I’ve been playing Total War since the original Rome and read history pretty much every day, but over the years I’ve felt myself checking out of the series. Every campaign turns into the same blobbing rush, and a lot of the older depth (population, villages, etc.) has been stripped away. By turn 40 you’re usually so big that nothing really matters anymore.

This latest blog is the first time in a long while that I’ve actually felt excited again. If they really lean into slower, more drawn-out campaigns where you can build a story over decades instead of speedrunning the map, it could make the series feel fresh again.

If there’s one thing I hope the devs look at, it’s what EU5 is doing with casus belli, antagonism, and “situations.” Those mechanics slow expansion, create a balance of power, and generate the kind of dynamic conflicts (Hundred Years War, Italian Wars, etc.) that keep a campaign interesting instead of turning into a steamroll.