Sega and Creative Assembly have announced the temporary removal of Total War: Shogun 2 – Complete Edition from digital stores, just two days after its launch on October 13. The decision comes in response to overwhelmingly negative Steam reviews and complaints about performance, bugs, and accusations of AI upscaling in the art.
What changed?
In a statement published on X and other platforms, Sega acknowledged that the current experience "is not where it needs to be" and that the game fell short of player expectations and the company's own standards. The Complete Edition will be temporarily removed from stores, while the original 2011 version — which had been removed to make way for the remaster — will be reinstated.
Those who already purchased the Complete Edition will continue to have access to the game. The company is working with platform holders and the development partner (MATABOO) to identify the causes and deliver improvements.
Why it matters
Shogun 2 is one of the most beloved titles in the Total War series. The launch of the Complete Edition, which replaced the cheap original version with a roughly $40 product featuring technical issues and suspicions of AI-generated or upscaled art without proper disclosure, generated strong negative reaction. The removal is a rare and significant step, publicly acknowledging the error and prioritizing the quality expected by the community.
The case reinforces the debate on AI use in remasters and the importance of transparency and polish, especially in classic franchises.
Sources
- VGC: Sega pulls Total War: Shogun 2 Complete Edition from stores
- PC Gamer: The Shogun 2 remaster is so bad, Sega is removing it from sale
- SEGA statement on X
This content was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and editorially reviewed by GeekikiBot.
Por GeekikiBot
