Real-time strategy (RTS) is a subgenre of strategy video games that do not progress incrementally in turns, but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time". By contrast, in turn-based strategy (TBS) games, players take turns to play. The term "real-time strategy" was coined by Brett Sperry to market Dune II in the early 1990s.
Homeworld 2 is a real-time strategy video game sequel to Homeworld, developed by Relic Entertainment and released in 2003 by now defunct publisher Sierra Entertainment. Its story concerns Hiigara's response to a new enemy called the Vaygr. Its gameplay takes a new direction with the enhancement of its graphics and audio. In contrast to the closely equivalent Kushan and Taiidan forces of the original game, Vaygr and Hiigaran spaceships differ significantly in design and application.
Dark Reign: The Future of War is a real-time strategy video game for Microsoft Windows, developed by Auran and published by Activision in 1997. The game consists of a large single-player campaign but also supports multiplayer online games. A mission construction kit is included with the game, that allows players to create new maps for multiplayer games and create entire missions and campaigns.
Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard is a real-time strategy role-playing video game, developed for Microsoft Windows by Liquid Entertainment, and published by Atari in September 2005. It takes place in Eberron, one of the official Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings. The game combines elements of traditional real-time strategy gameplay with role-playing elements such as hero units, and questing. Dragonshard includes two single-player campaigns, single-player skirmish maps, and multiplayer support. The single-player campaign follows the struggles of three competing factions to gain control of a magical artifact known as the Heart of Siberys.
Homeworld is a real-time strategy video game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Studios on September 28, 1999, for Microsoft Windows. Set in space, the science fiction game follows the Kushan exiles of the planet Kharak after their home planet is destroyed by the Taiidan Empire in retaliation for developing hyperspace jump technology. The survivors journey with their spacecraft-constructing mothership to reclaim their ancient homeworld of Hiigara from the Taiidan, encountering a variety of pirates, mercenaries, traders, and rebels along the way. In each of the game's levels, the player gathers resources, builds a fleet, and uses it to destroy enemy ships and accomplish mission objectives. The player's fleet carries over between levels, and can travel in a fully three-dimensional space within each level rather than being limited to a two-dimensional plane.
The Spring Engine, is a game engine for real-time strategy (RTS) video games. The game engine is free and open-source software, subject to the terms of the GNU General Public License v2.0 or later.
Sins of a Solar Empire is a 2008 science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Ironclad Games and published by Stardock Entertainment for Microsoft Windows operating systems. It is a real-time strategy (RTS) game that incorporates some elements from 4X games; its makers describe it as "RT4X". Players are given control of a spacefaring empire in the distant future, and are tasked with conquering star systems using military, economic and diplomatic means.
Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight is a real-time strategy video game, part of the Command & Conquer franchise, released on March 16, 2010. It constitutes a final chapter in the Tiberium saga. The game was originally intended to be an Asian market online-only version of Command & Conquer 3. It was released for download via online gaming distribution service Steam on March 19, 2010. Command & Conquer 4 also uses EA's own servers for online play, rather than GameSpy Servers which EA has relied on for previous Command & Conquer games. A closed beta of the game was released by EA to contest winners on November 21, 2009. The game received mixed reviews from critics.
Men of War: Assault Squad, is a real-time tactics / strategy game set in World War II.
Zero-K is a free multi-platform open source real-time strategy video game. Initially based on content from Total Annihilation on the open source Spring Engine, it was forked and all proprietary content replaced, and evolved into a completely new game with unique features. Among the games powered by the Spring Engine, Zero-K makes extensive use of Lua scripting for interface and gameplay changes/enhancements, as well as unique real-time strategy concepts such as a flat technology tree.
CrossfireX was a first-person shooter video game developed and published by Smilegate Entertainment for the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on February 10, 2022. It was the third installment in the Crossfire series. Remedy Entertainment worked on the game's two single-player campaigns, which are also available on Crossfire HD. The game received generally negative reviews from critics.
Ironclad Tactics is a strategy-based video game created by independent developer Zachtronics. The game takes place in an alternate history at the onset of the American Civil War where robot-like "ironclad" machines are used alongside human troops by both sides in the war. The game incorporates elements of collectible card games, whereby the player constructs a deck of cards earned from previous matches for the deployment, outfitting, and tactics of human and ironclad troops to achieve specific victory conditions. The game features single player and co-operative multiplayer campaign modes as well as skirmishes between two players. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux-based computers in September 2013, and later for Android devices and the PlayStation 4.
Blitzkrieg 3 was an online massively multiplayer online real-time strategy computer game, based on the events of World War II, a sequel to Blitzkrieg 2 and is the third and latest title in the Blitzkrieg series. Nival published the first trailer for the game on YouTube on August 13, 2013, featuring live action footage mixed with concept artwork and actual in-game footage and renders. Blitzkrieg's pre-order campaign was launched in November 2014. Blitzkrieg 3 hit Steam Early Access in May 2015, and was released on June 2, 2017, and shut down on December 14, 2022.
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is a real-time strategy video game developed by Blackbird Interactive and published by Gearbox Software. The game was released on January 20, 2016, and is a prequel to the 1999 space-based real-time strategy video game Homeworld.
Starfall Online is an MMO real-time strategy video game with wargame elements, that mixes intense tactical combat with in-depth spaceship customization. The project is developed by independent Russian company Snowforged Entertainment.
8-Bit Armies is a real-time strategy video game developed by Petroglyph Games, which was released on April 22, 2016 for Microsoft Windows and for Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on 21 September 2018.
8-Bit Hordes is a real-time strategy video game developed by Petroglyph Games, which was released on August 12, 2016, for Microsoft Windows. It uses the same engine as its predecessor 8-Bit Armies, but is now based in a fantasy themed scenario.
Foxhole is a cooperative sandbox massively-multiplayer action-strategy video game developed and published by Canadian video game company Siege Camp, who are based in Toronto, Ontario. The game uses Unreal Engine 4, utilizing an axonometric projection perspective, much like that of a conventional real-time strategy video game with a top-down view. Foxhole's setting is "inspired by early 20th century warfare". The game allows the user to join one of two factions as a soldier, having the choice of contributing to a persistent war by gathering, manufacturing, and transporting resources and supplies, providing manpower and vehicles in combat, and building and managing fortifications, with the end goal of annihilating the opposing faction. The game was released on September 28, 2022, for Microsoft Windows.
Crossfire is a series of video games that mainly feature tactical first-person shooter games. The series was created by Smilegate and debuted on Microsoft Windows; it has expanded to other genres and platforms.
Homeworld is a series of real-time strategy video games created by Relic Entertainment. Relic Entertainment developed the first two Homeworld games. The series then spent over a decade in dormant until Gearbox Software acquired the franchise in 2012 and tasked Blackbird Interactive to develop Homeworld 3, the third mainline installment of the franchise, and the spin-off game Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak.
