Since 2000, Creative Assembly has been delivering strategy fans large scale historical battles in its Total War series. Almost every year, a brand-new entry in the series gets released. The franchise has had much success and has garnered many fans throughout its many games, and it has even dipped its toes in the world of Warhammer.
Total War: Warhammer 3 released this year and serves as the finale to the Total War: Warhammer trilogy. When the trilogy first began, there was excitement and skepticism, as it would be the first fantasy-based Total War game and the first time the series had experimented with another franchise. The trilogy proved to be a success, and thus should not be the last time Creative Assembly experiments with a pre-established franchise. There are many franchises that could receive the Total War treatment as long as Creative Assembly is willing to take another risk
Total War: Middle-Earth
The land of Middle-Earth is rife with conflict that would be perfect for the Total War series. The game could give players control of the largest kingdoms in the Lord of the Rings universe and have them fight back against the evils of Mordor. It could take place during one of the many ages of Middle-Earth, or there could be a trilogy where each game is set in one of the three major ages.
The first title could be set during the First Age and follow Morgoth’s conquest of the kingdoms, the second title could follow the Second Age and the rise of Sauron, and the third title could be set during the Third Age and the events of Lord of the Rings. Each age is filled with conflict and giant battles that would all translate perfectly to Total War.
Total War: World of Warcraft
Two of PC’s biggest franchises - Warcraft and Total War - crossing over could create one of the biggest Total War games ever. The story of World of Warcraft is all about war, as it’s in the name of the game. Total War could adapt one of the four great wars, the invasion of the Burning Legion, the Iron Horde conquest, the spread of the Scourge, and so many other conflicts. Players could be given control of either specific races or the factions of the Horde or Alliance, waging massive wars against the opposition. The world of Azeroth would transition well to the Total War formula, as the series started in the RTS genre, meaning it would feel like a return to the series’ roots.
Total War: Game of Thrones
While the focus in Westeros is more on the politics than the massive wars, there was still no shortage of war to be seen. A Total War game set in the Game of Thrones universe could breathe new life into Westeros and provide HBO with a way to advertise House of the Dragon. The game could allow players to control one of the various great houses in either the age of Game of Thrones or in the past during Robert’s Rebellion, or even the age of the first men. Players could gather their armies and fight other houses while the White Walkers slowly become a greater threat, sort of like the endgame crisis that Stellaris has. If players are not too careful, then the White Walkers could come and wipe them off the map, making for a stressful-but-fun experience.
Total War: Witcher
Another series that is not necessarily known for its giant battles, The Witcher could still translate well to Total War. The continent of The Witcher has a lot of conflict as kingdoms vye for power, monsters hunger for flesh, and the Wild Hunt looms.
Giving players control of the various kingdoms and letting them battle it out on the continent would fit right in line with the Total War formula. Witchers could become powerful special units that players can use, or they could be a faction of their own. Monsters could also be present here, as they too could be powerful units or units that no one can control. Exploring the world of The Witcher through a different lens like Total War would be a fun experiment for fans.
Total War: Star Wars
The Total War series mostly sticks to historical settings that involve swords, horses, spears, and the occasional gun. Star Wars would be a whole new direction for the series, as it has never tackled science fiction before. Fortunately, Creative Assembly already has experience making science fiction RTS games with Halo Wars 2, so Star Wars would not be too much different. Fans have been clamoring for a sequel to Empire at War, and a Total War: Star Wars game would definitely fill that void. The game could be set during The Clone Wars, The Galactic Civil War, The First Order- Resistance conflict, or all of the above. Managing huge Star Wars armies in massive battles would be a dream come true for most Star Wars fans.
Total War: Elder Scrolls
Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series has a very lengthy history with conflict over its six mainline titles, and has even experimented with other genres through The Elder Scrolls Online. The focus of Elder Scrolls has always been the player characters place in the wars, never so much the war itself. An Elder Scrolls Total War game could change that, as it would put the focus more on the war.
It could be used as a way for Bethesda to expand the story of these wars, create a new war spanning all of Tamriel, or just as a way to give players control of massive armies. The game could also serve as a way to hold fans over until the eventual Elder Scrolls 6, and it would let Creative Assembly play around in another video game franchise like it did with Halo.
As Total War: Warhammer 3 finally enters the hands of fans, everyone is looking to what is next for the series. Creative Assembly may return to one of its own series like Rome: Total War or Total War: Medieval, or maybe it will explore another franchise after the success of the Warhammer trilogy. Only time will tell what the future of the Total War franchise holds.
