The Total War machine is going strong. Today, Creative Assembly announced Total War: Three Kingdoms. After a highly successful foray into the Warhammer universe with 2016's Total War: Warhammer and Warhammer II the following year, it's time to take the massive real-time battle engine back to East Asia. It's been, what, seven years since we saw samurai and cherry blossoms in this series.
Three Kingdoms, however, is in China. You know, China. The country that, today, has two of the top-10-most-populated cities in the world. The country that has more restaurants in your town than McDonald's. But we're not talking about a potential trade war with China.
We're talking Total War.
I'm not a scholar on Chinese history. They didn't teach us anything about Asia before WWII when I was going to public school. But if Total War: Three Kingdoms lines up with China's Wikipedia page about Three Kingdoms, then we're looking at A.D. 220-280 [UPDATE: The official Sega PR release states 190CE], when China was divided into three states: the Wei, Shu, and Wu. The Three Kingdoms period is one of the bloodiest in Chinese history.
It is 190CE and China is in turmoil. The Han Dynasty crumbles before the child-emperor, who is a mere puppet for the tyrant Dong Zhuo. The brutal and oppressive regime's power grows as the empire slips further into anarchy. Yet hope blossoms in the form of three heroes, sworn to brotherhood in the face of calamity. Warlords of great families follow suit, forming a fragile coalition in a bid to challenge Dong Zhuo's remorseless rule. The future of China will be shaped by their hands, but personal ambition threatens their already crumbling alliance.
The video above is a bit of cinematic mood setting. The story is laid out in brush strokes, since China has always produced some of the most beautiful artwork on the planet. There will be more in-game footage in the months to come.
Total War: Three Kingdoms is coming to PC this fall.
TOTAL WAR™: THREE KINGDOMS ANNOUNCED
LONDON – January 10, 2018 –SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced the new historical strategy game Total War™: Three Kingdoms, the next major historical title in the Total War™ strategy series from Creative Assembly™, and the first to explore ancient China, will launch in Fall 2018.
It is 190CE and China is in turmoil. The Han Dynasty crumbles before the child-emperor, who is a mere puppet for the tyrant Dong Zhuo. The brutal and oppressive regime's power grows as the empire slips further into anarchy. Yet hope blossoms in the form of three heroes, sworn to brotherhood in the face of calamity. Warlords of great families follow suit, forming a fragile coalition in a bid to challenge Dong Zhuo's remorseless rule. The future of China will be shaped by their hands, but personal ambition threatens their already crumbling alliance.
Inspired by the beauty and artistic style of the age, Total War™: Three Kingdoms breathes life into the heroes of this fascinating period as they struggle to unite China under a single banner.
