Creative Assembly, known for their grand strategy games, is taking a different approach with Total War: Pharaoh. Unlike their recent fantastical releases, this game is firmly grounded in historical sources, focusing on the period leading up to the bronze age collapse in Egypt.

During this time, Egypt was at the peak of its power, aggressively expanding its territory and becoming a world power. However, this expansion also led to challenges, including civil unrest and a quick succession of pharaohs. Creative Assembly saw this period of turmoil as the perfect setting for a Total War game.

Players can choose to lead one of several factions, including the Hittites and Canaanites who did not survive the collapse. As an Egyptian leader, you can forge alliances or conquer other factions to become the pharaoh. As a Hittite or Canaanite, you can attempt to change history by defending against the armies that wiped out your civilization.

Total War: Pharaoh follows the familiar formula of previous Creative Assembly games, allowing the team to use historical sources to recreate ancient nations. They meticulously analyze written accounts, archaeological finds, and artwork to create themed factions with unique strengths and weaknesses. When there are gaps in an army’s roster, the team searches for historical evidence to fill them in.

Game director Todor Nikolov describes the process as exploratory, where they piece together the puzzle of ancient warfare based on limited information. He emphasizes that while the game is grounded in history, there is room for interpretation and creativity.

Total War: Pharaoh is set to release in October 2023 for PC and Mac.

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