The venerable "Total War" series of strategy games, now in its 21st year, has sold more than 36 million units, Creative Assembly announced today. Total War: Three Kingdoms, a huge hit in China, was the fastest-selling game in the series, selling 1 million copies in one week. The Warhammer games have been a huge hit as well, with preorders for Warhammer 3 topping Steam's charts; Creative Assembly says 1.5 million people play Total War each month.

The developer now has 800 permanent staff and has opened a third studio in West Sussex. Studio director Gareth Edmondson said, "It's a very exciting time for Creative Assembly, with the highly anticipated Total War: Warhammer III on the horizon and a new sci-fi shooter IP in development."

That sci-fi shooter is the game that director Neill Blomkamp was referring to when he visited the studio, but details are still unknown; according to a blog post on CA's website, "This ambitious multiplayer title will allow players to explore a variety of creative . a fresh take on the FPS genre that allows players to embrace a variety of creative play styles."

Although it is not known when, "Total War: Warhammer 3" is scheduled for release in late 2021.