19th-century Japan, 300 years after the original game. Six new playable clans are added, along with four downloadable clans. Players can also interact with Britain, the United States, and France through trade and recruitment. New features include land and sea unit interactions, such as offshore artillery support, coastal gun emplacements, and campaign map bombardments. Other additions include railway networks, ironclad warships, improved siege mechanics, new agent types, the ability to control two armies simultaneously, a third-person shooter for torpedo gunboats, and a multiplayer overhaul.
On July 2, 2012, Creative Assembly announced Total War:
Spin-off games
Spartan: Total Warrior was created by Creative Assembly and released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. This game is an action title that aimed to bring large-scale battles from the Total War series to consoles. Instead of focusing on real history, the developers used ideas from Greek and Roman mythology to create a setting with more imaginative battles and enemies. Players control a Spartan warrior guided by the god Ares, who must defeat the Roman Empire. The game includes two modes: "campaign mode," which has 14 levels, and "arena battle" mode, where players fight through increasingly difficult enemy attacks. A later game called Viking: Battle for Asgard was released in 2008, but it no longer used the "Total Warrior" name.
Total War: Arena was a free-to-play game that ended in February 2019.
Total War: Elysium is a new free-to-play strategy game where players use generals from history to battle against other players in head-to-head matches.
Total War Battles: Shogun was released on April 20, 2012, for iOS devices. It was also made available for Android and Microsoft Windows. Set in medieval Japan, the game uses real-time strategy and combines troop management, combat, and building control. Players can use samurai, archers, ninjas, and cavalry. The battle system uses hexagon-shaped tiles for movement and placement. A unique feature is the "Bushido" code, which means units cannot move backward once they have moved forward. The game supports 1 vs. 1 local multiplayer.
From the team that made Total War Battles: Shogun, Total War Battles: Kingdom started open beta on PC on March 9, 2015, after a limited closed beta. Set in medieval England, the game combines realm building and real-time battles. It was released for PC, Android, and iOS. Support for the game ended on April 28, 2022, and it is no longer playable.
Total War Battles: Warhammer is the next game in the Total War: Battles series. Developed by NetEase, it is officially licensed by Creative Assembly and Games Workshop. The game aims to offer detailed strategy gameplay in the Warhammer Fantasy Battles world on mobile devices worldwide. It will be available for Android and iOS platforms.