Creative Assembly set December 4, 2025 at 4pm GMT (8am PST, 11am EST) for the Total War 25th Anniversary Showcase, a special video presentation unveiling two brand new Total War games and additional content for Total War: Warhammer 3. The event promises reveals across both historical and fantasy Total War, with the historical title being the first major historical release since Total War: Three Kingdoms launched in 2019 – notably, this is not a smaller-scale Saga game but a full mainline entry. The fantasy announcement remains unconfirmed but community speculation centers on either Warhammer 40,000 Total War or a final major expansion for Warhammer 3. Additionally, Creative Assembly confirmed a new Warhammer 3 DLC featuring major overhauls for Norsca and High Elves plus The Masque as a free legendary lord. The showcase will stream on Total War’s official YouTube and Twitch channels with a 30-minute countdown starting at 3:30pm GMT. After surviving the disastrous Hyenas cancellation, mass layoffs in 2023-2024, and community backlash over Warhammer 3’s Shadows of Change DLC pricing controversy, this showcase represents Creative Assembly’s attempt to rebuild trust and demonstrate the franchise’s future direction.
The Historical Game – First Major Release Since 2019
Creative Assembly explicitly confirmed the first announcement will be a new historical Total War title representing the franchise’s return to non-fantasy settings after six years focused primarily on Warhammer content. The last major historical release was Total War: Three Kingdoms in 2019, which launched to critical acclaim and strong sales before being controversially abandoned in 2021 when Creative Assembly canceled its planned northern expansion DLC to focus resources elsewhere.
The key detail in the announcement: this is NOT a Saga title. Saga games like Thrones of Britannia and Troy are smaller-scale experimental releases with limited scope and shorter development cycles. By emphasizing this distinction, Creative Assembly signals that the December 4 reveal will be a full mainline historical Total War with the budget, scope, and long-term support expectations that come with flagship entries.
Reddit speculation focuses overwhelmingly on three possibilities: Medieval 3, Empire 2, or something completely unexpected. Medieval 2: Total War remains beloved despite launching in 2006, and fans have demanded a proper sequel for nearly two decades. Empire: Total War’s 2009 release pioneered gunpowder warfare and global campaign maps but suffered from technical issues and shallow naval combat. A modern Empire 2 with current-gen technology could be extraordinary.
Some commenters express concern that revisiting pre-medieval settings again would be redundant given recent releases. Total War: Rome Remastered launched in 2021, Total War: Pharaoh covered ancient Egypt in 2023, and the franchise has thoroughly explored the classical and ancient periods. Medieval and early modern eras offer richer opportunities for innovation – pike-and-shot warfare, the Age of Exploration, the Reformation, colonial expansion. These settings provide gameplay diversity the franchise hasn’t deeply explored in years.
The Three Kingdoms Question
One Reddit commenter asked about Total War: Three Kingdoms 2, which Creative Assembly mentioned years ago as being in development. The response from community member westonsammy: “CA hasn’t given any updates on Three Kingdoms 2. They said it was going into development several years ago and have provided zero communication about it since.”
This silence is deafening. Three Kingdoms sold exceptionally well in China and globally, becoming one of the franchise’s most successful launches. The decision to abandon post-launch support and go radio silent on the sequel suggests either development hell (the game isn’t working and they don’t know how to fix it) or cancellation (the project was quietly killed but never officially announced). The December 4 showcase will reveal whether Three Kingdoms 2 is the historical announcement or if that project is dead.
The Fantasy Game – Warhammer 40K Speculation
Creative Assembly confirmed a fantasy Total War announcement but provided zero specifics. Community consensus overwhelmingly expects Warhammer 40,000: Total War, the grimdark sci-fi cousin of the Warhammer Fantasy setting that defined Total War: Warhammer 1, 2, and 3. The franchise has spent nearly a decade developing Warhammer Fantasy into one of strategy gaming’s defining experiences. Transitioning to Warhammer 40K would leverage existing Games Workshop licensing relationships while offering radically different gameplay with ranged weaponry, vehicles, and faction diversity.
