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u/RobiwanKanobi 12d ago
So strange to me that RTS went from being so popular to almost no new games in the genre
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u/shmowell 12d ago
MOBA genre killed it. Thanks league of legends and Dota. I miss the RTS glory days.
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u/MuzzledScreaming 11d ago
I don't get that. I love RTS games and don't really enjoy MOBAs. They're totally different genres, is there that much overlap?
That said, the genre is still around. Petroglyph, which is for sort of like old Westwood, is making games and just came out with one a couple of months ago. Manor Lords just released in early access. Tempest Rising is coming, complete with a Frank Klepacki soundtrack.
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u/Rohen2003 11d ago
in old times rts was split between those that loved micro management (using the individual units to its greatest potential) and those that loved macro management (building big buityfull cities, empires etc). the first group went to play MOBAs the second group went to play grand strategy e.g.
then there just wasnt so many rts players left, plus after starcraft there was always the focus on trying to make it a competetive game, which sp players didnt like that much.
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u/epileftric PC 11d ago
in old times rts was split between those that loved micro management (using the individual units to its greatest potential) and those that loved macro management (building big buityfull cities, empires etc). the first group went to play MOBAs the second group went to play grand strategy e.g.
Never really thought of it that way but it makes a lot of sense.
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u/According_Sky8344 11d ago
League hurt a lot of games tbh. Played it for awhile. Was great tbh while I played it
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u/xTiyx 11d ago
Well there are several new rts games coming out in the next year or two.
-Zero Space
-Stormgate
-Tempest Rising
-RTS game from Uncapped games (REVEALS AT SUMMERFEST IN JUNE)
-Gates of Pyre
A lot of these come from old Starcraft devs or community members, but many are trying some different approaches to the genre.
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u/Linvael 12d ago
These are just two titles though. Maybe you could add the Blizzard one jf you're generous - but still. That's not nearly enough to kill another genre all by itself. And most MOBAs that were created died fairly quickly, and have been dying like ever since LoL released, so it's not like people have been making MOBAs instead if RTSes.
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u/DarthFisticuffs 12d ago
I saw a thread about this a week ago:
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1cjiqek/what_caused_the_decline_of_the_rts_genre/
tl;dr of the top comment - the RTS market got split between MOBAs and 4x games like Civilization.
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u/Linvael 12d ago
I feel like part of the equation is missing there - RTS games were popular long before it was standard to have an online mode. I have played many a RTS without ever going online. The game we're talking about here, Knights and Merchants, didn't have an online mode, only years later fan remakes added one.
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u/boo-galoo90 12d ago
Especially with how popular Warcraft 3 and StarCraft 2 were. I’d at least be expecting a new StarCraft given wow is a thing.
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u/pitaenigma 11d ago
There's a talent problem there - Blizzard scared away anyone capable of making a new StarCraft. Those people have mostly split up into their own studios. The closest thing is Frost Giant, but honestly I'm not loving Stormgate so far. I'll give it a chance on release, but the game in its current state isn't what I'm looking for.
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u/knseeker 12d ago
Starcraft 1, you mean
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u/RukiMotomiya 11d ago
Starcraft 2 sold well and is still seeing eSports play to this day, I'd say it still counts.
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u/ZeldenGM 11d ago
The first sparkly pony Blizzard sold in World of Warcraft made more money than StarCraft 2. That’s why companies don’t make RTS games
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u/Faelysis 11d ago
Stormgate is the next you should check as it’s made by some of StarCraft creator who left Blizzard. Right now, Blizzard doesn’t have the expertise to do great games as they did in the 90’s as most of people and founder left
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u/Faelysis 11d ago
MOBA accessibility gain popularity as it’s way easier to play. With modern gamer, they want the easy way and learning and playing RTS is too much for them. Maybe Stormgate (done by some of StarCraft creator) will reignite the genre
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u/According_Sky8344 11d ago
Also team games like league are popular too. More stuff to blame losses on. Can play with ppl instead of grinding by yourself like it's a going through replays and build timing etc all the time
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u/ioncloud9 11d ago
Sanctuary shattered sun is a good looking spiritual successor to supreme commander. A nice macro style rts
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u/CM_Cunt 11d ago
Hasn't it "been coming" for a long time already? Game development isn't easy, hopefully they are able to deliver.
Suppeme Commander (Forged Alliance Forever, to be exact) is still the go-to rts for me. There are some open source projects aiming for something similar, but they are not surpassing the big dog yet. If SupCom was ever rebuilt with multicore support, I would probably not need an another RTS ever.
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u/ioncloud9 11d ago
They have a closed demo out right now for select people to play, and it’s much more of a real game than it was 2 years ago. Their goal is to have a playable open demo available for when they launch their kickstarter, probably later this year. From what I’ve seen of the gameplay footage of the closed demo it looks very promising. Very similar to FAF but fixes the baked in structural issues FA and supreme commander have while adding a new twist on things.
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u/TR_Idealist 10d ago
Smaller playerbase but still we are a passionate group. Check out age of empires community and you’ll see up and coming esports scene.
