Total War: Rome II Smashes Franchise Pre-Order Record

[StewShearerOld]

Total War: Rome II Smashes Franchise Pre-Order Record

Total War: Rome II has sold six times as many pre-orders as Total War: Shogun II.

Sega has revealed that Creative Assembly's Total War: Rome II is the most pre-ordered game in the history of the Total War franchise. With the game just a few short weeks from release, gamers have already purchased six times as many copies as its predecessor, Total War: Shogun II, at its launch. Understandably, this pre-release success has Sega feeling enthusiastic about the game's prospects. "Our expectations for Total War: Rome II are extremely high," said Sega producer Sam Sadeghi. "Creative Assembly is all hands on deck finishing up Total War: Rome II and making it the best game it can be. We are working hard on driving awareness and marketing the product. We hope retail can see this and get behind the product to help make it a success sales-wise."

There are a number of factors you could attribute the game's early success to. Personally, I blame it on Spartacus. People watched the <a href=http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus>Starz series and now there's just a whole crowd of folks who think ancient Rome was nothing but epic battles and equally epic orgies. Rome 2 definitely has the former covered but, if I'm right, there are going to be some disappointed customers come September 3rd when the game releases sans nudity. I could, of course, be entirely off base and people might just be buying the game because it <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/126723-Total-War-Rome-2-Video-Highlights-Very-Hard-AI>looks good. Either way, it would appear that Rome 2 is headed for a positive launch, which is good news for the franchise.

Source: <a href=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/total-war-rome-ii-breaks-franchise-pre-order-records/0120421>MCV


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[LaochEire]

Bizarre, given that the Total War series is the most shallow strategy gaming series I've ever played. From what I've seen and heard in the past from CA I don't see how this game will be any different to the others.

 

[DTWolfwood]

This doesn't surprise me as Rome is touted as the BEST total war in the franchise. So a sequel is basically a money printer for CA and SEGA.

I'm looking forward to it just because the mods for it will be epic.

Also PHALANXES, whats not to like about men with 16' spears in tight formation plowing into columns of enemy soldiers lol

 

[Dularaki]

Bizarre, given that the Total War series is the most shallow strategy gaming series I've ever played. From what I've seen and heard in the past from CA I don't see how this game will be any different to the others.

Well Total War games are not Paradox games like EU4 (which I am playing right now...really fun), but to say that the game will or should not be popular because its lack of depth is a ridiculous statement. I have been playing Total War for years and enjoyed them all which is all that matters, and other people are with me. If I want epic battles with a "lite" campaign map then I play Total War. If I want a very in-depth empire management experience then I play EU4. If I want a awesome tile based sandbox empire builder then I play Civ 5. If I want a intense tactical RTS game with realistic combat then I play CoH1 or 2. If I want a resource management game that works off supply and demand then I plan an ANNO game. My point is that their are different games for different taste, and maybe everyone does not want every strategy game to be a spreadsheet with graphics.

Anyway, I believe the setting perhaps has VERY MUCH to do with the popularity of the game. The Classical period of history is well....classic. Everyone knows who the Romans and Greeks were even if they are not history buffs. So with increased marketing, great setting, and the squeal to the best Total War game, I am really not surprised by this news.

 

[MetalMonkey74]

Bizarre, given that the Total War series is the most shallow strategy gaming series I've ever played. From what I've seen and heard in the past from CA I don't see how this game will be any different to the others.

Well Total War games are not Paradox games like EU4 (which I am playing right now...really fun), but to say that the game will or should not be popular because its lack of depth is a ridiculous statement. I have been playing Total War for years and enjoyed them all which is all that matters, and other people are with me. If I want epic battles with a "lite" campaign map then I play Total War. If I want a very in-depth empire management experience then I play EU4. If I want a awesome tile based sandbox empire builder then I play Civ 5. If I want a intense tactical RTS game with realistic combat then I play CoH1 or 2. If I want a resource management game that works off supply and demand then I plan an ANNO game. My point is that their are different games for different taste, and maybe everyone does not want every strategy game to be a spreadsheet with graphics.

Anyway, I believe the setting perhaps has VERY MUCH to do with the popularity of the game. The Classical period of history is well....classic. Everyone knows who the Romans and Greeks were even if they are not history buffs. So with increased marketing, great setting, and the squeal to the best Total War game, I am really not surprised by this news.

+1

couldnt have said it better myself

 

[SerBrittanicus]

Really looking forward to the release. EU4 will definitely have to take a bit of a back seat when September 3rd comes around - hopefully CA don't mess it up.

I'm looking forward to it just because the mods for it will be epic.

Will they? These aren't the days of Rome 1 and Medieval 2 anymore. The Warscape engine is much harder to mod than the engine they previously used and even with them releasing the Assembly Kit we have yet to really see anything on the scale of the Third age or any kind of major mod for the newer games.

 

[RandV80]

"Creative Assembly is all hands on deck finishing up Total War: Rome II and making it the best game it can be. We are working hard on driving awareness and marketing the product. We hope retail can see this and get behind the product to help make it a success sales-wise."

