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Total War: Warhammer 3 player base increases fivefold as the End Times hit the Old World
Total War: Warhammer 3’s Lords of the End Times expansion launched on 24 September, bringing the world-ending events of Warhammer Fantasy’s setting into the game and prompting a sharp rise in Steam activity. The article describes a fivefold increase, comparing roughly 19,000 average concurrent players before release with a subsequent peak of 102,000. It reports that this is the game’s highest activity since August 2022, suggesting substantial renewed interest.
The expansion adds four legendary lords, including the necromancer Nagash, eight legendary heroes, additional lords and heroes, 24 regular units, 12 regiments of renown and a new endgame. According to the article, purchasing this DLC also allows players to access Warhammer 3’s Immortal Empires campaign without owning the base game. The writer speculates that this could be among Warhammer 3’s final major updates, citing Total War: Warhammer 40,000’s expected release next year and promised decade of support. That assessment is the writer’s opinion, rather than a confirmed decision about Warhammer 3’s future.
In short
- Steam concurrent players peaked at 102,000 following the expansion’s release.
- Lords of the End Times adds characters, units and a new endgame.
- The writer’s suggestion that major updates may end remains speculation.
Explained simply
Total War: Warhammer 3 is a strategy game where players build fantasy empires and command armies in large-scale campaigns. Developed by Creative Assembly, it is set in the Warhammer Fantasy universe and has attracted a significant player base since its release.
The game has recently received a major expansion titled Lords of the End Times, which adds new legendary characters, warriors and military units. The expansion also introduces world-ending events into the game's narrative, giving players fresh challenges and objectives within the existing campaign.
The expansion has driven substantial renewed interest in the game from both existing players and newcomers. This matters because game publishers often base decisions about supporting existing titles partly on their commercial performance, particularly when developing new projects like Total War: Warhammer 40,000, which Creative Assembly is launching next year.