Creative Assembly announced that its upcoming strategy game Total War: Pharaoh has been delayed... but not everywhere.
According to the announcement made on X (formerly Twitter), game will be pushed back into early 2024, but only on the Epic Games Store, the game will launch on Steam as previously announced on October 11.
An early access weekend will also come on September 29.
The reason for the partial delay was mentioned as "helping support the integration of additional social functions" before the game can release on the EGS.
Those who have pre-ordered on Epic's store will have their pre-orders canceled if it hasn't already happened.
I can only imagine how many hardcore fans are going to be totally devastated by this news, and will absolutely wait until early 2024 to buy the game strictly on the Epic Games Store instead of getting it on Steam.
If you're unfamiliar with Total War: Pharaoh, it's the newest historical title of the popular Total War franchise by Creative Assembly and Sega.
It shifts back focus on ancient history from the fantasy setting of Total War: Warhammer III, and is set in Egypt, alongside part of the Middle East.
Players will be able to play as rulers from Egypt itself, Canaan, and the fierce Hittites, in a struggle for power over the region.
The game is set during the Bronze Age Collapse, which brings a rather interesting "end of the world" spin to the formula, as natural disasters and the invading Sea People threaten to collapse all existing civilizations, including your own.