Battles have dramatically changed from previous titles in the series thanks to the new feature: “Storming the Castle”. With areas around castles now turned into battlefields, skirmishes evolve into “Storming the Castle” encounters, with players battling to take control of the castle. Players will also be able to utilize “Siege Battles with Troops” in order to invade the enemy’s base, taking advantage of siege weapons while giving instructions to troops during battle. Once players break through an enemy’s gate, they will enter a “Decisive Battle” and can claim victory after defeating the commander. Although all the enemy officers will re-join the battlefield for one last fierce resistance, players will have a chance to defeat and capture them.

Another element that will greatly influence battle will be “Secret Plans”. “Secret Plans” selected in the battle preparation phase will now be activated as missions during battles, with each “Secret Plan” having its own conditions for success and failure. Once the success conditions are fulfilled, favorable effects on allies will be activated including “capture surrounding bases”, “defeat messengers”, “escort the engineers”, and more. Each battle is highlighted by offense and defense centering on how to activate “Secret Plans”, providing a highly strategic battle experience. Conversely, enemies can also perform “Secret Plans”. By preventing the enemy's “Secret Plans”, players will gain an advantage in battle.

Army Affinity will also play a key role in Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires, with each officer’s unit having a military unit type assigned to them as a new officer characteristic. All three units will have their strengths and weaknesses: Infantry < Archer < Cavalry < Infantry. When a unit fights against opponents at an advantage, more damage can be given and the damage taken can be reduced. However, when a unit fights against opponents under disadvantages, the situation will be reversed. In addition, each military unit has its special effects: Infantry can attack siege weapons more effectively, Cavalry can cause more damage to enemy headquarters, and Archer can perform simultaneous attacks.

Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires adds tactical and strategic war elements to the 1 vs. 1,000 action of Koei Tecmo’s revered Dynasty Warriors series, enabling gamers to take to the battlefield and find success with not only the sword but through a robust political system in their attempts to conquer Ancient China. The game features scenarios that transport gamers to different periods, enabling them to play through historic moments like the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Battle of Chibi. But just because you’re playing through historic periods, doesn’t mean you need to follow history in order to be successful. Re-write your own history of the Three Kingdoms in ways you’ve never imagined, like unifying China with all officers from Wu still alive, or by assembling your favorite officers into one command, or even by sparking a rebellion to take control of the map!

Depending on play style, gamers will be rewarded with one of six titles based on reputation. After receiving your title, the affinity between you and the other officers will change, and there will even be special events to help showcase the truly good and truly evil among us. As event scenes play out, you will also be able to witness intense human drama. By deepening your relationships with your favorite officers, not only will you be able to marry them, but you can also have a child who has the ability to grow up and become an officer, enabling gamers to play through Conquest mode once again, only this time, playing as the new officer who they’ve already watched grow up inside their game.

In addition, Koei Tecmo announced that Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires will receive an upcoming demo before the game launches. In the demo, gamers will be able to experience the new evolved castle sieges, including both invasion battles and defense. Fans will also be able to try out the full version of the game’s edit mode, enabling the complete creation and editing abilities of new officers in detail before release. The edit officer data can then be transferred from the demo version to the full game as long as you are playing the same platform on both the demo and final product.

Aside from battle, the political intrigue and domestic system popular to the Empires series will also be included. Following the kingdom goals set once every half year, the kingdom a player belongs to strives to unify China. Each month, players will be able to give commands to search for new officers to join the kingdom, purchase arrows and items, and execute a variety of military, economic and diplomatic commands depending on the player’s position.

Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires is coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam) on Feb. 15, 2022, followed by Google Stadia at a later date.