The PC Gaming Show 2023 had lots of beautiful RTS diversity

Modern takes on classic styles dominated the showcase’s line-up

The RTS genre is one of the classics of PC gaming, and so it wasn’t a huge surprise that the old category took part in this year’s PC Gaming Show with at least a few entries. Though it’s widely accepted that the Golden Age of RTS games ended with perhaps the most polished of them all, StarCraft 2, and the genre has been seen as on the decline for at least a decade now, several big franchises from its heyday are still going: Age of Empires 4 and Company of Heroes 3 are continuing the legacy of their fabled bloodlines, while Age of Empires 2 is still a juggernaut thanks to a remaster treatment that has become a textbook example for doing things the right way.

StarCraft and Warcraft might be dead in the water because Activision sees no profitability in the genre and Command & Conquer is in an uncertain phase that seems to allow remasters and little else, but other titles – mostly from indie studios – are taking up the mantle.

Here are the RTS hopefuls from the PC Gaming Show 2023.

PC Gaming Show 2023 – RTS games to keep an eye on

Stormgate

Frost Giant

A group of former Blizzard Entertainment developers working on both StarCraft 2 and Warcraft 3 has formed Frost Giant and is working on Stormgate, a spiritual successor to the Blizzard RTS hits – and those genes are very clearly visible in the recent gameplay reveal. Though slower than StarCraft 2, Stormgate is still built with competitive multiplayer in mind. However, the developers have seen the signs of the times and know that both single-player and co-op modes will be vital for the game’s success, so they’ve promised big things in these arenas as well.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin

Frontier

Another gameplay reveal at the recent showcase came from Frontier Developments, who are working on their first RTS game, Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin. It follows a very different formula than Stormgate, being inspired by the likes of Company of Heroes and Dawn of War 2. Instead of sprawling bases teeming with harvesters and production facilities, squads of units are summoned from a single structure. Players are fighting for victory and resource points instead of space for expansions. One thing they have in common is that the speed seems to be on the slower side, giving players lots of time to react to new developments and to use the skills their units offer. Like Stormgate, Realms of Ruin offers a single-player campaign as well as a few different multiplayer modes, trying to please different crowds.

D.O.R.F.

DORFteam

The RTS renaissance has recently picked up another trend, which was represented at the PC Gaming Show 2023 by D.O.R.F. – that of retro-style Command & Conquer clones. Everything from the visual style and user interface to the music used screams Command & Conquer. Air, land, and sea battles are on the table in this title, which even lets you capture enemy structures to steal their research. Infantry may even fight inside of buildings, enabling bloody urban battles. D.O.R.F. embraces all the base-building and harvesting present in those older games and does so with the tongue-in-cheek style that so often is found within this type.

Last Train Home

Asheborne Games / THQ Nordic

And then there are refreshing new takes on the genre, bringing in elements from other classes of video games. Last Train Home, which was revealed at the show, takes Company of Heroes and mixes it with Mount & Blade and the countless survival games out there. You’re leading a group of survivors through a war-torn country on board an armored train, having to care for their – and the train’s – needs as you travel. This strategic layer builds the context for a tactical layer, which contains RTS action as you steer your survivors through combat.

Whether you’re hoping for innovation in the RTS genre or simply want to indulge in a little bit of nostalgia, the future certainly has something in store for you. In the meantime, check out our list of best strategy games to play right now.