Summary

• The next Total War game could potentially be based on another fantasy IP, offering a grand campaign with numerous factions and continents.
• Another possibility is a sequel to Empire: Total War, expanding the game's scope to include more regions.
• Exploring the European Renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries could provide an interesting look at the cultural and technological changes that shaped the modern world.

When it comes to grand strategy titles, not many others can do it as well as the Total War game franchise by Creative Assembly. Melding together aspects of political intrigue, economic development, and real-time strategy, Total War is a chess match that relies on tactics and strategic thinking. Though the franchise has touched on a variety of different time periods, cultures, and conflicts for the 20+ years it's been going, many are wondering what the next Total War game will be.

Although 2023's Total War: Pharaoh received generally positive reviews from critics, it received a rather lukewarm reception from the community, receiving the same kind of criticism that A Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia received. Pharaoh was later discounted to $39.99, and partial refunds were handed out to players who bought it at its original $60 price. This points to the fact that it was not the next official game in the Total War mainline series, further fueling speculation about what the next title could possibly be.

10 Total War: A World Of Fire And Ice

Based On The Game Of Thrones Franchise

While many fans are tired of the Warhammer franchise and want Total War to return to its historical roots, one can't deny the allure of a Total War game based in the world that George R.R. Martin has created. While there have been a few Game of Thrones video games created in the past, none have really lived up to the ultimate gravitas and scale that Total War can accomplish, which would make a game based on the universe that much more interesting. With a huge list of factions and three major continents in Westeros, Essos, and Sothoryos, the Game Of Thrones universe would be perfectly suited for a Total War grand campaign.

9 Empire 2: Total War

Returning To A Classic

The original Empire: Total War, released in 2009, diverged from the sword and shield roots of the Total War series, and introduced 18th-century gunpowder to the mix. Beloved by Total War franchise fans, the game unfortunately never saw a sequel. While the original game was expansive, including the early American colonies, Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, Empire 2: Total War could further expand upon this and include more of Asia and South America. This would add more unique factions to the game and could provide a glimpse into the history of other unique countries and regions.

8 Total War: Renaissance Europe

A Look At Great Cultural Change

Though Total War has taken a look at both Eastern and Western Europe throughout different time periods, a look at the European Renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries would be an interesting look at the technology, culture, and politics that thrust the rest of the world into the modern age.

As a time period of great change and transformation, it would be interesting to see the development of different countries and the politics that helped form the countries people live in today. It was also around the same time gunpowder was discovered and used, which could add an interesting element to combat.

7 Total War: Alien Vs Predator

Human, Alien, And Predator Factions

As Creative Assembly was also responsible for 2014's Alien Isolation, a game based around the Alien vs. Predator universe wouldn't be too much outside of the realm of possibilities. Though some creativity would need to be taken for the different tribes of Predator or perhaps different factions or species of Aliens, throwing in a few human factions could ease people into the more innovative mechanics required for the other races. Though historical fans might throw tomatoes at the company for the move, it would be a game that could potentially draw in a whole new audience of players.

6 Total War: Mesoamerica

A Look Into A Lost History

A Total War game set in Mesoamerica from the BCs to 1500s would be an interesting look into an often overlooked period that could delve into the interesting politics of the region. While Medieval 2: Total War did let people play as the indigenous peoples of America as well as the Aztecs, a more refined and concentrated look at the area would be a super interesting historical education to most people unaware of the rich history there.

While it may be hard to achieve historical accuracy in certain respects, as the real history of the area has been lost to some degree, a great deal of archaeological discovery and study by institutions like The Smithsonian can still help inform the game.

5 A Futuristic Total War

Delving Into Science Fiction

While the Total War franchise is typically rooted in history, looking into the future could be an interesting twist on the tried and true model. As modern weapons become more terrifying and improve in stealth technology, a taste of what truly modern warfare and diplomacy could be an interesting route to take, as the franchise has been so rooted in historical events in the past. Though a game based more on our modern reality could be problematic, it could be circumvented by creating a fictional sci-fi universe rather than rooting the game in real modern geopolitics.

4 Total Wars Of The Roses

House Of Lancaster & House Of York

Smaller campaigns like Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia or even the recent Total War: Pharaoh shows that Creative Assembly is more than capable of creating a grand scale for hyper-regional games created by the company. The 1400s Wars of the Roses was a historical Civil War over the English throne between two rival cadet branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the House of Lancaster and the House of York. As one of history's most compelling and interesting documented conflicts, it would be a natural setting for a Total War game filled with political intrigue.

The Wars of the Roses occurred between 1455-1587 and took the lives of over 100,000 people, including of the nobility.

3 Total War: Ghengis Khan

A Look At East Asian History

While Total War: Attila took a look at the notorious Hun, the franchise has never created games based on the Mongol Empire that existed between 1206-1368. While Total War: Shogun did feature the faction in The Mongol Invasion expansion, a proper historical look into the lineage that birthed Ghengis Khan and his empire would be interesting. It would also be a great opportunity to look at the other East and South Asian countries as faction choices during this time period.

2 Total War: World At War

WWI & WWII

While it would be Creative Assembly's most ambitious project to date, a Total War title that spans most of the world would be an impressive endeavor. While it would most likely need to be limited to a certain time period, like WWI or WWII, having a game that delves into the 1900s would be an interesting game. Though it would certainly be difficult to achieve historical and cultural accuracy just based on the wide breadth of the title, the ambitious scale of Total War: Warhammer 3 shows that the company is capable of creating an expansive map with a multitude of factions and unique histories.

1 Total War: Medieval 3

Returning To What Makes Total War Great

Though the Total War franchise officially started with Shogun: Total War in 2000, many fell in love with the franchise in the followup of Medieval: Total War in 2002. Medieval 2, which was released a few years later in 2007, improved upon the basis of the Medieval grand campaign in nearly every way and would go on to inspire the mechanics for future Total War games. Since then, the franchise has revisited popular regions and time periods like Feudal Japan and Rome while delving into other leaders like Napoleon and Attila, but has yet to return to the game and time period so many history fans love.