Total War Warhammer 3: Release date & time, trailers, races and everything we know
SEGA / Creative AssemblyThe Total War Warhammer saga is set to conclude with the upcoming release of Warhammer 3, so here’s everything we know about the hotly anticipated game, from release date to trailers, to multiplayer and races.
Serving as the last installment of this Total War chapter, Warhammer 3 aims to break the bounds of strategy-based gaming in this fantasy adventure.
With the prior two titles launching in 2016 and 2017, it’s been some time since fans got any new Total War: Warhammer content to sink their teeth into, but with the release date on the horizon, we’re slowly starting to see more information comes out of the woodwork.
Contents
- Total War: Warhammer 3 release date & time
- Total War: Warhammer 3 trailers
- Gameplay
- Races
- What is Total War: Warhammer 3 about?
- Will Total War Warhammer 3 have multiplayer?
Total War: Warhammer 3 release date
SEGA / Creative AssemblyTotal War: Warhammer 3 will release on PC, Mac, and Linux on February 17, 2022. The release time across Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft, and Xbox Game Pass is 3 pm GMT / 10 am EST / 7 am PST.
You can preload from February 15th on all platforms — except for the Epic Games Store.
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Releasing on both Steam and the Epic Store, the game also will support cross-store multiplayer at launch, enabling friends to play together no matter their preferred storefront.
However, while CA has confirmed they want to support cross-platform DLC in the future, this feature will not be available at release, so players who already own the first two games (and any DLC) on Steam will need to purchase the third title there to access the complete saga.
Wondering whether you can run it? We’ve got the PC requirements for you.
Total War: Warhammer 3 trailers
Following the original announcement trailer, Creative Assembly has released several others showcasing various bits and pieces of the new content coming in Warhammer 3. Here’s a rundown of all the trailers that have been revealed so far.
Announcement trailer
Dropped on February 3, 2021, the dark and enigmatic announcement trailer showcases what looks set to be a monumental closure to the epic storyline that players have already experienced within the Total War Warhammer series.
Prior to this trailer dropping, the Total War YouTube channel shared several small uploads with snippets of clips that led fans to believe that announcement was imminent.
Featuring Katarin, the Ice Queen of Kislev — a powerhouse of an ice witch that gives a daemon a kicking into the next realm (excuse the pun) — the tone is surely set for what’s to come in the next installment.
Trial By Fire in-game cinematic trailer
Released on May 12, 2021, the first cinematic trailer built with Total War Warhammer 3’s in-game engine shows off some impressive footage of the game’s visual storytelling capabilities.
It also sets the stage for Kislev’s epic clashes with the forces of Chaos, and reveals how the constant threat of invasion by those daemonic forces can wear down even the strongest of humanity’s defenders.
Survival Battle gameplay trailer
Creative Assembly had already teased some information about the dynamic of fighting the forces of evil, including the ability to venture into the Realms of Chaos. On May 13, 2021, players got their first glimpse into what some of those battles will look like.
The next evolution of unique, objective-based battles in Total War Warhammer games, Survival Battles will feature a unique gameplay loop that goes beyond the basic goals of outlasting your opponent on the battlefield and sometimes completing other objectives along the way.
These new scenarios will involve a host of mechanics that are brand-new to the franchise, including some brief base-building opportunities, calling in additional reinforcements, and improving units on the fly via a ‘supply’ system.
Despite this shift away from more traditional engagements, long-time fans don’t need to worry about Survival Battles taking over completely — they will only be featured in special scenarios, usually in the endgame of your campaigns, and will not replace the battles that fans of the series know and love.
Grand Cathay reveal trailer
On September 14, 2021, Creative Assembly finally pulled back the curtain on Grand Cathay by sharing an action-packed reveal trailer. Fans were delighted with the long-awaited unveiling, and the video has garnered nearly a million views on YouTube within a week of going live.
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The studio also shared a written news blast with more details on Cathay, while also promising that additional info on the much-requested siege battle rework — closely related to Grand Cathay’s playstyle in the upcoming title — will be shared in future updates.
Finally, Games Workshop themselves shared a post with even more details on the highly anticipated faction, including insight into how they worked alongside Creative Assembly to build Grand Cathay from the ground up for their grand debut in Warhammer 3.
SEGA / Creative AssemblyAccording to CA, the faction will be defensively focused. “Ranged and melee units receive buffs when in close proximity,” the studio explained, “[and] this gives them incredible ranged firepower and a stalwart, hardy frontline.”
Don’t worry though — Cathay’s unique support units will provide plenty of mobile firepower to protect your main force. Terracotta constructs, flying machines, sorcerers, and even human-dragon shapeshifting Lords will all supplement your basic infantry, creating a truly unique roster.
Total War: Warhammer 3 gameplay
As with the first two entries in the series, Warhammer 3 will see a combined Mortal Empires map after release, which is set to be one of the largest strategy-based maps available for gamers to immerse themselves in.
Total War: Warhammer 3 races
Featuring a wider selection of races than “any of the previous Total War: Warhammer core title,” players will be able to take control of 9 Legendary Lords across the four Chaos factions of Khorne, Nurgle, Slaanesh, and Tzeentch, as well as Kislev and Grand Cathay.
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Each has its own gameplay benefits, too. You can get the Ogre Kingdoms race as a pre-order bonus, but it’ll be available for purchase from February 24 onwards.
What is Total War: Warhammer 3 about?
Total War: Warhammer 3 will see fans embarking on an epic strategy-based journey that will shape the conflict of the titanic three-game trilogy.
The four Chaos Gods — Khorne, Tzeentch, Slaanesh, and Nurgle — are due to step into the picture more than ever before, with each Chaos faction maintaining their own unique roster of lords, heroes, and units.
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The third installment will also heavily feature the empire of Grand Cathay and the brutal warriors of Kislev — two factions that have been given a lot of love by Creative Assembly in preparation for release, with Cathay being built from the ground up in coordination with Games Workshop themselves.
The third game’s story, like its two predecessors, is set during the reign of Karl Franz, with much of its source material stemming from Warhammer Fantasy Battles 8th Edition. Despite its heavy focus on the Chaos pantheon, Warhammer 3 is not set in the End Times itself.
SEGA / Creative AssemblyWill Total Warhammer 3 have multiplayer?
Yes, SEGA and Creative Assembly have confirmed that, at launch, the game will support cross-store multiplayer.
For now, this is all the information regarding the trilogy finale of Total War: Warhammer 3. Stay tuned right here at Dexerto for all of the latest updates.
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