Total War: Pharaoh thrusts you into the turbulent events of the New Kingdom period

Total War: Pharaoh is the next installment in the award-winning strategy franchise and will be released in October.

Over the weekend, a listing for the game appeared on the official website, with many thinking that it would be a saga title.

Set during the collapse of the Bronze Age, in Egypt, the pharaoh is dead and his people along with Canaan, and the Hittite empire wants a new leader, and that’s you.

As the leader of these great nations, you will have to overcome social collapse, face natural disasters, and fight to protect your people against invaders.

With a selection of eight faction leaders from three hubs with unique playstyles, you’ll have a nice set of diverse and deadly unit rosters. Choose from the Egyptian center Ramesses, Seti, Tausret or Amenmesse; from the Canaanite axis you can opt for Bahía or Irsu; and the Hittite center has Kurunta and Suppiluliuma.

In the game, you can become a fearless warlord, a diplomat, or an unwavering commander in battle. Make your choice and leave your mark on history.

Ancient Egypt at the height of its power has been recreated from the fertile banks of the Nile to the arid deserts of the Sinai Peninsula and mountainous ancient Anatolia.

These biomes come with weather that you will have to overcome together with the enemy armies. You and your soldiers will face sudden and dramatic thunderstorms and sandstorms that can turn the tide of battle by affecting the surrounding terrain. Fire is also an enemy, as battlefields can be engulfed in flames and spread to forests and settlements.

Pharaoh introduces a new campaign customization feature to ensure no two campaigns feel the same. He comes with a wide range of campaign options, such as random starting positions for all factions, detailed resource settings, the ability to add natural disasters, and more.

Starting in October, Total War: Pharaoh is now available to pre-order. Pre-ordering will grant access to early adoption bonuses, including the chance to participate in an early access weekend. You will also earn the Avatar of the Gods and Heart of the Shardana cosmetic packs. These contain a unique skin for each playable faction leader (eight in total) and Sherden outfits for bodyguard units, respectively.

The game will be available for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. You can play two-player co-op and head-to-head with users of both services who can cross-play.

Three versions will be available at launch: the base game for 49.99 / $59.99 / €59.99; the Deluxe Edition for £61.17 / $72.87 / €72.87; and the Dynasty edition will set you back £77.96 / $91.46 / €91.46.

The Deluxe Edition contains the base game and the Faction Pack One DLC, along with the digital soundtrack. The Dynasty Edition includes the same content as the Faction Packs 2-3 DLC and the Campaign Pack DLC.

The DLC packs will be released as part of the content roadmap, details of which will be provided at a later date. The game will also be available for Mac after the PC release.