As we wrap up 2024, it’s time to look into what games are coming in 2025 and beyond. The strategy games space will be especially busy in the coming months, and more specifically, we’re seeing a huge resurgence of RTS games. Here you’ll find the upcoming RTS games set to launch in 2025 that we’re really excited about.
We want to underline this list is strictly dedicated to real-time strategy games, whether they’re more focused on base/city-building or battles. If you’re looking for turn-based strategy games, you won’t find them here. We’ve also chosen to include some games that are already out in early access but are targeting a full launch at some point next year… if there are no delays.
Without further ado, read on below to learn about the hottest upcoming RTS games that are expected to arrive in 2025, and keep coming back for more, as we’ll be updating this list as the calendar becomes clearer.
Tempest Rising
We’ve been covering Tempest Rising a lot recently, and with good reason: It’s one of the (if not the) best-looking RTS games coming out next year. Now backed by huge names like Knights Peak and Saber Interactive, buzz and temperature surrounding this release are quickly rising as much as our excitement.
Visually, the game looks stunning and like a perfect spiritual successor to the Command & Conquer series, but more importantly, it seems to have plenty of ideas of its own, and special care has been put into its story campaign. Furthermore, public demos were quite satisfying and let everyone know developer Slipgate Ironworks isn’t messing around. It seems the current plan is to have ranked multiplayer from the get-go too, so competitive RTS players should 100% keep two eyes on this one.
Release date: April 24, 2025
Sanctuary: Shattered Sun
Sanctuary: Shattered Sun comes from Enhearten Media and promises large-scale battles that take place “across the surface of a star-encompassing Dyson Sphere.” The team is promising unique features such as “earth-cracking superweapons” and the ability to control the weather to create devastating strategic opportunities. Those two elements alone are enough to sell us on the rest.
While the setting and the aforementioned mechanics sound unlike anything else in the RTS space at the moment, the devs promise it’s classical-feeling and focused on grand strategy instead of “endless clicking” and micromanaging. You can even issue orders to units still in production and save templates of base layouts. The scale of the conflict is underlined, as “up to 10,000 units” can be under our control, and Enhearten promises that performance will remain rock-solid regardless of the chaos that unfolds. We can’t wait to see more.
Release window: TBA 2025
ZeroSpace
ZeroSpace’s basic premise is an incredibly ambitious one: A massive RTS where all the game modes (single player, co-op, PvE, and PvP) take place in the same, shared MMO galaxy map. Think PlanetSide 2 but real-time strategy. Starlance Studios has announced a demo is coming in late January, so we’ll be able to check it out for ourselves soon.
The goal is to create a “living, breathing galaxy shared by thousands of real players.” The progress of each faction as they try to conquer and defend worlds will be tracked live in a similar fashion to Helldivers 2’s Galactic War. Strongholds can be upgraded as more resources are extracted and heroes can even reshape the battlefields. ZeroSpace looks quite complex, but the presentation is stunning, and the systems look very robust, so colour us intrigued.
Release window: TBD 2025
Global Conflagration
On a surface level, Global Conflagration looks like yet another indie revival of the C&C formula. However, special attention has been paid to streamlining and modernizing the gameplay loop while adding a layer of customization. After last year’s demo, the team decided to delay the early access launch until 2025, saying they “want to make sure it comes with all the essential features expected of an RTS game.”
The setting for the game is a Europe that’s “thrown into chaos once again by the actions of an elusive private military company.” Three factions rise in response: Carpathia, the nationalistic movement with an iron fist, the EDU, which is facing bureaucratic barriers that prevent it from defending itself from the threat, and the mysterious Vanguard, the aforementioned military company with Russian backing. Each has its own, completely unique roster of units, so expect major gameplay differences.
Release window: 2025
Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow comes from publisher Slitherine, who recently delivered sci-fi winners in Starship Troopers: Terran Command and Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance. After a MP beta in late 2024, the Steel Balalaika-developed RTS is now targeting a nearby summer 2025 release and looking extremely robust.
The game is described as “a large-scale real-time modern warfare tactics game,” which is a mouthful… but it seems accurate given the footage we’ve seen so far. It’s grounded, hard-hitting, and ambitious, with an exquisite attention to detail. It features over 300 different units, and they all can be customized. We don’t get many RTS titles with a grounded modern-day warfare setting, and this one also happens to look spectacular.
Release window: June 2025
The Scouring
The Scouring falls on the simpler side of the RTS genre, but it looks pretty promising and utterly charming nonetheless. Orc Group is clearly honouring the classic Warcraft games with this one, and we’re of the opinion there’s always space for more riffs on Blizzard’s currently abandoned formula. Even the Steam description references those oldies as a joke, so its heart is in the right place. Wanna check it out? A demo is now available.
