Creative Assembly and Sega have pulled Total War: Shogun 2 — Complete Edition from Steam following a significant backlash from players regarding the quality of the remaster. The decision comes after the "Complete Edition," released on October 13, received a wave of negative feedback concerning its visual upgrades and overall polish.
Quality Concerns Prompt Removal
The remastered version of the 2011 strategy classic was advertised with "upgraded visuals," including improved textures, models, lighting, shadows, fog, and environments, along with modern rendering, anti-aliasing, and upscaling options. However, players quickly identified inconsistencies, with some alleging the use of low-quality AI for visual enhancements. Specific complaints included a samurai's face being replaced with a metallic texture that blurred the line between facial features and headgear, as well as issues with new storyboard cutscenes.
Adding to player frustration, Sega had removed the original Total War: Shogun 2 from sale, compelling customers to purchase the more expensive "Complete Edition" if they wished to play. The remaster was priced at $40, a significant increase from the original game, which was often available at a lower cost, especially during sales.
"Overwhelmingly Negative" Reception
Total War: Shogun 2 — Complete Edition rapidly accumulated an "overwhelmingly negative" user review rating on Steam. Players who paid to upgrade the game voiced their dissatisfaction through reviews and social media.
In a joint statement, Creative Assembly and Sega acknowledged the shortcomings. "We’re aware that Total War: Shogun 2 – Complete Edition has fallen short of both your expectations and our own standards," the statement read. "We’ve seen your feedback, comments, and reviews. We agree that the current experience is not where it needs to be."
Plans for Reinstatement and Investigation
As a direct result of the player outcry, the companies are working with platform holders to remove the "Complete Edition" from sale. Simultaneously, they intend to reinstate the original version of the game while the issues with the remaster are investigated. Owners of the "Complete Edition" will retain access to and be able to play the game. Creative Assembly and Sega stated they are collaborating with their development partner, Polish studio Mataboo, to pinpoint the causes of the problems and implement necessary improvements to meet expected quality standards for the Total War series.