Sega Pulls Shogun 2 Remaster After AI Backlash

Did you pick up the Total War: Shogun 2 - Complete Edition when it launched on October 13? If so, you might have noticed something off about those samurai faces. Well, you're not alone—and now Sega has pulled the game from sale.

The remaster was supposed to give the beloved strategy classic a substantial facelift. Instead, players quickly spotted telltale signs of AI upscaling, like samurai faces merging with helmets and extra fingers on character artwork. Social media blew up with screenshots, and the backlash was swift.

Sega and Creative Assembly responded by yanking the Complete Edition and replacing it with the original 2011 version. In a statement, Sega said, "We're aware that Total War: Shogun 2 - Complete Edition has fallen short of both your expectations and our own standards. We've seen your feedback, comments, and reviews. We agree that the current experience is not where it needs to be." Notably, the statement didn't address the AI criticisms directly.

But the AI upscaling was just the tip of the iceberg. Players also reported legacy bugs that still hadn't been fixed, a clunky new user interface, and plenty of fresh bugs. One Steam review complained, "Horrific graphical bug makes the vegetation in battle map terrible to look at. There's no way to disable the vegetation." The game currently has an overwhelmingly negative rating on Steam, with over 81% of players urging others to skip it.

Making matters worse, Sega initially replaced the original Shogun 2 with this remastered version, which carried a $40 price tag—or $10 if you already owned the classic. That didn't sit well with fans who just wanted to play the game they loved without shelling out extra cash.

This isn't the only Sega title linked to generative AI. The upcoming Crazy Taxi: World Tour also used generative AI to create background assets. It seems the company is experimenting with the tech, but this Shogun 2 debacle shows the risks when it's not handled carefully.

For now, the original Shogun 2 is back on sale, and the remaster is gone. Will Sega try again with a proper remaster down the line? Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure: players aren't afraid to call out AI shortcuts when they see them.

What do you think—should Sega have known better, or is this just a bump in the road for AI in games? Let us know in the comments!