Sega is suspending sales of 'Total War: SHOGUN 2 - Complete Edition', released on October 13, just two days after launch. The decision comes following fierce criticism from players over bugs, performance issues, and graphical quality that emerged immediately after release.
On October 15, Sega and Creative Assembly admitted through official channels that "the Complete Edition has fallen short of both player expectations and our own standards," conceding that the game's current state is not at a satisfactory level. As a result, they plan to work with platform holders to temporarily suspend sales and investigate the root causes of the issues. Players who have already purchased the game will still be able to play it.
'Total War: SHOGUN 2 - Complete Edition' is an updated version of the 2011 strategy game 'Total War: SHOGUN 2', tailored for modern PC environments. It features 64-bit support, 1440p and 4K UI scaling, DLSS and FSR support, improved graphics and lighting, and adds over 50 minor factions as playable factions. Official Korean text support was also included.
However, reception immediately following launch went sharply south. Complaints mounted over lingering bugs from the original game, along with new bugs, performance degradation, and UI and graphical quality issues. User reviews on Steam also sat at 'Overwhelmingly Negative' right up until the sales suspension announcement.
In particular, some of the newly reworked 2D artwork became the epicenter of controversy. Players singled out instances where fingers or equipment on unit artwork appeared distorted, raising suspicions that generative AI or AI-based upscaling was used. Sega and Creative Assembly made no mention of whether AI was used in their sales suspension announcement.
The controversy also spread to sales policies regarding the original game. Along with the launch of the Complete Edition, Sega delisted the original 2011 release of 'Total War: SHOGUN 2' so it could no longer be newly purchased. As a result, players looking to buy the game for the first time had no choice but to pick up the Complete Edition, and backlash intensified as polish and quality issues with the new version surfaced.
Ultimately, Sega decided to suspend sales of the Complete Edition while simultaneously reinstating the original 'Total War: SHOGUN 2' for sale. The developers stated that they will work with their development partners to identify the causes of current issues, implement improvements, and ensure the Complete Edition reaches the quality standards expected of the 'Total War' series. They are also consulting with platform holders on measures to extend refund periods for buyers.
However, it has not been disclosed when the Complete Edition will go back on sale. Returning in modernized form 15 years later, 'Total War: SHOGUN 2' was pulled from stores just two days after launch to undergo further refinement.
