Summary
- Creative Assembly is banning users who call for boycotts and engage in "unconstructive" discussions about Total War: Warhammer 3 DLC and the Pharaoh game.
- Controversies arose due to the high price and perceived lack of content in the Shadows of Change DLC.
- The new rules on the Steam Forum aim to crack down on hostile and non-productive conversations, including derailing discussions, spreading misinformation, and calls for boycotts or new Total War titles.
Creative Assembly is banning Total War: Warhammer 3 Steam Forum users who call for boycotts and other “unconstructive” discussions. The new rules came into effect following the controversies around Total War: Warhammer 3’s Shadows of Change DLC and the recently released Total War: Pharaoh.
The controversies began when Creative Assembly announced that August’s Shadows of Change DLC would retail at $24.99. Fans and content creators alike felt that the DLC offered too little content for its price point. Fairly or not, a sizable faction of fans had a similar reaction to Total War: Pharaoh. Many were also angry with Sega and Creative Assembly for spending resources on the canceled shooter Hyenas instead of a new historical Total War game. Among the backlash to CA’s management of the franchise were the review bombing of Total War: Warhammer 3 and calls for fans to boycott the game.
However, those calling for boycotts have been met with bans from Warhammer 3’s Steam Forum. Creative Assembly recently rolled out a series of new rules governing discussions on the forum. According to the studio, constructive criticisms are welcome, but conversation has recently become increasingly hostile, off-topic, and non-productive. In a now archived post, creative Assembly outlined several things that can lead to moderators getting involved.
- Clear attempts to derail constructive conversation.
- Responses aimed at undermining other player's enjoyment of the game
- Doomsaying
- Calls for boycotts
- Spreading misinformation.
- Calls for new Total War titles.
The Total War developer offered further explanation on each of those points and wrapped up the post by saying that it wants to encourage respectful discourse. However, the fact that this crackdown is happening now gives the impression that Creative Assembly is attempting to stifle criticism. Others expressed frustration that the studio claims to still want constructive criticism but makes no apparent effort to act on fan feedback.
Fans were particularly angry with one line that opened with, “The right to discuss is a privilege—it is not an entitlement you earn by playing the game…” While Total War developer Creative Assembly does have the right to decide who is or is not welcome on its forum, the first part of that statement has understandably upset some fans.
These new rules are not empty threats either, as Creative Assembly has banned numerous players from Warhammer 3’s Steam forums. This included the creator of the popular “New Legendary Lord and Hero Artefacts” mod, which adds over 300 items to the game. Due to the ban, they can no longer update the mod.
However, the Warhammer 3 developer is not blind to the pushback from the game’s community. The same day, Creative Assembly Head of Community Adam Freeman made another post offering apologies and further explanations. Some forum users seem to find the apology acceptable, while others felt it was too little too late or questioned the new post’s honesty and sincerity.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 86 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
- Released
- February 17, 2022
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Creative Assembly
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
- Engine
- Warscape Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Total War
WHERE TO PLAY
ThE WORLD TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF CHAOS
The last roar of a dying god ruptures the boundary between worlds, opening a portal to the Realm of Chaos. From this maelstrom, the four Ruinous Powers – Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch and Slaanesh – emerge, spreading darkness and despair.
The stern warriors of Kislev and the vast empire of Grand Cathay stand at the threshold, as a vengeful Daemon Prince vows to destroy those who corrupted him. The coming conflict will engulf all. Will you conquer your daemons? Or command them?
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, Tactical
