Sega’s Total War: Shogun 2 Remake Faces Removal Due to Major Issues
The launch of the “updated, enhanced, and complete version” of Total War: Shogun 2 on October 13 was met with a wave of negative feedback on Steam. Players reported a range of issues, including graphical glitches, both new and old bugs, a frustrating user interface, and the undisclosed use of AI upscaling for in-game art. This once-celebrated title has quickly turned into one of the most criticized games in recent memory, prompting Sega to announce plans to remove it from sale.
One of the most frustrating aspects of this poorly executed re-release was Sega’s decision to pull all previous versions of the game from the market simultaneously. The original, which was available at a lower price, has been replaced by this flawed remake, now priced at $40. Sega has since stated that they will reverse this decision.
In a statement shared on their social media, Sega acknowledged the shortcomings of Total War: Shogun 2 – Complete Edition, saying, “We’re aware that it has fallen short of both your expectations and our own standards. We’ve seen your feedback, comments, and reviews. We agree that the current experience is not where it needs to be.”
Sega is now collaborating with platform holders to temporarily remove the game from sale while they investigate the issues, although players who purchased the remake will still have access. They also mentioned working closely with their development partner to identify the root causes of the problems and to implement necessary improvements to meet the quality standards expected from the Total War series.
Additionally, Sega plans to bring back the original version of the game for those who prefer the classic experience.
However, the statement did not address the use of AI in the artwork, which has been employed to upscale many of the original game’s images. The results have often been subpar, lacking proper quality checks, and many sections of the in-game encyclopedia still feature the original, low-resolution images. Attempts to reach out to Sega and Creative Assembly for clarification on the AI usage and the lack of an AI declaration on the Steam store page have gone unanswered.
The question of how a game could be released in such a state, clearly falling short of expectations, remains perplexing. While Sega is taking steps to rectify the situation, it raises concerns about the quality assurance processes that should have been in place from the start.
As of now, the Steam store page for the updated version of Shogun 2 still exists, but it has plummeted to just 17 percent positive reviews out of nearly 2,000. It’s likely that it will be removed soon, allowing the original, more stable version of the game to return.
