Total War: PHARAOH release date, trailers, gameplay & platforms

The sixteenth Total War game is around the corner, with the Total War: PHARAOH release date fast approaching, so it's worth learning more about the trailers, gameplay, and platforms.

Total War: PHARAOH is one of the earliest settings in the series yet, taking place during in the Egyptian New Kingdom period, shortly before the Bronze Age collapse. While you can expect the same type of big battle Total War gameplay that's available in all the previous incarnations, PHARAOH introduces some new aspects to the series that fit in with the game's setting and themes of climate and societal collapse. 

If you're looking to learn everything we currently know about Total War: PHARAOH and what it offers to the long-running franchise, read on below.

• Check out our Total War: PHARAOH preview to see what I thought of the game

What is the Total War: PHARAOH release date?

Total War: PHARAOH is set to release on October 11, 2023. As of writing this, the game is two weeks away, meaning unless there's a sudden delay, players won't have to wait long.

• For more info on October releases, learn more about the Cities: Skylines 2 gameplay

Total War: PHARAOH trailers

The first trailer for the game was the announcement trailer, which released in May 2023. This was a CGI trailer that followed a scarab beetle through various environments before coming across an Egyptian soldier, followed by the camera pulling back and revealing a massive battle around the Great Pyramids. 

Since then there have been multiple trailers showing off the gameplay, the main faction leaders, the campaign map, and more. Each leader received a short intro trailer followed by a larger gameplay deep dive; in addition, there have also been four dev diaries that elaborate on various aspects of the game, meaning there is plenty to watch if you need to learn more.

• We also have a breakdown of the Broken Roads release date

Is there Total War: PHARAOH gameplay?

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Like all previous games in the series, Total War: PHARAOH is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics game based around large-scale warfare and long campaigns based on a world map. 

The campaign aspect sees players select a leader and faction, then choose different areas to take control of and resources to collect to consolidate power. When selecting an enemy city, for example, you then will be thrown into real-time battles. This consists of various groups of units you can control freely, with the goal of capturing objectives or defeating the enemy army.

PHARAOH also adds more dynamism to battles with some new mechanics and returning mechanics that have been expanded. For example, there is now dynamic weather like sandstorms or torrential rain, which will then affect the battlefield and the units, with sandstorms reducing visibility and damaging lightly armoured units, or rain creating wet mud that's harder for heavier units to walk through. 

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Unit stances are also a new gameplay feature, allowing you to choose whether units advance, hold ground, or fall back - which gives you more options instead of just selecting units to move to a location and removing their structure in the process.

Many of these decisions are part of the developer's ethos of having fewer but more impactful decisions, and less overall micromanagement, which can slow gameplay or leave some players like myself overwhelmed with all the different aspects.

• For fans of the Warhammer franchise, you'll want to know the Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader release date

Total War: PHARAOH platforms

Total War: PHARAOH is a PC and Mac exclusive. The Mac version will launch later, and a Linux version may be released at a later time, but there's no confirmed date currently.

That's our coverage of everything you need to know about Total War: PHARAOH, and now you'll be ready for the game when it releases.