Hah, retail! Empire: Total War was the final turning point for me to embrace Steam. Launch day for Empire came around and I excitedly went out to purchase a copy it yet among the rows of console games no retailer had it and didn't seem to know when it might come in. So kind of wishful thinking on Sega's part here, everyone's just going to buy it on Steam anyways.

 

[Da Orky Man]

Bizarre, given that the Total War series is the most shallow strategy gaming series I've ever played. From what I've seen and heard in the past from CA I don't see how this game will be any different to the others.

That does seem like quite an odd statement, claiming that because something isn't as deep as you'd like it to be, it should therefore not be successful. Additionally, I'd like to know the strategy games you've played in the past. While Total War is hardly the deepest strategy series out there, it doesn't clock in at the bottom either.

 

[Best of the 3]

This doesn't surprise me. I know a few of my friends who wouldn't class themselves as gamers, picking up this game simply because they know this is the sequel to Rome Total war. I never realised it was that much of a hit. Either way I'm not getting this just yet, I don't have a PC that can handle it. But as soon as I do, oh boy do I want to get my hands on this game.

 

[redknightalex]

This doesn't surprise me as Rome is touted as the BEST total war in the franchise. So a sequel is basically a money printer for CA and SEGA.

Just what I was thinking. Behind the original Shogun, which has since lost popularity, Rome was the most popular Total War game when I was still lurking in the forums. When Medieval II was announced, I remember gamers clamoring for Rome II. Now that we have it, it'll be big news.

 

[Xdeser2]

To be honest, this is the game thats pushed me over the edge to buy a new PC

I've put hundreds of hours into the first Rome Total War and Medieval 2, can't fucking wait for this

 

[LaochEire]

Bizarre, given that the Total War series is the most shallow strategy gaming series I've ever played. From what I've seen and heard in the past from CA I don't see how this game will be any different to the others.

Well Total War games are not Paradox games like EU4 (which I am playing right now...really fun), but to say that the game will or should not be popular because its lack of depth is a ridiculous statement. I have been playing Total War for years and enjoyed them all which is all that matters, and other people are with me. If I want epic battles with a "lite" campaign map then I play Total War. If I want a very in-depth empire management experience then I play EU4. If I want a awesome tile based sandbox empire builder then I play Civ 5. If I want a intense tactical RTS game with realistic combat then I play CoH1 or 2. If I want a resource management game that works off supply and demand then I plan an ANNO game. My point is that their are different games for different taste, and maybe everyone does not want every strategy game to be a spreadsheet with graphics.

Anyway, I believe the setting perhaps has VERY MUCH to do with the popularity of the game. The Classical period of history is well....classic. Everyone knows who the Romans and Greeks were even if they are not history buffs. So with increased marketing, great setting, and the squeal to the best Total War game, I am really not surprised by this news.

+1

couldnt have said it better myself

Both of you have completely missed my point. Total War series, of which I own every iteration, is a shallow game riddled with terrible AI which cause empty undefended cities, AI that just slams into you every battle, AI which can't manage sieges properly and a game so generally buggy you're playing a lottery if you want it to run properly on your PC.

I've been playing the Total War series since Shogun: Total War first came out. Since RTW the game is a joke. I remember in RTW the vast undefended cities which meant one army could steam roll across the map. I remember the AI just building uneven armies that consisted mostly all of cavalry or if you were a Greek faction meant you'd never lose a battle because the AI couldn't flank and walked right into your spears.

Then came the sieges. The AI is RTW couldn't deal with ladders and spent all the battle timer placing towers and ladders in uneven patterns meaning the unit got to the wall one at a time and was devoured.

Then came MTW which did not fix a single thing. AI couldn't charge cavalry and stopped before getting there. The AI still couldn't flank and shot its own troops with arrows regularly. The campaign still left wanting with the AI declaring war with no armies or cities defended. Often the map was simple city hopping.

After that was ETW and it's horrible engine. Naval battles unplayable if more than 5 ships were involved. But my word was the AI a doozie in this game. Walking towards your line...then adjusting formation while you picked them off only to finally reform with decimated numbers. The same AI that had France declare war and have no troops to defend Paris (their only city). The same AI that formed square formations in front of your lines. The less said about NTW the better.

Then finally, the game that sunk the series for me S:TW2. Most of the above returned again, but the moment that caused me to shut down the game and leave the series for good was playing on hard and having the biggest clan declare war on me with no army on my side of Japan. City hopped and city hopped and city hopped until finally I reached his army at which point the crap AI failed in battle.

That's my experience of the Total War series. Absolute garbage. My opinion of course.

 

[TheAdHominid]

Poor AI doesn't mean its's shallow, in fact, the number of variances involved the battles, its depth in other words, is what make shitty AI. It's not sophisticated enough to deal with it. While The Campaign isn't the most complicated, the battles are the primary draw and personally i like how the game tries to avoid being abstract as possible, unlike alot of other RTS games(i.e you're not chipping away HP).I like how it attempts to be as authentic to real strategy and warfare as possible,the only RTS similar which comes to mind is Wargame.

