Do You Need to Pay for Immortal Empires? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, you need to own Total War: Warhammer III to access the Immortal Empires campaign. Furthermore, you need to own the base games of Total War: Warhammer I and Total War: Warhammer II to unlock all playable factions within Immortal Empires. Without these, your faction choices will be limited to those available in Warhammer III only.
Understanding Immortal Empires: The Definitive Warhammer Experience
Immortal Empires is the colossal combined campaign map for the Total War: Warhammer series. It merges the map, races, and factions from Warhammer I, Warhammer II, and Warhammer III into a single, sprawling grand strategy experience. This offers unparalleled depth, replayability, and strategic freedom. However, this grand scale comes with specific requirements regarding game ownership.
The Core Requirement: Total War: Warhammer III
The foundation for accessing Immortal Empires is owning Total War: Warhammer III. Think of it as the platform upon which the entire campaign is built. Without Warhammer III, you simply cannot access Immortal Empires, regardless of whether you own the other games.
Unlocking All Factions: Owning Warhammer I & II
While Warhammer III grants you access to the Immortal Empires campaign, it doesn’t automatically unlock all factions. To play as factions originating from Total War: Warhammer I (like the Empire, Dwarfs, Greenskins, and Vampire Counts) and Total War: Warhammer II (like the High Elves, Dark Elves, Lizardmen, and Skaven), you must own those respective base games on the same platform (Steam, Epic Games Store, etc.) as your Warhammer III copy.
Essentially, the game “checks” your account to see which Warhammer titles you own, and then unlocks the corresponding factions within Immortal Empires. If you own a Warhammer game but not its successor, that content will not carry over. You need the third game to activate the previous factions.
DLC and Lords Packs: Expanding Your Choices
Owning the base games unlocks the races. However, many factions are further expanded through Downloadable Content (DLC) and Lords Packs. These add new Legendary Lords, units, mechanics, and campaign starting positions within the existing factions. While not strictly required to play Immortal Empires, DLC and Lords Packs significantly enrich the experience and provide greater variety in gameplay. They are purchased separately and add characters and units to the base races.
The Value Proposition: Is it Worth the Investment?
For fans of grand strategy and the Warhammer universe, Immortal Empires represents immense value. The sheer scope of the campaign, combined with the staggering number of playable factions and strategic options, offers hundreds (if not thousands) of hours of gameplay. However, the investment can be significant, especially if you’re starting from scratch. Consider your personal interest in the genre and the Warhammer setting before committing to purchasing all the games.
If you aren’t sure if you’ll like it, try playing Total War: Warhammer III first. If you enjoy the base game, consider purchasing the other games to expand your roster.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Immortal Empires
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the requirements and features of the Immortal Empires campaign:
- If I only own Warhammer III, which factions can I play in Immortal Empires? You can play the factions included in the Warhammer III base game: Kislev, Cathay, Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, Slaanesh, and the Daemons of Chaos.
- Do I need the Realm of Chaos campaign from Warhammer III to play Immortal Empires? No, you don’t need to complete or even start the Realm of Chaos campaign to access Immortal Empires. Immortal Empires is a separate campaign available from the main menu once you own Warhammer III.
- If I own Warhammer I and Warhammer II, but not Warhammer III, can I play Immortal Empires? No, you must own Warhammer III to access Immortal Empires. The campaign is built within the Warhammer III framework.
- Are all DLC factions automatically unlocked if I own the base games? No, DLC factions are purchased separately. Owning the base games unlocks the races from those games, but specific factions within those races are often tied to DLC. For example, owning Warhammer II unlocks the High Elf race, but playing as Alarielle the Radiant requires the “The Queen & The Crone” DLC.
- Can I play Immortal Empires in multiplayer? Yes, Immortal Empires supports both cooperative and head-to-head multiplayer campaigns.
- Do all players in a multiplayer Immortal Empires campaign need to own the same games and DLC? Generally, yes. To play as a specific faction, all players need to own the relevant base game and DLC. There might be exceptions for certain coop campaigns depending on the DLC, but to avoid any problems, make sure all players own the same content.
- Is Immortal Empires available on Mac? Yes, Immortal Empires is available on Mac, assuming Warhammer III is available on Mac. The same ownership requirements apply as on PC.
- Will my progress from the Mortal Empires campaign (from Warhammer II) carry over to Immortal Empires? No, progress from previous campaigns will not carry over. Immortal Empires is a fresh start with new campaign mechanics and challenges.
- What are the major differences between Immortal Empires and the Realm of Chaos campaign in Warhammer III? Immortal Empires is a sandbox campaign focused on global conquest, while the Realm of Chaos campaign is a more narrative-driven experience centered around the Chaos Realms. Immortal Empires features a significantly larger map and all factions from the entire trilogy.
- Is Immortal Empires the same as Mortal Empires from Warhammer II? While similar in concept (combining previous game content), Immortal Empires is significantly larger and more ambitious than Mortal Empires. It features the full world map, more factions, and updated gameplay mechanics.
- Does Immortal Empires support mods? Yes, Immortal Empires is compatible with a wide range of mods, allowing players to customize their experience. Be cautious about using multiple mods at once, as some may cause conflicts.
- Where can I find more information about specific DLC and their factions? The Steam store pages for each DLC provide detailed information about the included factions, units, and gameplay features. Also, websites dedicated to Total War: Warhammer are great resources.
- Is Immortal Empires a free update for Warhammer III owners? Yes, Immortal Empires is a free update for owners of Total War: Warhammer III. However, accessing all factions requires owning the base games of Warhammer I and Warhammer II.
- What happens if I unsubscribe from a DLC after playing it in Immortal Empires? The content from that DLC will no longer be available in your game. Any save games using that DLC content may become unplayable or experience errors.
- If I buy Warhammer I and Warhammer II after already playing Warhammer III, will the factions unlock automatically in Immortal Empires? Yes, as long as the games are owned on the same platform (e.g., Steam) and linked to the same account, the factions will automatically unlock in Immortal Empires once you restart the game. It may be necessary to verify game files on Steam to ensure everything is correctly installed.