This will use steamworks
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3170990
"SEGA Europe Ltd. today announce that
Empire: Total War™ will incorporate Steamworks™, a complete suite of publishing and development tools that offers PC game developers and publishers access to the game features and services available through Steam.
Steamworks will support both the retail and electronic versions of the
Empire: Total War game giving players game updates, downloadable content, friend-list support and achievements. To play single-player
Empire: Total War, players need only to connect to the internet once via the Steam client after installing the game.
Steamworks will serve as Empire: Total War's multiplayer backend, providing server browsing and match-making functionality, bolstering Total War's new level of commitment to multiplayer game modes and features. Further details on multiplayer will be announced soon.
“We are delighted to be working with an infrastructure as effective as Steam” said Mike Simpson, Studio Director at the Creative Assembly. “Having their matchmaking and support systems on board for Empire; Total War makes a huge difference both for players and for the development team. It not only helps make multiplayer slick and sizzling, it also frees up a huge chunk of the team's time which helps make the whole game better.”
“Total War has become one of the most successful franchises in PC strategy gaming, one of the industry's mainstay genres,” said Gabe Newell, president of Valve. “We're honored Sega selected Steamworks as they expand the franchise with leading-edge online services.”
Empire: Total War is set in the 18th century, a turbulent era that is the most requested by
Total War's loyal fan base and a period alive with global conflict, revolutionary fervour and technological advances. With themes such as the Industrial Revolution, America's struggle for independence, the race to control Eastern trade routes and the globalisation of war on land and sea, Empire: Total War promises to be the richest and most dynamic PC RTS game of all time. Empire: Total War will be released on February 3 in North America and on February 6 in Europe and other territories worldwide.
ED: new screens
http://kotaku.com/5070504/by-land-and-sea-new-empire-total-war-screens
http://kotaku.com/5070202/pre+purchase-empire-total-war-get-rome-total-war
"Not that many Steam customers will need convincing to pre-purchase Empire: Total War, but just in case you do, Valve and Sega have teamed up to offer you a little sweetener. You may be put off paying for a game in October that's not due until 2009. Who knows. Anyway, that sweetener is, you pre-purchase Empire: Total War, and you get Rome: Total War (Gold edition) for free. And so free that you can play it right away, you don't even need to wait for Empire to come out."