 

[Kaymish]

i LOVED all of the total war franchise even shogun 2 even if i was a little disappointed with it at first but only cause i got myself hyped up too much Rome 2 is looking excellent i cant wait until it drops

 

[Elvaril]

Not surprising. I clocked over 1000 hours in the three times that I purchased the original R:TW (due to that my brother broke the disc twice before I got it on Steam). I do not even have a computer that could really run this game all that well and I am pre-ordering it. I am finally going to get a new computer later this year for the main reason of playing this game.

 

[KiKiweaky]

Both of you have completely missed my point. Total War series, of which I own every iteration, is a shallow game riddled with terrible AI which cause empty undefended cities, AI that just slams into you every battle, AI which can't manage sieges properly and a game so generally buggy you're playing a lottery if you want it to run properly on your PC.

I've been playing the Total War series since Shogun: Total War first came out. Since RTW the game is a joke. I remember in RTW the vast undefended cities which meant one army could steam roll across the map. I remember the AI just building uneven armies that consisted mostly all of cavalry or if you were a Greek faction meant you'd never lose a battle because the AI couldn't flank and walked right into your spears.

Then came the sieges. The AI is RTW couldn't deal with ladders and spent all the battle timer placing towers and ladders in uneven patterns meaning the unit got to the wall one at a time and was devoured.

Then came MTW which did not fix a single thing. AI couldn't charge cavalry and stopped before getting there. The AI still couldn't flank and shot its own troops with arrows regularly. The campaign still left wanting with the AI declaring war with no armies or cities defended. Often the map was simple city hopping.

After that was ETW and it's horrible engine. Naval battles unplayable if more than 5 ships were involved. But my word was the AI a doozie in this game. Walking towards your line...then adjusting formation while you picked them off only to finally reform with decimated numbers. The same AI that had France declare war and have no troops to defend Paris (their only city). The same AI that formed square formations in front of your lines. The less said about NTW the better.

Then finally, the game that sunk the series for me S:TW2. Most of the above returned again, but the moment that caused me to shut down the game and leave the series for good was playing on hard and having the biggest clan declare war on me with no army on my side of Japan. City hopped and city hopped and city hopped until finally I reached his army at which point the crap AI failed in battle.

That's my experience of the Total War series. Absolute garbage. My opinion of course.

Granted the AI in a lot of the earlier games was garbage, but were we playing different games when your talking about the new titles? The Empire ship battles didn't work, they worked fine for me maybe your computer couldn't run them? That is hardly the games fault. Shogun was alright but it suffered from a serious lack of units so I didn't play it that much.

I've spent the last 6 month to a year of my Total War time playing mods for Medieval 2. Third Age Total War, Call of Warhammer and Stainless Steel to be precise. Call of Warhammers latest version Rage of Dark Gods is a bit unstable so I've left it on the back burner for the last few months but Stainless Steel is amazing.

If you were disappointed with the AI this may make you think otherwise, have a look for yourself http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?314-Stainless-Steel

 

[LaochEire]

Granted the AI in a lot of the earlier games was garbage, but were we playing different games when your talking about the new titles? The Empire ship battles didn't work, they worked fine for me maybe your computer couldn't run them? That is hardly the games fault. Shogun was alright but it suffered from a serious lack of units so I didn't play it that much.

I've spent the last 6 month to a year of my Total War time playing mods for Medieval 2. Third Age Total War, Call of Warhammer and Stainless Steel to be precise. Call of Warhammers latest version Rage of Dark Gods is a bit unstable so I've left it on the back burner for the last few months but Stainless Steel is amazing.

If you were disappointed with the AI this may make you think otherwise, have a look for yourself http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?314-Stainless-Steel

Was on that forum for years playing all the great mods for RTW and MTW2. Unfortunately, over the years CA has hard coded more and more of the series and the quality of mods has declined. They can't fix the major issues any more.

Clearly the pinnacle of strategy games for that one was the HALO RTS for Xbox.

OT: God I want to preorder this one but I am low on funds, so I will have to wait for a steam sale

Good one.

 

[DTWolfwood]

Really looking forward to the release. EU4 will definitely have to take a bit of a back seat when September 3rd comes around - hopefully CA don't mess it up.

I'm looking forward to it just because the mods for it will be epic.

Will they? These aren't the days of Rome 1 and Medieval 2 anymore. The Warscape engine is much harder to mod than the engine they previously used and even with them releasing the Assembly Kit we have yet to really see anything on the scale of the Third age or any kind of major mod for the newer games.

I need to specify, i just like the realism mods. i.e. the Darhmods. I don't play alternate world/wars/era mods. Anything that makes the base game better is all i care for.

 

[DTWolfwood]

This doesn't surprise me as Rome is touted as the BEST total war in the franchise. So a sequel is basically a money printer for CA and SEGA.

Just what I was thinking. Behind the original Shogun, which has since lost popularity, Rome was the most popular Total War game when I was still lurking in the forums. When Medieval II was announced, I remember gamers clamoring for Rome II. Now that we have it, it'll be big news.

Lets be honest, the history of Shogun is foreign to most where as ancient rome is taught in every history class lol So peeps are just gonna be more comfortable with Rome than Shogun.

Medieval players are crazy fanatical though lol