Sega has pulled Total War: Shogun 2 – Complete Edition from sale after players reported bugs, performance problems and troubling-looking visual artwork. The Shogun 2 Complete Edition pulled from storefronts is the new remaster package, not the whole game: Sega and Creative Assembly say they will restore the original 2011 release for purchase while existing owners of the newer version retain access.
The companies acknowledged in a Steam post that the release had failed to meet player expectations and their own standards. They said they are working with a development partner to determine what caused the problems and make improvements. They gave no timetable for a return to sale or a list of planned fixes.
Complete Edition went on sale October 13, according to GameSpot. It packaged the 2011 strategy game with its downloadable content and advertised improved visuals, higher-resolution interface scaling and updated controls. The Verge reported that it was subsequently removed from Steam and other storefronts.
Why was Shogun 2 Complete Edition pulled from sale?
Players cited bugs, performance issues and the quality of the remaster's artwork. Some shared images they believed showed AI-altered or AI-upscaled assets. Reports from The Verge and GameSpot describe visible anomalies in some character artwork, but neither Sega nor Creative Assembly confirmed that AI was used in the artwork or upscaling.
That distinction is doing real work here. Players' suspicions about an automated upscaling process are not a technical finding, and the companies' public statement addressed the release's poor state without identifying the source of the visual problems.
The title had received an “Overwhelmingly Negative” Steam rating by the time it was pulled, The Verge reported. GameSpot also reported that Sega and Creative Assembly replaced the new listing with the original version.
What happens to people who bought Complete Edition?
Sega and Creative Assembly said people who already own Total War: Shogun 2 – Complete Edition will still be able to access it. The companies also said the original game would be reinstated, restoring a purchase option separate from the troubled remaster package.
IGN reported that Sega had previously removed the original Shogun 2 from sale, leaving customers to buy Complete Edition instead. The available reporting does not establish the timing or full storefront scope of that earlier change.
Steam lists Mataboo as a developer on Complete Edition, and the studio has highlighted its work on the release on its website, according to The Verge. Sega and Creative Assembly did not name the development partner in their statement or say which party would handle particular repairs.
For now, the concrete outcome is narrow: the new Complete Edition is off sale, the original 2011 version is being restored, and existing purchasers can keep using the remaster while Sega and Creative Assembly investigate.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.
