Total War Warhammer 3 Dev Addresses DLC Price Backlash, Asks Players to Stop Abusing Staff

Creative Assembly has addressed a backlash to the price of the new Total War Warhammer 3 DLC and called on players to stop directing abuse against staff.

Total War Warhammer 3 Shadows of Change, which adds three new Legendary Lords for Tzeentch, Grand Cathay and Kislev, and 11 additional units, costs $24.99 / £19.99, which is 40% off the price of the base game itself . That’s higher than previous DLC packs for the fantasy strategy game. The Champions of Chaos Lords Pack, for example, adds four new playable Legendary Lords and costs £12.99. The Lord and Race Packs for Total War Warhammer 2 are even cheaper and offer greater value, players have pointed out.

The increased price of Shadows of Change sparked an angry backlash that spilled over into Total War Warhammer 3 Steam reviews. There, the game has a “mostly negative” user review rating for recent reviews (it’s “mostly positive” overall, showing that the backlash is tied to recent events).

“The DLC policy is a complete scam,” wrote Steam user Jolsn in the “most helpful” user review posted in the past 30 days. “They add the bare minimum of new factions they can get away with, then charge you half the price of the full game to add a new one every few months. I need to make some money and I have no problem with games that cost €60-70 but it just leaves a sour taste in my mouth that makes me never go back to your games again.

In a statement posted on the Total War website, Creative Assembly Product Manager Rob Bartholomew said the studio’s costs have increased, which means DLC prices have increased accordingly.

“To get straight to the heart of the matter: our costs are rising,” Bartholomew said. “Unfortunately, that means prices have to go up. We know that any increase will be difficult, which is why our prices have remained fairly stable over the past few years. The downside is that any increase today will be more noticeable.

“There is no good time to raise prices, and we did not take this step lightly. However, it is the commercial reality of supporting Warhammer 3 and ensuring that we are able to offer the years of additional content that are currently planned.

“That said, we need to challenge ourselves to ensure that this cost still provides good value. In the end, it’s up to each of you to decide, and we’ll keep trying to balance that. Of course, we want more people to play, we want to keep delivering content you can’t wait to see, and we want to do that for as long as possible.

A follow-up statement from Senior Game Director Rich Aldridge reinforced the value of the Shadows of Change DLC, explaining why it stands out.

“The Changeling performs like no other on the show,” Aldridge said. “Plotting and tricking your enemies into conflict with each other while getting rid of other settlements is fun and we really hope it opens up new gameplay opportunities.

“I also look forward to seeing how you relate to Yuan Bo the Jade Dragon and Mother Ostankya, two new characters to the series and the world of Warhammer, both of whom have their own agendas and are ruthless in their actions.”

Bartholomew ended by admitting that some players might be waiting for discounts or sales before purchasing the DLC, but called on the community to stop harassing Creative Assembly developers.

“We know it’s a tough change for some of our players,” he said. “We know this may mean some of you are waiting for future discounts or sales. And we know that this explanation does not make the situation any easier. But it’s important that you hear us and we hope that, if nothing else, it helps to clarify why this decision was made.

“Finally, we must ask you again to stop directing abuse at individual team members. As frustrated as you may be, these are human beings who spend many hours representing you and your voices. , within the studio All of our work becomes easier when treated with respect.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].