It was already in the air, but until today nothing was official. At last Sega and The Creative Assembly announced the upcoming chapter of the acclaimed Total War saga, that will return to ancient Rome with Total War: Rome II.

The new game will come exclusively to PC in 2013 and will support a new and fully scalable engine.

Creative Director Mark Simpson commented:

Our games have always encompassed a grand vision. But we’re now pushing that vision at both ends of the spectrum. From the immense reach of the sandbox campaign right down to the human-level drama of a single warrior on the battlefield, we’re aiming for an unprecedented level of detail and scale.

Brand Director Rob Bartholomew added:

In our 25^th year of games development, it feels fitting to return to our most critically acclaimed era. There’s been a multi-generational leap in technology since the original game and we are ready to set another benchmark in gaming.

Personally, I would have preferred to see Medieval III, but, as a fan of the Total War series since its inception, I'll gladly travel in time where The Creative Assembly tells me. While we wait to be able to smash some Gaul heads you can check the first screeshots, artwork and the box art below.