Sega waging new Total War

Yesterday during the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, Sega revealed that Creative Assembly would be indulging the bloodthirsty fantasies of Nordic mythology fans with Viking: Battle for Asgard. While this was good news for those looking for a Scandinavian take on God of War, many Creative Assembly fans worried the UK-based developer was abandoning its Total War real-time strategy series for PCs.

But if there's one thing the Creative Assembly knows, it's how to launch a surprise attack. Following up yesterday's debut of Creative Assembly's new IP, Sega announced that the studio has been developing Empire: Total War since last year for a 2008 release on PC.

Empire will slightly modernize the Total War experience by focusing on the establishment of many European empires during the 18th century. The game will touch on such subjects as the Industrial Revolution, the United States' Revolutionary War, and Asian trade routes. The game will feature the same style of turn-based global strategy mixed with tactical real-time 3D battles.

In Empire, Creative Assembly will expand its offerings by introducing naval combat to the Total War series. Players will be able to command armadas as well as single ships, with sea and weather effects factoring into the outcome of each conflict. Given that Empire deals heavily in the gunpowder age, Creative Assembly will also include cannons and muskets for both land and sea combat. Additionally, the game will feature revamped trade, diplomacy, and espionage units, a retooled user interface, and an extended scope that encompasses India, Europe, and North America.

Empire: Total War has not yet been rated. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's first look from the Leipzig Games Convention.