Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Launch FAQ

Just got Total War: THREE KINGDOMS? Find everything you need to know right here.

What is Total War: THREE KINGDOMS?

The next major historical title in the award-winning Total War PC strategy series, and the first to be set in Ancient China. The game begins in the year 190 CE, and charts the events and conflicts that began with the collapse of the Han Dynasty and led to the formation of the three kingdoms of Wei, Shu, and Wu. To learn more about the game, head over to its Steam page.

How do I get started playing the game?

Three Kingdoms overhauls many existing Total War gameplay systems and introduces many new ones. For new players, we recommend first playing as the warlord Cao Cao, whose campaign is relatively forgiving. The early turns of the campaign will provide you with some scripted guidance to help you get to grips with the game.

We’ve also produced a number of tutorial videos – and a complete glossary of terms – to help you understand the game, from the basics of how to generate income, raise armies, and go to war to advanced espionage actions and managing character interactions. From launch onwards, you’ll be able to find guidance on all such matters over at the Total War Academy.

I’m having technical issues with the game. What can I do?

If you’re having technical problems of any kind, you can contact customer support directly or visit the support forums here.

If you’re having technical issues related to the Total War launcher currently in beta, you may find an answer to your question in our launcher FAQ here.

Can I play Three Kingdoms on Mac or Linux?

Total War: THREE KINGDOMS is available on both Mac and Linux via Steam, and will soon be available on the Mac App Store.

Can I make or download mods for THREE KINGDOMS?

We are preparing the Assembly Kit modding toolset and Steam Workshop support for THREE KINGDOMS, and they will become available at some stage after launch. We won’t be releasing the Assembly Kit via Steam or turning on the Workshop immediately at launch as we’ve found that players report bugs caused by mods, which obscures our observations on post-launch stability and messes with our initial patching response. Stand by for more news very soon!

Where can I learn more about the Three Kingdoms period?

There are many online resources to learn about the Three Kingdoms period, such as its Wikipedia entry. We also highly recommend Oversimplified’s excellent, easily digestible video history of the period on YouTube.

Our webcomic also provides a nice visual dramatisation of events, and for detailed backgrounds of some of the key personalities of Three Kingdoms China – who also appear in the game as playable faction leaders – check out our warlord profiles.

Can I still get the early adopter bonus content for free after launch?

Yes. For one week after the launch of Total War: THREE KINGDOMS, the Yellow Turban Rebellion Warlord Pack will be included with any purchase of the main game – provided it is from a SEGA-approved retailer. A full list can be found here.

After the post-launch period expires on Thursday the 30^th of May at 15:00 UK time (BST), this Warlord Pack will become premium content and will be available for purchase just like any other piece of DLC. For a full rundown of the contents of the Yellow Turban Rebellion Warlord Pack, please take a look at the Steam page.