Total War: Three Kingdoms Is The Franchise's New Historical Game Set In China

While Total War fans may have worried that developer Creative Assembly had gotten side-tracked by fantastical games like its Warhammer series, it promised last year that a new historical game was in the works. The studio has now finally revealed the next history-based strategy game in the series, and it takes players to ancient China, 2000 years ago.

Total War: Three Kingdoms is set in China in the year 190 CE. Details are still scant, and we don't know what changes or additions it makes to the established series formula. However, Creative Assembly and publisher Sega have released a cinematic announcement trailer, which serves to establish what kind of state the nation was in at the time.

The official description states, "China is in turmoil. The Han Dynasty crumbles before the child-emperor. He is but a figurehead; a mere puppet for the tyrant warlord Dong Zhuo. It is a brutal and oppressive regime, and as Dong Zhuo's power grows, the empire slips further into the cauldron of anarchy. But hope yet blossoms.

"Three heroes, sworn to brotherhood in the face of tyranny, rally support for the trials ahead. Sensing opportunity, warlords from China's great families follow suit, forming a fragile coalition in a bid to challenge Dong Zhuo's remorseless rule. Will they triumph against the tyrant, or will personal ambition shatter their already crumbling alliance and drive them to supremacy? The crucible fizzes. Allegiances shift. The fires of conflict stoke opportunity. Only one thing is certain: the very future of China will be shaped by its champions."

Three Kingdoms releases for PC sometime this fall. We'll report back as more details are shared.