After facing months of criticism and debate regarding the value and pricing of downloadable content (DLC), the developers of Total War: Warhammer 3 have pledged to address the concerns by introducing more complimentary content into the game’s latest $25 add-on, acknowledging that it fell short of expectations.
In a recent update, the Total War: Warhammer team, led by game director Richard Aldridge, reached out to the player community, which had expressed dissatisfaction with the Shadows of Change DLC since its release in August 2023, resulting in predominantly negative reviews on Steam, leaving it with a 22% positive score.
Aldridge acknowledged the shortfall, stating, “I’ll cut straight to it: we didn’t give you enough new characters and units to play with at the original release of Shadows of Change.”
“We believe we can rectify this for you, having taken into account your feedback over these past months to provide you with improved and more diverse options for your armies,” he continued.
“We recognize your passion for the game and are pleased to announce that many of your suggestions are being implemented. However, not all ideas and requests are feasible. The Era of Karl Franz offers a rich and engaging setting for Total War, and we collaborate closely with The Warhammer Studio to ensure that the content for this era of Warhammer is faithfully represented in our game.”
Shadows of Change will receive several enhancements in a free update arriving in patch 4.2. A total of 14 new pieces of content will be added to the DLC, including new lords, heroes, and other units.
The development team aims to address player requests by introducing lower-tier troops and significant monsters to fill gaps in the races within the game. Additionally, Aekold Helbrass will be included in Shadows of Change as a much-requested addition.
The developers also pledge to deliver better updates in the future, as they intend to release numerous DLCs. The delayed DLC Thrones of Decay will align with the revised scope of Shadows of Change, focusing on expanding and developing three existing races from the Warhammer world.
Acknowledging the need for additional time to ensure quality, the post mentions that patch 4.2 may slightly miss its initial release window for the middle of the month. In the meantime, players can read a detailed breakdown of some of the new units and heroes coming to the Grand Cathay race.
Total War has become emblematic of the debates prevalent in many modern games. This particular Warhammer 3 DLC isn’t the only point of contention within the franchise. Creative Assembly VP Roger Collum admitted in December that “we recognize that we have made mistakes when it comes to our relationship with you all.”
Last December, Total War: Pharoah underwent a permanent price reduction, partial refunds, and gifts in the form of previously paid DLC, as the developers reasoned that it represented a fairer cost for players.
However, the controversy began earlier in August, with a notable post about the increased price of Warhammer 3 DLC, including Shadows of Change. Until the release of Forge of the Chaos Dwarfs in April 2023, DLC packs were priced at $11.99, $3.49, and then $15.99 before abruptly rising to $24.99.
Rob Bartholomew, Creative Assembly’s CPO, explained the price increase at the time, citing rising costs and the need to support Warhammer 3 and its planned years of additional content.
Fans voiced their discontent with the new cost-to-content ratio, prompting the Creative Assembly’s acknowledgment and subsequent actions. Many view this as a victory for players who influence decisions through their purchases and reviews, a sentiment echoed in the r/totalwarhammer community. While the battle may not be over, this development appears to be a significant win.
