Shogun 2 Complete Edition removed: what an ex-CA dev says

Total War: Shogun 2 - Complete Edition came out on October 13, 2026, developed by Creative Assembly and MATABOO and published by SEGA. SEGA took it off sale two days later. On October 23 Creative Assembly said in its own post that the game was developed externally and did not go through its internal review and QA process.

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The October 23 studio post: made outside, never through internal QA

Ten days after launch, Roger from Creative Assembly posted an update on r/totalwar. The post keeps the blame with the studio: "whatever the development arrangements, Total War is our franchise and our name is on it."

The studio has put a small team of senior developers on the game to work with SEGA and the external developer. No fixes or dates are announced yet. Roger also asked players to aim their anger at studio leadership rather than at individual developers and support staff.

SEGA charged $39.99 for it and pulled it after two days

The edition was announced on September 16 at $39.99, £34.99 or €39.99. It bundled the base game with all its DLC, Rise of the Samurai and the Fall of the Samurai expansion included, and promised a 64-bit build, 4K interface scaling, Japanese and Chinese voice acting, more than 50 newly playable minor factions and Mod.io support. Owners of the 2011 game got a 75% discount until November 12. The launch also took the cheaper 2011 version off sale.

Before the sale stopped, 19% of more than 2,000 Steam reviewers recommended it. As of October 23, the store page shows 16% positive out of 2,067 reviews, rated Overwhelmingly Negative. Bugs from the 2011 game were still in. Players also saw frame-rate drops on the campaign map.

On October 15, SEGA said the game "has fallen short of both your expectations and our own standards" and that it would reinstate the original while it works with its development partner to find the causes. The statement gives no return date.

The AI art is a player claim that Creative Assembly is now investigating

Fans pointed at unit cards with distorted hands and at blurry interface art, and said AI upscaling had been used. Kotaku asked SEGA and Creative Assembly why the Steam page carried no AI disclosure and reported no answer.

Creative Assembly's October 23 post says the studio does not use generative AI to make game assets and expects outside partners to follow the same rule. The studio is investigating the concerns about this game's art.

Where to play Shogun 2 today

The Complete Edition's Steam page now says the game is no longer available on the Steam store. People who already bought it keep access.

The 2011 original was off Steam when the remaster launched, which set off a wave of negative reviews on its old page. As of October 23, that page sells it again at €29.99 in my region, with a PC demo. The all-time score is 90% positive across 22,695 English reviews, while the last 30 days sit at 45% of 1,103. The game first released on March 14, 2011. Feral Interactive is credited for the Mac and Linux ports.

The original's page lists a single add-on, the Blood Pack at €2.99. Fall of the Samurai, the standalone expansion from March 22, 2012, still says it is no longer available on the Steam store.

Questions people ask

Is Total War Shogun 2 DLC worth it?

On Steam it is hard to buy right now. As of October 23, the original's page lists only the Blood Pack, and Fall of the Samurai is not for sale. The Complete Edition was the package that bundled all of it, and it is off sale too.

How much does Shogun 2 cost?

The original lists at €29.99 on its Steam page as of October 23, and the price varies by region. The Complete Edition launched at $39.99, but it is not on sale at the moment.

Why is Shogun 2 unlisted on Steam?

The original was off the store when the Complete Edition launched. After the backlash, SEGA said it would put the original back while they investigate the remaster, and its page is selling again. The Complete Edition is the one that is unlisted now.

Is Shogun 2 Complete Edition any good?

Steam users say no: as of October 23 16% of 2,067 reviews are positive. The complaints cover old bugs, performance and the art. SEGA said the game fell short of SEGA's own standards.

Does Shogun 2 Complete Edition use AI?

Players say its art was upscaled with AI. Creative Assembly says it does not use generative AI for assets and is investigating this game's art.