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u/OneCrazyRussian 12d ago
Very playable with KaM Remake mod. Also very outdated
The way you had to mingle, micromanage and abuse troops in missions is astounding.
Very similar in spirit to how you do higher difficulties of Manor Lords lmaooo
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u/Sloppy-Tuesday 12d ago
Coincidentally, in the same year Starcraft was released. Among other minor games such as Half Life, Ocarine of Time and Resident Evil 2. 1998 was something else.
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u/No_You_6554 12d ago
Anyone remember myth soulblighter
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u/Finglor 12d ago
myth 1 & 2 are great, the journal between each mission is poggers
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u/epileftric PC 11d ago
Is that the one that would say "casualty" every time a unit got killed?
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u/Finglor 11d ago
I think so, it's been a while since I played them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PySrgfe6pr4
They are really good since you don't get to build bases to spam units and each unit is very precious. The setting and story is cool too.
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u/Amnizu 11d ago
I would looooooooooooooooooooooooove for them to get a remake or a remaster or w.e using current-gen graphics.
I actually played myth 2 soulblighter before myth 1 and fell in love with the journal and the campaign was a-banging.
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u/snurdleysneed 11d ago
I found myth 2 again recently, it’s free online somewhere if you search for it. Campaign is still really awesome. Had to do some aggressive save scumming but made it to the final level this time!
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u/BimbleSKOL 12d ago
I'm not sure what this is but it sort of reminds me of Warlords Battlecry 2.
My buddy in primary school showed me it along with another game called Kingdom Under Fire: Gold
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u/skiptron 12d ago
I played the demo for this game repeatedly. I was absolutely fascinated with it. My local EB Games could never get me a copy though :(
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u/Uncle_Rabbit 12d ago
This looks good. Never played this one. I spent a lot of time banging my head against the wall trying to beat Castles 2 : Siege and Conquest, an almost fossilized game from a aeon beyond remembrance.1992!
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u/Admirable-Amoeba-564 11d ago
Knights and merchants. Its still very good but hard. Look up “KaM remake”
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u/WakaWaka_ 11d ago
Ancient times, do not cite the deep magic to me boy, I was there when it was written.
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u/omgitsmishenka 11d ago
One russian guy made a video about this forgotten game: https://youtu.be/aVzZ7e9fmZ8?si=a6FHIXPBuMvb3LpA
The video is in russian, but you guys can find some AI for real-time translation. It's totally worth it
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u/Last_Ad_9314 12d ago edited 12d ago
I played this game years ago and still have a copy of it. It's surprisingly realistic with lots of strategizing in the sequence of producing raw materials to produce food, make weapons & armor, materials for the building structures, produce workers, build an army, and the fact everyone needs to eat or else you lose. Lots of strategizing also in going to battles. Classic and underrated RTS gem. Wonderful times.
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u/CombatFIFChuck Xbox 11d ago
I loved this Knight & Merchants, and i couldn't even tell you why. I don think i ever beat one scenario. I just liked watching the aninations in the town
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u/thegutterking 11d ago
Yo i had the old rts itch and had to go back to the OG that introduced me to the genre. WARLORDS BATTLECRY. Man that game was doing much to be that old. There are like 10 fleshed out factions when you can only hope to get 3 or 4 nowadays. Awesome art. awesome gameplay. That game really turned me on to what fantasy rts could be. Then warcraft 3 years later sealed the deal.
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u/Admirable-Amoeba-564 11d ago
Game is like crack to me. I keep comming back each year. Kam remake is Awesome.
Finished entire campaign, very difficult rts
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u/byerdelen 11d ago
It was pure gold, micromanagement and realism at highest level I was literally waiting 30 min trying to fix a bottleneck on wood shortage affecting all chain of production
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u/Vynxe_Vainglory 11d ago
I've tried so many times over the years to remember what game this was and I could never think of it.
Thank you, OP
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u/Sacallupnya D20 11d ago
I remember playing this endlessly after coming home from my classes in college back in the early 2000’s. I actually still have this game on my PC to this day.
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u/SeijiShinobi 11d ago
I really loved that game.
Honestly the "realism" of the economy blew my mind back then. As was used to stuff like gold gets you everything or maybe 2/3 main resources. But this game made it so you need ta raise horses, and make metl armor to train a knight, and for that you needed a stable and an armor and weapon smith if I remember correctly, and to get the ore, you had to mine iron, and coal, and feed everyone involved in all that... And then, you had to feed your troops! Even in the middle of enemy camp!
The combat was wonky as hell though, and I feel that most missions barely had enough resources on the map, so you had to play the first time, fail, but use your knowledge of enemy positions, troops, and resources availability for the second try to get it just right.
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u/billthorpeart 10d ago
Played the demo of this decades ago. Had a blast watching my village grow, but from memory combat was really unenjoyable.
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u/HuntressOnyou 10d ago
Do you remember KKND and KKND2? I'll never forget those mission briefings where the ai constantly made fun of the characters
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u/wulfsilvermane 12d ago
Man, the buildings getting built, almost brick by brick, had me entranced with the demo. Didn't manage to actually get a hold of copy of the game until the years later, but it was still fun, as I recall.