A hot potato: Creative Assembly is now acknowledging that it has had a rough past several months, pledging to spend the next few months regaining the trust of Total War players. If you purchased Total War: Pharaoh at full price, check the company's updated FAQ to see if you're eligible for a partial refund due to the game's permanent price drop.
In a lengthy written apology to fans, Creative Assembly announced that it is lowering the MSRP of Total War: Pharaoh from $59.99 to $39.99 only two months after release. The developer will refund customers the difference and significantly alter its DLC roadmaps for Pharaoh and Total War: Warhammer III, which also recently disappointed players.
Users who purchased Pharaoh on Steam should see the partial refund in their Steam wallets. Other digital retailers will send customers email notifications, and eligible physical retailers can issue refunds to customers who bring receipts. The policy applies to all editions, and Creative Assembly delisted all packages other than the standard edition.
The primary concern regarding the latest Total War entry is its relative lack of content, hence the price drop. Pharaoh currently holds a "Mixed" review rating on Steam, and a top-ranked user review asserts that the game's late bronze age setting doesn't provide the variety expected from a Total War game.
Creative Assembly will also make it up to players by repackaging a paid DLC pack as a free update coming next year. The company will reveal further details in 2024, but the patch will add new factions and enlarge the campaign map.
The studio plans to work harder to satisfy Total War: Warhammer III players. The game's latest expansion, Shadows of Change, which shipped in August, is currently rated "Mostly Negative" on Steam, with reviewers claiming its contents don't justify its $24.99 asking price.
In response to the criticism, an extensive free update for the DLC will launch in February. Creative Assembly has also delayed the next expansion – Thrones of Decay – from its original Winter 2023 release date to next April. The company promised to give customers a clear picture of the DLC's contents before they pay for it, beginning with information dumps following the Shadows of Change patch.