The Creative Assembly has announced a long-term partnership with NetEase, which will see Total War published in China. NetEase, Inc. has secured rights to publish the franchise’s award-winning historical catalogue up to and including the wildly successful Total War: THREE KINGDOMS.
In addition, the announcement included a tease for the upcoming Total War: Elysium, a brand-new collectable card game targeting an initial release on PC and mobile in China.
Total War, one of the key pillars of the SEGA business, is one of the most successful and influential strategy franchises of all time, mixing massed battle gameplay with deep tactical and strategic elements. Total War’s strengths have resonated strongly with a new Chinese fanbase following the recent record-breaking release of Total War: THREE KINGDOMS.
Tim Heaton, Creative Assembly Studio Director and EVP of SEGA Studios, said:
“For nearly two decades, the Total War franchise has been a leader in the strategy games genre, thanks to its trademark gameplay and a focus on authenticity. We are excited to bring the historical titles of the franchise to the Chinese market where we have already seen a huge appetite for Total War. Our partnership with NetEase is an ideal pairing with our shared mission for bringing quality gameplay experiences to our passionate fans across the globe.”
Gary Dale, President and COO of SEGA Europe, added:
“We are very excited for Creative Assembly to partner with a leading company like NetEase. SEGA Europe are looking forward to expanding the business in China, as it is the fastest-growing market in the industry.”
“NetEase is very pleased to work with Creative Assembly, a leading game developer in the strategy games genre, to bring the critically acclaimed Total War series to players in China. We see great potential in this long-term strategic partnership,” said Ken Li, Vice President of NetEase Inc. “Since its initial release in 2000, the Total War Series has given players an extraordinary game experience, allowing them to feel the thrill and excitement of various historical wartime battles. This is exactly the type of high-quality content NetEase has been and will continue to offer our users.”
Creative Assembly’s growth into the Chinese market follows a succession of recent major releases and the acquisition of a Bulgarian studio from Crytek in 2017, now named Creative Assembly Sofia.
Creative Assembly is currently working across nine projects including a major new IP; an unannounced tactical team-based shooter.