There seems to be a big focus on action-RPG elements and loot on top of the strategy you’d expect from a modern twist on Blizzard’s classics, with “AI scripts” supported for seamless automatization of base and unit management while your hero is off into a dungeon to grab better gear and level up. We’ve got questions regarding those systems, but with Steam Workshop integration confirmed to facilitate the creation and sharing of maps and modes, we wouldn’t be surprised if this one resonates with many RTS vets.
Release window: TBD
Farthest Frontier
Farthest Frontier comes from Crate Entertainment (the studio behind the great Diablo-like Grim Dawn) and has been out in Steam early access since summer 2022, already showing tons of promise. First and foremost, it’s a town-builder in which players must tame the wilderness and turn a lowly village into a bustling town.
Some might dispute its real-time strategy DNA, but it’s very much an RTS. Sure, you’ll be taking some time off and looking after resources and towns quite often, but it all plays out in real time, and fending off invaders is a thing. For those strategy game enthusiasts who prefer the building and management side of things, Farthest Frontier is looking like one of the must-plays of next year.
Release window: Spring 2025 (already available via early access)
Age of Darkness: Final Stand
Age of Darkness: Final Stand is one of those video games with a truly captivating art style that’s just perfectly executed. As it nears its 1.0 launch, it’s only looking even more polished and… daunting. While the game is an RTS through and through, it’s focused on telling a story of survival against a seemingly endless horde. It presents a dark fantasy world that seems utterly hopeless, but maybe mankind can make it through. If you like a good challenge, don’t skip it.
The best part is that Age of Darkness has been available via early access since late 2021, so we know for sure that PlaySide has cooked with this one. It’s already packed with features, and the 1.0 launch mostly feels like the studio/publisher putting the finishing touches on it (including multiplayer). This full release is also very near, as teased by the recently released launch trailer.
Release window: January 15, 2025
Empire Eternal
Suppose you’re a big Age of Empires and Empire Earth fan, you’ll be happy to learn about Empire Eternal, an RTS which seems to be channeling the strengths of both legendary series while also promising extensive modding support at launch.
EPO Games and MicroProse Software aren’t ready to lock a release window just yet, but they’ve been engaging with the community for a while and detailing what we can expect from the moment-to-moment gameplay. Beyond the obvious inspirations and graphics that look adequately retro (but 3D and ambitious), it looks like the team has been crafting a genuinely deep RTS title that aims to deliver not just an homage, but also a logical evolution of the old-school AoE and EE games.
Release window: TBD
D.O.R.F. Real-Time Strategic Conflict
D.O.R.F. is another title that we’ve kept tabs on for a while now, and it certainly looks like one of the most interesting ‘refreshes’ of the C&C formula that is currently in the works. It also reminded us of both Final Liberation and Krush Kill ‘N Destroy, which are pretty deep cuts.
This is another one that hasn’t set a release window yet, but going into 2025, we’re expecting to hear more about it, and from the outside, development is looking quite advanced. A highlight of its Steam page is that LAN-based PvP is confirmed to be coming, making it a complete, truly old-school experience that we can’t wait to check out. Just look at those lovely sprites, the chunky menus, and its cohesive presentation!
Release window: TBD
The Last General
The Last General may look quite similar to Broken Arrow at first, but it’s leaning more towards wargame on a massive scale, with absurdly huge battlefields full of towns and cities “to take and protect.” As such, you’re in control of the larger picture rather than individual units. Objectives and strategies are described as “high-level” by developer Wakety, and we can already infer what the game is going for.
On top of the military action, there’s promise of economic and political decisions too. The types of conflicts available to be experienced in both single-player and online PvP and co-op modes include “insurrections, assassinations, protection, rescue, escape, and survival.” Crucial infrastructure and economic buildings can also be damaged or taken, so planning ahead on different levels seems like a requirement, not a suggestion. Diehards will surely appreciate this one, but we’ll have to wait until next year to check it out in full. A demo could hit before then, though.
Release window: 2026
Stay tuned for more updates on both already announced and all-new RTS games as we leave 2024 behind and step into the first few months of 2025. With the genre enjoying a revival across indies and bigger studios, it’s an exciting time to be into real-time strategy, and we’re hoping for some significant announcements during this year’s Steam RTS Fest. For now, though, we’d recommend working on your backlog before all these new launches. As always, we’ll be keeping tabs on everything happening in the space here at GameWatcher.
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