One Reddit comment captured the community’s expectations and anxieties: “That’s going to be the interesting part, besides the announcement. The community will tear itself apart if the Fantasy title isn’t W40k and the historical title isn’t Medieval 3 or Empire 2.” This reflects realistic concerns that Creative Assembly might announce something unexpected like Age of Sigmar Total War or a completely original fantasy IP, which would disappoint the vocal fanbase demanding 40K.
The counterargument is that Warhammer 3 still has substantial unreleased content. Legendary characters like Nagash remain absent despite being central to Warhammer Fantasy lore. Certain races lack proper implementation. If Creative Assembly announces a completely separate fantasy title while Warhammer 3 feels incomplete, community backlash would be severe. The showcase’s timing – announcing both historical and fantasy projects simultaneously – suggests Creative Assembly wants to satisfy both demographics rather than alienating either.
Warhammer 3 DLC – Norsca and High Elves Overhaul
Alongside the two new game announcements, Creative Assembly confirmed a new Total War: Warhammer 3 DLC featuring major faction overhauls for Norsca and High Elves plus The Masque as a free legendary lord. Reddit user Xanto97 called the update “incredibly exciting,” praising “significant overhauls for both Norsca and the High Elves, plus an awesome free legendary lord.” They also noted that Creative Assembly addressed “the major AI issue that was present before,” suggesting substantial under-the-hood improvements beyond just new content.
Norsca has desperately needed attention since Total War: Warhammer 1. The Viking-inspired Chaos raiders have outdated mechanics compared to newer factions, making them frustrating to play in the combined Immortal Empires campaign. High Elves similarly suffer from being Warhammer 2 content that hasn’t aged well into Warhammer 3’s expanded mechanical complexity. Overhauling both factions signals Creative Assembly’s commitment to bringing older content up to modern standards rather than abandoning it.
The Masque being a free legendary lord is particularly significant. After the Shadows of Change DLC controversy where Creative Assembly charged $25 for three legendary lords and minimal campaign content – sparking massive community backlash – the studio promised to improve value propositions and include more free content. Delivering a fully voiced legendary lord with unique mechanics for free demonstrates they’re trying to rebuild goodwill.
The AI Improvements
Xanto97’s mention of fixing “the major AI issue” likely refers to campaign AI behavior problems that have plagued Warhammer 3 since launch. AI factions make bizarre decisions, fail to defend settlements properly, declare wars they can’t win, and generally don’t provide compelling strategic opposition. If Creative Assembly genuinely improved core AI systems, that’s potentially more impactful than any amount of new DLC content because it affects every campaign playthrough.
The Studio’s Rocky Road to This Showcase
This 25th anniversary celebration happens against the backdrop of Creative Assembly’s most turbulent period in company history. In 2023, Sega canceled Hyenas – described as Sega’s most expensive game ever – after multiple delays and negative playtest feedback. The cancellation triggered mass layoffs affecting hundreds of Creative Assembly employees and contractors. Reports emerged of extreme mismanagement, crunch culture, and leadership failures that wasted years of development and tens of millions of dollars.
Simultaneously, Warhammer 3 faced its own crisis. The Shadows of Change DLC launched in December 2023 charging $25 for three legendary lords with minimal campaign mechanics or unique units. Community outrage was immediate and overwhelming. Players accused Creative Assembly of price gouging while delivering minimal content. The studio eventually apologized, offered partial refunds, and promised to improve future DLC value. But the damage to community trust was severe.
Total War: Pharaoh’s October 2023 launch flopped commercially despite decent reviews, selling far below expectations and quickly dropping to deep discounts. The ancient Egypt setting failed to capture mainstream interest, and many fans were fatigued by historical releases after years of Rome 2 support and Three Kingdoms abandonment.
Against this context of canceled projects, layoffs, community anger, and commercial disappointments, the December 4 showcase represents Creative Assembly’s attempt to prove the franchise has a viable future. Two new games plus continued Warhammer 3 support signals ambition and confidence. Whether the announcements deliver what the community actually wants – Medieval 3, Warhammer 40K, substantial Warhammer 3 content – determines whether this showcase repairs or further damages the studio’s relationship with its fanbase.
