Total War: SHOGUN 2 Complete Edition Guide: Campaigns, PC Setup and First Steps

This Total War SHOGUN 2 Complete Edition guide is the starting point for new players and returning fans. Total War SHOGUN 2 Complete Edition is out now, released on October 13, 2026. It bundles the 2011 strategy game with all of its DLC into one PC package. Creative Assembly and MATABOO developed it, and SEGA published it. It is a remaster-style re-release, not a brand-new game, and it is a separate product rather than a free update to the original.

What Is Included

The Complete Edition covers a timeline from 1175 to 1876 through three campaigns. The Sengoku campaign is set in 16th-century Japan, Rise of the Samurai covers the 12th-century Gempei War, and Fall of the Samurai covers the Boshin War, which starts in 1864. The DLC packs are included as well, among them the Ikko Ikki, Hattori and Otomo clan packs, the Sengoku Jidai and Saints and Heroes unit packs, the Dragon War battle pack, and the Fall of the Samurai faction packs for Saga, Obama, Tsu and Sendai.

On Steam, the purchase bonus includes the original SHOGUN 2 and its DLC, except the Blood Pack, which is excluded because of its age rating. Buying on the Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store or GOG includes the Complete Edition only.

PC Requirements and Platform

The Complete Edition is PC only. Steam lists it for Windows only. No PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, macOS or Linux version of the Complete Edition has been announced. Check the official Steam store page for Total War SHOGUN 2 Complete Edition for the full system listing before you buy.

The minimum spec targets High settings at 1080p and 30 FPS. The recommended spec targets Medium at 1080p and 60 FPS, or High at 1080p and 30 FPS.

Before you buy, compare the storage and processor figures above with your own machine. The Complete Edition runs on 64-bit Windows and uses the 64-bit engine, so an older 32-bit setup is not a fit. Plan for 70 GB of storage on whichever store you choose, and check whether your graphics card supports DLSS or AMD FSR 3.1 if you want upscaling in your Total War SHOGUN 2 Complete Edition setup.

First Steps in the Campaign

Pick a clan you want to learn with, then follow the habits that have worked in the original game for years. Secure your home region before you expand. Keep food positive before you upgrade castles. Build trade and markets for steady income. Do not rush Kyoto until you can survive Realm Divide.

New players should open Single Player, then Tutorials, and run the Chosokabe Campaign Tutorial first. Clans that start in a corner of the map or on an island face fewer early neighbours, so they are often a gentler first run. The Realm Divide slider now offers three choices: the original behaviour, a harder setting, or no Realm Divide at all. Arts are researched one at a time, so plan your research order early. For a feature-by-feature breakdown, read our Complete Edition features guide.

Learn the modern controls early, because they change how you move armies. Hold Alt and left-click drag to move units, and use Ctrl, Alt and left-click drag to rotate them. Hold Spacebar on the campaign map to see overlays for ownership, attitude, diplomatic status, wealth, public order and food. Those overlays are the quickest way to spot a problem in a province, so check them regularly as your campaign grows.

Multiplayer and Mods

The multiplayer description covers Avatar Conquest, which uses a persistent, upgradable general, plus Co-op or Competitive Campaigns and hosted Custom Battle lobbies for up to 8 players. Creative Assembly has not announced 3-player or larger campaigns, and it has not announced simultaneous turns. Steam also lists online and LAN play, cross-platform multiplayer and co-op.

Mods run through Mod.io, not Steam Workshop. Mods for the original SHOGUN 2 are not compatible with the Complete Edition, but they remain unchanged for the original game. Creative Assembly said the Assembly Kit would be covered in a separate post, and those details have not been published yet. For a summary of the changes, see what is new in the Complete Edition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Total War SHOGUN 2 Complete Edition a free update?

No. It is a separate product. Existing Steam owners of the original game receive any legacy DLC they do not own for free, and they get a 75% loyalty discount on the Complete Edition. That discount runs until November 12, 2026, 16:00 GMT.

Q: Can I play it on PS5, Xbox or Switch?

Those versions have not been announced. The Complete Edition is PC only, sold through Steam, the Epic Games Store, the Microsoft Store and GOG.

Q: Will my old mods work?

Mods for the original SHOGUN 2 are not compatible with the Complete Edition. Mods for the original game stay unchanged and keep working there.

Q: Is there a 3-player campaign?

Creative Assembly has not announced 3-player or larger campaigns, so plan for two-player campaigns and the confirmed Custom Battle lobbies for larger groups.