Sega pulls Total War: Shogun 2 remaster from sale following disastrous launch

Sega and Creative Assembly are removing Total War: Shogun 2 - Complete Edition from storefronts following a poorly received launch. The remaster, which released on October 13, was intended to bundle the 2011 strategy game with all DLC and various upgrades, including modernized controls, improved lighting, and 1440p and 4K UI scaling. According to Rock Paper Shotgun, the publishers admitted the release fell short of player expectations and creator standards, pledging to investigate the issues.

The game received an Overwhelmingly Negative rating on Steam, where it has already been pulled. Users reported bugs and criticized the quality of the upgrades, specifically alleging that low-quality AI was used for upscaling and artwork. IGN reported that fans noticed art inconsistencies, such as a samurai's face appearing as a metallic texture, as well as inconsistencies in new storyboard cutscenes. The Verge noted that Reddit posts showcased artwork that users believed was messed up by AI.

The removal follows complications caused by Sega pulling the original version of Shogun 2 from sale, which forced customers to purchase the Complete Edition instead. Rock Paper Shotgun reports that the original version of Shogun 2 will be reinstated as the purchasable option while the current issues are investigated.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Verge, IGN, Rock Paper Shotgun — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.