Timing and Where to Watch
The showcase streams December 4, 2025 at these times:
– 4:00 PM GMT (UK)
– 8:00 AM PST (US West Coast)
– 11:00 AM EST (US East Coast)
– 5:00 PM CET (Central Europe)
– 12:00 AM AEDT December 5 (Australia East Coast)
The stream begins 30 minutes early with a countdown at 3:30 PM GMT. You can watch on Total War’s official YouTube channel or Twitch. Multiple content creators and media outlets will co-stream the event with live reactions, so viewers can choose between official coverage or watching alongside community personalities.
No information about presentation length was provided, but given they’re announcing two new games plus DLC, expect at least 30-45 minutes of content. Previous Total War showcases have run 45-60 minutes when revealing major projects.
Community Expectations and Anxiety
Reddit discussions show a community simultaneously excited and anxious. One commenter noted: “Regardless of what gets unveiled, there will certainly be a loud contingent of fans exclaiming ‘Is that all?’ They’ll be quick to lament the absence of historical settings like Medieval 3 or Empire 2.”
This reflects legitimate concern that Creative Assembly might announce niche projects that don’t align with community desires. What if the historical game is Total War: Feudal Japan instead of Medieval 3? What if the fantasy game is Age of Sigmar instead of Warhammer 40K? The studio has a history of pursuing projects that seem exciting internally but fail to resonate commercially or with the core fanbase. The showcase’s success depends on announcing games people actually want to play rather than what Creative Assembly thinks they should want.
Another anxiety: announcement versus release. Revealing two new games is meaningless if they’re both 3-4 years away from launch. The historical Total War drought since 2019 has left fans desperate for something playable. If the December 4 announcements are “here’s what you’ll get in 2028,” that does nothing to address current frustrations.
FAQs
When is the Total War 25th Anniversary Showcase?
December 4, 2025 at 4:00 PM GMT (8:00 AM PST, 11:00 AM EST). The stream starts 30 minutes early with a countdown at 3:30 PM GMT.
What’s being announced?
Two new Total War games – one historical (not a Saga title), one fantasy – plus new Warhammer 3 DLC featuring Norsca and High Elves overhauls with The Masque as a free legendary lord.
Is it Medieval 3?
Unconfirmed. Community speculation centers on Medieval 3 or Empire 2, but Creative Assembly hasn’t revealed what the historical game is.
Is it Warhammer 40K?
Unconfirmed. The fantasy announcement is widely expected to be Warhammer 40,000: Total War, but this is speculation based on community expectations rather than official confirmation.
Where can I watch?
Total War’s official YouTube channel or Twitch. Multiple content creators will also co-stream the event with live reactions.
When was the last historical Total War?
Total War: Three Kingdoms in 2019, which was controversially abandoned in 2021. Total War: Pharaoh launched in 2023 but underperformed commercially.
What happened to Three Kingdoms 2?
Creative Assembly said years ago it entered development but has provided zero updates since. Whether it’s canceled or still in development remains unclear.
How long will the showcase be?
Not specified, but likely 30-60 minutes based on previous Total War showcases announcing major projects.
Will there be release dates?
Unknown. The showcase will reveal projects but whether they announce release windows or just “coming eventually” depends on how far along development is.
Conclusion
The Total War 25th Anniversary Showcase on December 4 represents Creative Assembly’s most important presentation in years, coming after the Hyenas disaster, mass layoffs, Warhammer 3 pricing controversies, and six years since the last major historical release. Two new game announcements plus continued Warhammer 3 support signals ambition, but community expectations are sky-high – anything short of Medieval 3 or Empire 2 for historical and Warhammer 40K for fantasy risks disappointment and backlash. The inclusion of free Warhammer 3 content (The Masque legendary lord) and major faction overhauls (Norsca, High Elves) shows Creative Assembly trying to rebuild goodwill after the Shadows of Change debacle. Whether this showcase successfully demonstrates Total War’s bright future or confirms fears that the franchise has lost its way will be determined in about 45 minutes on December 4 at 4pm GMT. Grab your popcorn and prepare for either celebration or meltdown across Total War communities worldwide.