--- title: "Celebrating 25 Years of Total War" description: "25 years of Total War: from Shogun to Medieval III — Creative Assembly's journey, its real-time/turn-based hybrid formula and its lasting legacy in the strategy genre. 5 min read." url: https://after-strategy.com/en/total-war-25-years-history/ lang: en published: 2025-12-05 updated: 2026-10-14 author: "Simon Dougnac" author_url: https://after-strategy.com/en/auteur/simon/ categories: [grand-strategy] translations: fr: https://after-strategy.com/fr/celebration-des-25-ans-de-total-war/ es: https://after-strategy.com/es/total-war-25-anos-de-historia/ publisher: "After Strategy" --- # Celebrating 25 Years of Total War > 25 years of Total War: from Shogun to Medieval III — Creative Assembly's journey, its real-time/turn-based hybrid formula and its lasting legacy in the strategy genre. 5 min read. ## A 25-Year Adventure: The Story of [Total War](https://after-strategy.com/en/total-war-warhammer-3-update-9-end-times-lords-dlc-2026/) - The Total War franchise was launched in 1998 by Creative Assembly. - Shogun: Total War revolutionized the genre with its mix of real-time strategy and turn-based tactics. - Titles like Rome and Medieval II strengthened the series' popularity. - Medieval III is in preparation, promising key technological innovations. - Total War has reinvented itself while staying true to its roots over the years. **Table of contents:** - [The Beginnings of an Idea](#the-beginnings-of-an-idea) - [Growing Success](#growing-success) - [Innovating While Staying True](#innovating-while-staying-true) - [Looking to the Future: Medieval III and Beyond](#looking-to-the-future) - [Total War: An Undeniable Legacy](#total-war-an-undeniable-legacy) ### The Beginnings of an Idea The Total War franchise was born in 1998, from the British studio Creative Assembly. At the time, the team was focused on making sports games for the PS1. But the developers had the bold idea of merging real-time strategy elements with turn-based battles. That is how _Shogun: Total War_ was born, a title that changed everything. Shogun managed to capture the essence of feudal Japan, offering players the ability to make strategic decisions in diplomacy, resources and battles. This mix immediately appealed to players and allowed Total War to stand out in the video game landscape. ### Growing Success After Shogun's success, the series kept growing with titles like _Medieval: Total War_ and _Rome: Total War_. These games approached rich, diverse historical periods, letting players live power struggles across the ages. The combination of deep strategy and tactical action turned Total War into a must-play series for strategy lovers. The introduction of _Rome: Total War_ in 2004 was a turning point. With an improved user interface and breathtaking graphics for the time, the game not only strengthened the series' popularity but also inspired many developers to enter the real-time strategy genre. ### Innovating While Staying True Over the years, Total War has innovated while staying true to its roots. The release of _Medieval II: Total War_ and _Empire: Total War_ brought significant changes. Medieval II refined the formula, offering more refined gameplay mechanics and better AI. Empire, for its part, expanded the historical scope, allowing naval battles and a much deeper management dimension. These innovations kept Total War from ever falling into monotony. Each title brought its share of novelties while respecting the legacy of the past. Indeed, the series has always known how to navigate between the excitement of combat and the depth of strategy. ### Looking to the Future: Medieval III and Beyond Today, as we celebrate 25 years of Total War, attention turns to the future. With the long-awaited announcement of _Medieval III_, Creative Assembly has affirmed its intention to focus on cutting-edge technologies to offer an even more immersive gaming experience. Advances in graphics, artificial intelligence and physics add a new dimension to strategy games. The franchise's project lead stressed that the focus was on developing new tools and mechanics to enrich the player experience. In this quest, the developers seek to create a game that combines Total War's strategic depth with faithful historical events, while integrating innovative elements to captivate new generations of players. Beyond the games themselves, the series also built a passionate community: forums, tournaments and content creators kept each era alive long after release, turning Total War into a cultural phenomenon of the strategy genre. ### Total War: An Undeniable Legacy In retrospect, it is clear that Total War has positioned itself as a pillar of the strategy genre. With a mix of history, tactical action and in-depth management, the franchise has captivated millions of players around the world. This 25-year journey is the testament of a series that never stops reinventing itself while staying true to its fundamentals. The passion driving the Creative Assembly team is palpable, and they seem to have plenty more to offer. Players can expect exciting innovations and epic adventures in future iterations of the series. As we prepare to dive into _Medieval III_, anticipation keeps growing. **Total War** is not just a game; it is an ever-evolving experience that will continue to mark video game history. ### FAQ **When was the Total War franchise created?** The Total War franchise was launched in 1998. **What was the first game in the series?** The first game in the series is _Shogun: Total War_. **What is the latest announced title?** The latest announced title is _Medieval III_. ## See also - [Total War: Warhammer 40,000: First Gameplay at PC Gaming Show 2026 — 4 Factions and Closed Beta](https://after-strategy.com/en/total-war-warhammer-40000-first-gameplay-reveal-closed-beta-2026/) - [Total War: Warhammer 3 — Bhashiva and the Complete Grand Cathay Rework (Update 8.0)](https://after-strategy.com/en/total-war-warhammer-3-bhashiva-character-pack-grand-cathay-rework-2026/) - [Total War Warhammer 3: Nagash and the Lords of the End Times Arrive This Summer](https://after-strategy.com/en/total-war-warhammer-3-lords-of-the-end-times-nagash-summer-2026/) - [All grand strategy games](https://after-strategy.com/en/categorie/grand-strategy/) - [All RTS articles](https://after-strategy.com/en/categorie/rts/) - [Celebrating 25 Years of Total War](https://after-strategy.com/en/total-war-25th-anniversary-quiz/) ## Sources - [Official Total War website](https://www.totalwar.com/) ## Sources - Source : [Celebrating 25 Years of Total War](https://after-strategy.com/en/total-war-25-years-history/) — After Strategy