Medieval 3 Finally Delivers What Took 19 Years to Perfect

The Perfect Moment for Medieval 3

Total War: Medieval 3 is currently in development, though it will be some time before the game is released. At this stage, it's still in the early phases of pre-production. However, GamesRadar+ had the opportunity to speak with the game director, Pawel Wojs, and the creative director, Leif Walter, to gain insight into where the project is headed.

A Legacy to Uphold

Creative Assembly is fully aware of how significant Medieval 2 is to its fanbase and the high expectations that come with a sequel. Interestingly, the studio has attempted to create a sequel on three separate occasions. Wojs even mentioned that they reconstructed the Battle of Grunwald for one of these attempts. Despite these efforts, the developers ultimately felt it wasn’t the right time to bring a third installment to life.

"It’s about finding the right time, the right team, the right ambition. And it just felt like what we wanted to do with Medieval 3, it just wasn’t the right time. We wouldn’t be able to do it justice," Wojs explained.

Why Now?

There are several reasons why Creative Assembly has decided to move forward with Medieval 3 now, 19 years after the release of Medieval 2. One of the key factors is the development of a new Warcore engine, which allows for features that were previously impossible. Additionally, the team has grown and evolved over the years, with the "right people" now in the right positions.

"The last major historical title was a few years ago. It felt like the right moment to do a bit of a reboot, almost a reimagining of what any historical Total War should look like," Walter said. "So it was a great combination of a new step for that part of the franchise, and what better title, what better setting to choose for that step, than Medieval?"

No More "Suspension of Disbelief"

Reaching the level of Medieval 2, which Wojs called the studio's "opus magnum," is no small task. Walter noted that the world of the 2006 game felt alive due to its attention to detail. However, Medieval 3 aims to take this further by eliminating the need for "suspension of disbelief."

"In Medieval 2, you had to imagine many details that Medieval 3 will simply show on screen," Wojs explained. "Medieval 2 had a lot of elements where you built your realm across Europe, going on crusades and whatnot, but a lot of it almost felt like it was in your head. If you made a lot of notes while you played, you could come up with a compelling story. But the game didn't always help you to connect the dots or show you all the facets of how you're reshaping and rewriting history."

Greater Depth and Simulation

The developers emphasized the importance of creating greater depth and a stronger sense of simulation before adding the traditional Total War experience on top of it. To achieve this, several systems have been developed, though their specifics remain a mystery for now.

Walter also highlighted a stronger connection between the campaign map and battles, as well as broader support for mods. This suggests that the team is looking to enhance both the gameplay and the modding community.

Rebirth of Historical Total War

When it comes to fostering the rebirth of historical Total War, the developers want to take the best elements from previous titles and build Medieval 3 with all of that in mind—going beyond just Medieval 2.