Creative Assembly just made one of the boldest moves in Total War history. On November 20, 2025, the developer announced that Immortal Empires, the absolutely massive campaign mode that combines all three Total War: Warhammer games into one epic experience, will become freely accessible to anyone who owns either Total War: Warhammer 1 or 2 starting December 4, 2025. This decision removes what was arguably the biggest financial barrier preventing players from experiencing the trilogy’s definitive mode, and it arrives just in time for a major content update.
What This Means for Players
Previously, accessing Immortal Empires required owning Total War: Warhammer 3. Players who stuck with the first two games but never upgraded to the third entry were locked out of this content entirely, even though they owned the races and lords that appear in the campaign. Starting December 4, that changes completely.
Anyone who owns Total War: Warhammer 1, Total War: Warhammer 2, or both will gain immediate access to Immortal Empires without purchasing the third game. They’ll be able to play using all the races and legendary lords from the games they own within the gigantic combined map. This doesn’t grant access to Warhammer 3-exclusive factions like Kislev, Cathay, or the Daemon races, but it does let players command their favorite armies from previous games on the largest battlefield the series has ever created.
For those who already own Warhammer 3, nothing changes. If you bought the game specifically to access Immortal Empires, you still have access to all Warhammer 3 races and content that owners of only the first two games won’t receive. This announcement benefits players who were hesitant to invest in a third full-priced game just to continue playing factions they already purchased years ago.
Understanding Immortal Empires
For those unfamiliar with the mode, Immortal Empires represents the culmination of the Total War: Warhammer trilogy’s vision. The campaign combines the massive maps from all three games into one continuous world, featuring over 500 settlements, 86 legendary lords at launch, and 24 playable races spanning the entire Warhammer Fantasy universe.
Players can command iconic factions like the Empire, Greenskins, High Elves, Vampire Counts, Skaven, Lizardmen, and dozens more in a grand strategy campaign where every faction exists simultaneously on the map. You might start as Karl Franz defending the Empire in the Old World while Malekith schemes in Naggaroth across the ocean, and Grimgor Ironhide leads a Greenskin Waaagh through the Dark Lands.
The mode launched in August 2022 as part of Total War: Warhammer 3, quickly becoming the most popular way to play the game. Creative Assembly continued expanding it through free updates and paid DLC, adding new factions, legendary lords, and campaign mechanics. The sheer scope dwarfs anything previous Total War games attempted, creating a sandbox where hundreds of hours of strategic gameplay unfold differently each campaign.
The Strategic Timing
This announcement doesn’t arrive in a vacuum. December 4 also marks the release of Patch 7.0 and the Tides of Torment DLC, one of the largest content drops for Total War: Warhammer 3 in 2025. The DLC introduces new legendary lords, units, and campaign mechanics while the patch overhauls various game systems based on community feedback accumulated over months.
Making Immortal Empires free coincides perfectly with this content launch. Players who own the earlier games can jump into the expanded mode without financial commitment, experience the improvements from Patch 7.0, and potentially become interested enough to purchase Warhammer 3 or the new DLC. From a business perspective, it’s a calculated gambit to expand the player base right as fresh content arrives.
The timing also aligns with the Total War series celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025. Creative Assembly has been marking this milestone throughout the year with various announcements and updates. Opening Immortal Empires to legacy owners feels like a thank-you gesture to longtime fans who supported the franchise through multiple entries but perhaps couldn’t justify another full-priced purchase.
How the Access System Works
The implementation follows a straightforward logic. On December 4, the game will check which Total War: Warhammer titles players own in their Steam library. Ownership of Warhammer 1, Warhammer 2, or both automatically unlocks the Immortal Empires campaign mode alongside The Lost God, a massive free expansion that launched earlier in 2025.
Players only gain access to races and legendary lords from games they actually own. If you own just Warhammer 1, you can play all Warhammer 1 factions in Immortal Empires but won’t have access to Warhammer 2 races like Tomb Kings or Vampire Coast unless you own that game or the specific DLC. The DLC ownership carries forward across the entire trilogy, so purchasing a race pack for Warhammer 2 will let you use that content in Immortal Empires even if you don’t own Warhammer 3.
This creates a modular system where players pay only for the content they want to use. Someone passionate about High Elves but uninterested in Chaos Daemons can access Immortal Empires without buying Warhammer 3, playing their preferred faction on the combined map. Meanwhile, Warhammer 3 owners get the exclusive new races as incentive for their purchase.
Community Reactions
The Total War community responded overwhelmingly positively to the announcement on Reddit and the official forums. Many players viewed Immortal Empires as the main reason to purchase Warhammer 3, since it unified the trilogy’s content into one coherent experience. Removing that paywall addresses longstanding complaints about having to buy a full game primarily to access a mode rather than for its unique content.
