Creative Assembly is asking fans which factions they want to play in Total War: Medieval 3, opening a community survey on the nations, dynasties, and city-states that could become playable in the next historical entry. Some choices, however, are already settled, and one of the community’s most popular requests has been firmly ruled out.
Much of the studio’s spotlight right now is on Total War: Warhammer 40,000, its ambitious leap into the grimdark 40K universe. But the more traditional, history-based side of the series looks promising too, with the developer returning to one of Total War’s best-loved settings in Medieval 3.
Which Total War: Medieval 3 factions are locked in
Medieval 3 is much earlier in development than the Warhammer 40,000 project, yet Creative Assembly has been surprisingly open with the community, regularly showing the game off in preproduction livestreams. A handful of factions are already confirmed as playable by default:
- England
- France
- The Holy Roman Empire
- The Byzantine Empire
- The Kingdom of Jerusalem
- The Sultanate of Rum
Where the developer wants input is on the smaller powers of the Middle Ages. How keen are players to control Italian city-states like Venice or Milan, Scandinavian kingdoms, or Muslim nations such as the Almohad Caliphate and the Fatimid Empire? The survey asks fans to weigh in on exactly these choices. For more on upcoming releases, check our gaming coverage.
How the team picks factions
According to creative director Leif Walter, three factors decide whether a faction makes the cut: how well known it is, how unique its starting situation is, and how distinctive its potential mechanics could be. That framework helps the team weigh the many lesser-known powers of the era against the development time each would demand.
It also explains why the roster is not simply a popularity contest. A faction that is famous but plays like another already in the game is a weaker candidate than a lesser-known power with a genuinely different campaign opening or set of mechanics.
Why you can’t play as the Pope
Some options have been ruled out entirely, including the Russian Principalities, the Mongol Empire, and the Papal States. The Papal States are reportedly a particularly desired pick among Total War fans, but Walter said the team “discussed internally that this playstyle would be so unique and special that it would reduce focus of development too much.”
In other words, the Pope was cut not for lack of interest but because doing it justice would pull resources away from the rest of the game — a candid look at the trade-offs behind faction design.
Why the open process matters
Creative Assembly lists every faction it is considering in its Medieval 3 blog, giving players a rare chance to shape the roster before development advances much further. Whichever factions make the final cut, the studio’s openness is a notable shift for a series that usually keeps such decisions behind closed doors, and it lets the community feel ownership over a game still early in production. Fans eager for more strategy news can keep up through our latest reports.
Frequently asked questions
Which factions are confirmed playable in Total War: Medieval 3?
England, France, the Holy Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and the Sultanate of Rum are confirmed playable by default, with smaller powers still up for community input.
Why can’t you play as the Papal States?
Creative director Leif Walter said the playstyle would be so unique that fully developing it would pull too much focus from the rest of the game, so the Papal States, Mongol Empire, and Russian Principalities have been ruled out.
