Creative Assembly apologizes after Shogun 2 remaster pulled from Steam

Creative Assembly and Sega have removed Total War: Shogun 2: Complete Edition from Steam following widespread player backlash over technical problems and the discovery of AI-generated art. The removal came alongside an apology from the franchise’s vice president, Roger Collum, who said the release did not meet the studio’s usual quality expectations.

External development and quality concerns

Collum posted to the official Total War subreddit, acknowledging that many players were angry and disappointed with the state of the remastered release. He said the team behind the franchise shared those feelings, particularly because some members have worked on Total War games for years or decades.

The apology emphasized that the Complete Edition was not a Creative Assembly-developed title and was not subject to the studio’s internal review or quality assurance process. Collum stated that the company’s teams were focused on upcoming projects and that the external development effort received less oversight than the studio would normally maintain.

Although he did not name the outside developer, the Steam listing identifies Mataboo Games as a co-developer. Collum said Sega and a small group of senior developers are now working with the external team on next steps, with further details expected later. The studio also said the AI art issue is being investigated.

Creative Assembly clarifies AI policy

The message also clarified the studio’s position on generative AI. Collum described Creative Assembly as a craft studio whose games are made by human talent, and said the company does not use generative AI to create game assets or art. He added that the studio expects the same standard from any external developers it works with.

At the same time, Collum confirmed that Creative Assembly does use AI tools for support tasks such as analysis, debugging, and rapid prototyping. He said these tools should help experts focus on game creation rather than replace human judgment, creativity, or the human experience.

Steam removal and next steps

The Complete Edition has been unavailable for purchase while the issue is addressed, and its Steam page remained live with overwhelmingly negative reviews at the time of reporting. Sega and Creative Assembly have restored the original game’s Steam page while the remastered version is being reviewed.

Collum also asked the community not to target individual developers or staff members. He said their safety is a priority and that harassment or personal attacks would not be tolerated, warning that such behavior could affect the level of transparency the studio provides in the future.