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Playing RTS with a controller? Total War: Warhammer 40,000 dev says it ‘really does work’ in their game: ‘I think we’ve landed in a really solid spot’
A developer working on Total War: Warhammer 40,000 has said that controller support for the game works well, despite the real-time strategy genre traditionally being associated with mouse-and-keyboard controls. The comment suggests the studio has been actively refining the console-friendly control scheme as part of the game's development, addressing a longstanding concern for RTS titles moving to platforms where a gamepad may be the primary input method.
The developer described the results so far as landing in "a really solid spot," indicating confidence that the controller scheme meets the demands of commanding units and managing battles in a complex strategy title. Beyond this statement, the original article's full text was not accessible, so further specifics on the game's control implementation, release timing or platform details are not available here.
In short
- Total War: Warhammer 40,000 dev says controller support "really does work"
- Developer calls the current control scheme "a really solid spot"
- Addresses concerns about RTS games playing well on consoles
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A well-designed controller scheme could make a complex strategy game more comfortable to play from a sofa and accessible to people who do not use a mouse and keyboard. If the studio has refined it through testing, gamepad support may broaden the audience without sacrificing the tactical depth that defines the genre.
The case against
Real-time strategy games often ask players to select units, issue commands and manage information quickly, tasks that many players find more precise with a mouse and keyboard. Confidence from a developer is encouraging, but without details or hands-on evidence, players may reasonably remain unsure whether the controller scheme will feel as responsive and practical in demanding battles.
Explained simply
Total War is a series of strategy games that combine managing an army on a broad map with directing its troops during battles. Warhammer 40,000 is a science-fiction setting created by Games Workshop, known for conflicts between large human and alien factions.
Real-time strategy games often use a mouse and keyboard, which let players select units and issue commands quickly. A controller uses buttons and thumbsticks instead, so adapting the controls can affect how easily players manage troops during a battle.
The question matters to players who want to play strategy games on consoles or with a gamepad. It also reflects a wider challenge for strategy developers: making complex games work with different ways of controlling them.