Total War: Shogun 2 Remaster Isn’t Creative Assembly’s Fault, VP Claims

Total War: Shogun 2 – Complete Edition was delisted last week after launching to Overwhelmingly Negative reviews, with Sega vowing to “identify the causes of these problems” and “deliver improvements.” Series vice president Roger Collum has also issued a personal apology on the series’ subreddit, distancing Creative Assembly from the remaster and pinning much of the blame on its external developer.

“I get many of you are angry and disappointed about the state of the Shogun 2: Complete Edition release,” Collum said. “We are too – especially the team members who have put everything into Total War games for years, some even decades. This was not a Creative Assembly developed game. It wasn’t subject to our same internal reviews and quality assurance. We took our eyes off its external development, with all our teams focused on our next big projects. However, whatever the development arrangements, Total War is our franchise and our name is on it. The studio is full of craft people who care deeply about the experiences we give to our players. Shogun 2 – CE did not meet that bar. We have to own that and we have to fix it. “

Collum doesn’t name the external developer in his post, but Mataboo Games is listed as the co-developer on the Steam store page, a studio that claims to “always go the extra mile to create perfect video games: optimized, bug-free, cross-platform, top notch titles recognized, awarded and appreciated by fans and creators around the world.” That blurb is sat right underneath the splash art for Shogun 2 – Complete Edition.

Creative Assembly’s Stance On AI

One of the sore points with the remaster was the apparent use of AI artwork, believed to be generative, though it may also be a similar case to the GTA trilogy of rushed upscaling. Mataboo Games does not mention AI on its website, and indeed Shogun 2 – Complete Edition lacked a disclaimer on the store page, but it appears the studio is to blame for the shoddy artwork plastered throughout the remaster, as Collum explained that Creative Assembly “do not believe in a world where technology replaces the creativity of humans,” assuring that the studio does “not use generative AI to create game assets, including AI-generated art.”

“We demand the same of any external developers we work with. The situation with Shogun 2: Complete Edition is being investigated,” he continued. ” We use AI tools where they help our craftspeople do their best work, as part of a continual evolution of how we use tools and technology in an evolving and competitive space. For me, the principle is pretty simple: AI can support the creator. It shouldn’t replace the creator. I don’t believe that AI can replace the human experience, judgement and creativity that awesome experiences come from. Can AI tools help with analysis, debugging, or speedy prototyping so our experts can focus on making incredible games? Absolutely.”

However, while an investigation has been launched into the external partner, Collum urges fans not to direct anger at any individuals at either studio, stressing that he will not tolerate harassment of any kind.

“I’ve said it before: when the team does well, it’s all about them. When we get it wrong, it’s on me. You absolutely have the right to be mad, and to criticise us, but direct it at me,” Collum concludes his post. “We know we must earn your trust by making good games, and crucially, by how we respond when we get things wrong. We’re human, we will get things wrong, and I promise as long as I’m here, when that happens, we’ll hold our hands up and try to make it right. We’ll talk to you again when we have something meaningful to tell you.”

As for the future of the remaster, Collum confirmed that a small team of senior developers have been pulled to work with Sega and the external developer, presumably Mataboo Games, “on the next steps.”