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Will 2024 Be The Resurgence of the RTS Genre?

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With the release of new games like Stormgate on the horizon and esports teams like Team Vitality getting involved in the Starcraft II scene, it's worth asking: could 2024 be the year RTS games finally make a big comeback? 


The genre, known for its demand for quick thinking and even quicker actions per minute, or APM, once dominated the gaming scene with hits like Command and Conquer and Age of Empires. Nowadays, we're seeing signs that could point to a revival.


We'll take a look at some of the biggest new games coming out, the growing interest from competitive teams, and whether there's a real appetite among gamers for the classic, hardcore RTS experience.






The History of The RTS Genre

Real-time strategy games once stood at the pinnacle of the gaming world, offering players a blend of on-the-fly decision-making, resource management, and tactical combat all at the same time. 


Iconic classics like Command and Conquer, Warcraft, and Age of Empires set the standard, defining the genre with their engaging gameplay and strategic depth. These titles were more than just games; they were communities and competitions that captivated millions. 


Certain games, such as the original Starcraft and its much-beloved expansion The Brood War, wound up becoming global gaming sensations in countries like Korea, Japan, and beyond.


Starcraft 2’s release in the summer of 2010 also marked the beginning of modern day esports. While tournaments such as Major League Gaming and World Cyber Games constantly ran gaming events before this, Starcraft 2 saw the biggest boom in viewership that was unprecedented for esports. 


However, as the games industry evolved over the years, the RTS genre saw a gradual decline as new genres emerged. The rise of multiplayer online battle arenas, or MOBAs,such as League of Legends and DoTA 2, which were actually born out of the RTS genre, played a significant role in this shift. 


These games retained the strategic elements of RTS games but offered faster-paced and simpler gameplay with a focus on team-based tactics, resonating with gamers' changing preferences. 


On top of this, the gaming audience's tastes have diversified even further in recent years, seeking out new experiences in different but similar genres like tower defense games, base builders, and real-time tactics games. Unfortunately, this combination of factors over the years led to the RTS genre losing its once-dominant foothold in the gaming community.



Signs of an RTS Resurgence


The RTS genre is showing promising signs of a resurgence, with several high-profile game releases on the horizon that have the community buzzing. These growing releases have been able to happen thanks in large part to community-funded efforts on platforms like Kickstarter, which allow developers to create games that fans want without having to rely on publisher funding.


Among these, Stormgate stands out as a highly anticipated title that’s being worked on by Frost Giant Studios, which is composed of former devs of RTS legend Blizzard. It promises to blend classic RTS mechanics with modern technology and social features, aiming to lower the entry barrier for new players while keeping the depth that veterans appreciate.


Head of Esports at Frost Giant Studios, Trevor "TorcH" Housten, notes that “One of the things that I’m super excited about for the future of RTS’ … is with Stormgate, we may be treading on new ground here, and that gives a lot of potential for fulfilling what a lot of fans and players are looking for.”


Another notable mention for upcoming and highly anticipated RTS releases is Homeworld 3 from Blackbird Interactive, which is generating plenty of excitement and buzz for its deep space strategy gameplay and stunning visuals, promising to revitalize the space RTS sub-genre.



The esports scene is also witnessing a revitalized interest in RTS games. The notable involvement of Team Vitality, a major esports organization, in acquiring ONSYDE, a Starcraft II team, actively signals a strong belief in the genre's competitive future. Cloud 9 also entered the scene for the first time in its history with the pickup of the legendary Terran player, Gumiho. Even in the East, Taiwanese giant Talon signed Dark, arguably one of the top 2 Zergs in the world. All of these signings have been in anticipation for the Esports World Cup hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Due to the unique format of this tournament, teams need to do well across multiple titles in order to be called the best esports club in the world. So far only Counter-Strike 2 and Starcraft 2 have been announced as a part of the Cup. With the hype the Esports World Cup is bringing, we should expect even more Starcraft 2 players to be signed onto top tier esports organizations before the event this summer. 


These developments help highlight the growing competitive interest in RTS games while showcasing the commitment of developers and esports organizations to re-establish the genre as a staple in competitive gaming. 


All of these developments combined suggest that the RTS genre could indeed be on the cusp of a significant comeback. 


Community Response 

The gaming industry and community are reacting with a mix of optimism and cautious excitement to the signs of a resurgence in the genre.


Players and community members have been vocal on forums and social media, sharing their enthusiasm for the return of complex strategy games that require quick thinking and planning. Many recall the golden era of RTS with nostalgia and are eager to see if the new titles can recapture that magic. 


Some users on Reddit have gone as far as to call 2024 “the true year of the RTS,” noting that there are over 100 RTS releases scheduled to come out throughout the course of the year.


Potential Challenges to Overcome

The RTS genre is facing a tough climb to get back to the top, mainly because it needs to find a way to update its gameplay to match what gamers today expect while also managing to stand out in a crowded field filled with MOBAs and battle royales. 


The trick here for developers is to figure out how to make these strategy games more accessible and fun for everyone without losing the rich strategy and depth that have come to define the genre and that the hardcore fans really love. On the flip side, there's a lot of potential for RTS games to make a big return in the modern gaming landscape. 


RTS games are notorious for being complex as well as solitary. This combination of traits doesn’t resonate as well with today’s gamers since team based games have become wildly more popular. In order to combat this, RTS developers have started incorporating team based traits into their games such as a 3 player cooperative mode against AI or 2 vs 2 competitive balancing. 


With today's tech, driven by innovations like AI upscaling and offloading certain game elements to the cloud, games can look and play better than ever, with even smarter AI and more immersive worlds to play in. Plus, there's a whole bunch of gamers who miss the RTS games they grew up with and are ready to jump back in. 





And let's not forget esports—it's a huge opportunity for RTS games to get back in the spotlight. If developers can build a strong competitive scene around these games, it could really help bring the RTS genre back to life. It's all about turning these challenges into chances to win over players old and new alike.


The Future of The RTS Genre

The buzz around upcoming RTS releases and the esports world's renewed interest suggests that 2024 could be a landmark year for the RTS genre, perhaps its biggest in decades. 


There's a noticeable appetite among gamers for the return of classic, hardcore RTS experiences that are fueled by nostalgia and the desire for deep, strategic gameplay that consistently challenges the mind. This growing demand, coupled with the investment in new titles and competitive platforms, indicates a ripe environment for a resurgence.


However, the question remains: is this revival a lasting shift in the landscape of gaming or is it merely a brief nod to the past? The sustainability of the RTS comeback will likely hinge on how well new releases can innovate while managing to stay true to the genre's roots and whether they can engage a whole new generation of gamers in doing so. 


If developers manage to strike the right balance, we might witness not just a fleeting moment in time but a real, lasting renaissance for RTS games, firmly reestablishing their place in the broader gaming culture once again.

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