Some voices expressed concern about Creative Assembly’s motivations, questioning whether this signals declining Warhammer 3 sales or represents a last-ditch effort to revitalize the player base before moving on to new projects. However, most fans celebrated the decision as consumer-friendly regardless of underlying business reasons. Getting more content for games they already purchased feels like a win, especially when that content happens to be the series’ crown jewel.
A smaller group worried about potential negative implications. If Immortal Empires becomes freely accessible without buying Warhammer 3, does that reduce incentive for Creative Assembly to continue supporting it? Will future updates prioritize Warhammer 3 buyers over legacy players? These concerns remain speculative, but they reflect the community’s investment in the mode’s long-term health.
The Bigger Picture for Total War
This decision fits into Creative Assembly’s evolving approach to the Total War franchise. The developer recently announced Total War: Star Wars, confirming they’re branching into new intellectual properties beyond historical settings and Warhammer. Meanwhile, Total War: Pharaoh received major free updates expanding the campaign significantly based on community feedback after a disappointing launch.
These moves suggest Creative Assembly is experimenting with different monetization and support models rather than sticking to traditional approaches. Making Immortal Empires free could represent testing whether generous post-launch support and accessibility drive more long-term revenue through DLC sales than keeping content behind full-price game purchases.
The Warhammer trilogy has been remarkably successful financially despite its unusual structure requiring players to own multiple full-priced games to access complete content. Opening Immortal Empires might seem counterintuitive, but if it brings back lapsed players or attracts newcomers who then purchase DLC and eventually upgrade to Warhammer 3, the strategy could prove profitable while building goodwill.
What Happens on December 4
The update drops December 4 at 3pm GMT, 10am EST, and 7am PST. Players who own qualifying games simply need to launch Total War: Warhammer 3 through Steam, and the Immortal Empires mode will automatically appear in their campaign selection menu. No additional downloads or purchases are required beyond keeping the game updated with the latest patch.
The simultaneous launch of Tides of Torment DLC means players have the option to experience the expanded campaign with new content if they choose to purchase it, though accessing Immortal Empires itself remains completely free. Creative Assembly is essentially offering a taste of what Warhammer 3 provides while leaving the door open for interested players to invest further if they enjoy the experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to own Total War Warhammer 3 to play Immortal Empires after December 4?
No, starting December 4, 2025, anyone who owns Total War: Warhammer 1 or Total War: Warhammer 2 will gain access to Immortal Empires without purchasing Warhammer 3. You’ll only be able to play races from games you own.
What races can I play in Immortal Empires if I only own Warhammer 1 and 2?
You can play any race and legendary lord from the games and DLC you own. Warhammer 3-exclusive races like Kislev, Cathay, and the Daemon factions require owning Warhammer 3. All other races are accessible based on your existing library.
When does Immortal Empires become free?
Immortal Empires becomes free for qualifying players on December 4, 2025 at 3pm GMT, 10am EST, and 7am PST. The update coincides with the launch of Patch 7.0 and the Tides of Torment DLC.
Will my DLC from Warhammer 1 and 2 work in Immortal Empires?
Yes, all DLC purchases carry forward into Immortal Empires. If you bought race packs or lord packs for previous games, you can use that content in the combined campaign mode without additional purchases.
What is The Lost God expansion mentioned in the announcement?
The Lost God is a massive free expansion for Total War: Warhammer 3 that launched earlier in 2025. It’s also being made available to owners of Warhammer 1 and 2 alongside Immortal Empires access starting December 4.
Does this mean Creative Assembly is abandoning Warhammer 3?
No indication suggests this. The move coincides with a major DLC release and patch, showing continued active development. It appears designed to expand the player base rather than signal the end of support.
Do I need to download anything special to access Immortal Empires?
No, you just need to keep your game updated through Steam. Once the December 4 update goes live, Immortal Empires will automatically appear in your campaign menu if you own qualifying games.
Conclusion
Creative Assembly’s decision to make Immortal Empires freely accessible to owners of the first two Total War: Warhammer games represents a significant shift in how the trilogy is monetized and supported. Whether this proves to be a brilliant strategy that reinvigorates the community and drives DLC sales, or simply a generous gesture celebrating the franchise’s 25th anniversary, players are the immediate winners. Starting December 4, anyone who invested in the Total War: Warhammer journey over the past decade can experience the definitive campaign mode that brings the entire fantasy world to life. For a series that required juggling multiple game purchases to unlock complete content, removing this barrier feels long overdue and genuinely player-friendly.