For 20 years, fans of Total War have been waiting for a new game set in the Middle Ages. In conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the franchise, the announcement has finally been made. However, the initial excitement quickly gave way to disappointment.
What exactly was announced? The big dream of many Total War fans has come true: Total War: Medieval 3 is coming. This was announced by developer Creative Assembly during their Total War – 25th Anniversary Showcase.
The showcase began with new information about Total War: Warhammer 3 – perhaps a bit too much, it seemed. Fans of historical Total War games were getting quite impatient. “Enough with Warhammer, show us the new historical game already!” was often heard in the live chat on Twitch and YouTube.
The great hope of many fans? Total War: Medieval 3, a sequel to Medieval 2, which was released in 2005. This game is considered one of the best Total War games among fans (alongside Shogun 2). The game was officially announced with a live-action trailer:
From anticipation to disappointment
How is the community reacting? The initial joy over the announcement quickly turned to disappointment for several reasons:
According to CA, Medieval 3 is currently in “early pre-production.” The title is thus still in a very early stage of development. It may take several years before Medieval 3 is released.
On Reddit, players are already sharing some memes about it:
“It was supposed to be released next year, but the development team was betrayed by Milan,” jokes Narradisall in a Reddit post about the trailer – a reference to Milan being a faction in Medieval 2 that would betray players at the most inconvenient times.
However, not everyone is taking the long wait with humor:
- “Releasing a teaser while still in pre-production is crazy. I don’t want to know about games that won’t be out until 2030+,” says EgoNotFounded on Reddit
- “What the hell has the historical team been doing since 2019? [Note: The release year of Total War: Three Kingdoms] The next big historical game shouldn’t be in pre-production in December 2025, for crying out loud,” writes EcureuilHargneux on Reddit.
Others rightly question whether there is actually such a thing as a “historical team” at CA, or if that’s a simplified portrayal by the fans. The last historical Total War was released in 2023 with Total War Pharaoh, which was not developed by the British studio in Horsham but in Sofia.
Why exactly Medieval 3 is still in the starting blocks is a question that is very much concerning fans – to which there is currently no answer.
You can watch the entire showcase here, Total War: Medieval 3 is discussed around minute 41:
Medieval 3 – currently nothing more than an idea?
It has also caused disappointment that CA has only been able to show limited initial ideas and concept art. Many fans feel that the developers currently have only “an idea for Medieval 3.” This is less than what fans hoped for following the hype surrounding the Anniversary Showcase.
Is the mood bad for everyone? There are still fans fighting against the negative sentiment within the community. “I kind of feel bad for the developer who was excited to share the news,” writes OVO_ZORRO on Reddit, along with a meme that criticizes the behavior of the community.
At least it has been confirmed that Medieval 3 will use a new engine – something fans have been requesting for years. The new Warcore engine was briefly presented during the showcase, along with the improvements it is expected to bring. The new engine is said to even allow the game to be brought to consoles.
Additionally, Creative Assembly appears to be choosing an approach similar to what Paradox used with Europa Universalis 5. Through regular dev blogs, fans will be kept informed and much more involved in the development process.
Overall, the announcement of Total War: Medieval 3 evokes mixed feelings. On the one hand, there is great joy that Creative Assembly is returning to the Middle Ages after 20 years. On the other hand, the long wait and lack of concrete information are causing frustration.
The first half of the 25th Anniversary Showcase was entirely dedicated to Total War: Warhammer 3. The end of the world is taking place there in summer 2026, and it is expected to be quite significant. You can read more about this announcement here: The big strategy game about Warhammer on Steam reveals the next DLC, brings 2 characters from the lore, changes the entire map
