Where Is The Total War Series Headed Next?

Creative Assembly’s Total War turn-based strategy series is one of the most long-lasting video game franchises and certainly a very popular one.

Since Creative Assembly (CA) has already tackled Medieval Europe, the Napoleonic Wars, the Roman Empire and 16th century feudal Japan the series could go literally anywhere. CA’s Rob Bartholomew said that the next Total War will be taking place in “an era we haven’t tackled yet”.

So what could he possibly mean? Well, we have no idea, but in the meantime we will just have to think up some possible historical destinations for the next Total War Game.

 

1. Age of Imperialism: Europe 1850’s

A time of constant change and expansion, when borders were changing quicker than they could be drawn, I think the Age of Imperialism would be an interesting addition to the popular turn-based strategy. This could be a decent follow-on from Empire: Total War, which was pretty hit and miss at the best of times but because it could be a follow on from Empire: Total War, we could have all the good things from that game without the hideous negatives. Playing as one of the colonial ‘giants’ or indeed a nation that is yet to be colonised it could be an interesting campaign when you have to fight off the Victorian explorers and massed ranks of the Royal Navy.

 

2. The Silk Road

A different suggestion, but I think a key one nonetheless. To see the Total War series set at a time in China or the Middle East exclusively when trade was expanding and the west were just branching into trading with the east. It would be a completely different ball game in terms of dealing with tribes from the steppes or setting up new trade agreement with strange new peoples. Either way, it would be an addition to the Total War series that I would happily pay a lot for.

 

3. North/Central America 1600’s

What better way to rediscover your nation’s history than by taking up arms against your great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather? One of the best things about the Total War series is the fact that anything goes. You make history in this regard so long as you’re good enough. Why not rewrite the discovery of the New World by European colonists? Or take on the guise of the Native American tribes and resist the influx of newcomers to your homeland?

 

4. 1900’s and the Age of Mechanised Warfare

How cool would it be to take control of one of the major European powers on the eve of the Great War? Would you take sides with the Kaiser or side with your faltering ally in Russia? Playing the long game with this Total War game could see you step aside when and if World War 2 rears its ugly head. I’m not sure how the combat would look with Trench warfare but as Battlefield 1 has shown us it doesn’t always have to be confined to soldiers walking very slowly towards the enemy. The political side of both conflicts would be something to contend with, keeping your population happy is always something that has been very key in the Total War series. If the war doesn’t go well you could face being thrown from power. Nevertheless, it would be a very different step that Creative Assembly would be taking if they made a Total War game set in the 1900’s.

 

5. 1550-1700 Europe

This could be another follow on from one of my favourite Total War games, Medieval: Total War. You could enter Europe at a time of constant change both politically and culturally. What could make this era interesting is that it defined most modern European countries today. I for one would be so excited to see how this would pan out, not only could it be a fantastic learning experience (yes I said learning experience, I learn things from Total War games), but also it could give Creative Assembly the opportunity to again follow on from Medieval II: Total War. Perhaps the medieval side of history has already been done to death but it is a fascinating time to learn about and playing as the republic of Venice or the Holy Roman Empire. This would be my number one option if they were to bring out a new game but any of the above would be fine in my book.

The Total War series has brought me at least 400 hours’ worth of entertainment in the past few years and I hope that it will bring me so much more. Total War is about playing the long game, but in the same breath, beating all of your opponents and owning everything on the map.

Here’s hoping that we’ll see something new and different sometime soon from Creative Assembly.