15 – Dying Breed
Self-described as a “golden-age RTS classic”, Dying Breed certainly looks like a retro-inspired RTS game, but does it still play like one and keep the same spirit as those? Developed by indie developer Sarnayer and published by MicroProse Software, the game managed to attract significant wishlisting and interest. The basic idea of it is that it plunges players into a post-apocalyptic alternate WWII reality (starting out great), combining classic base-building, resource gathering, and fast-paced tactical combat with a unique dieselpunk aesthetic and the return of FMV cutscenes, which look as cheap and as cheeky as I expected them to; it’s just perfection.
Players will command forces against evil arch-enemies, zombies, and retro-futuristic technologies across land, sea, air, and underground. Is there anything more over-the-top backdrop than this for a ’90s throwback RTS? I don’t think so, and I’m all here for it.
14 – ERA ONE
What do you get when you combine real-time strategy (RTS), base building, space survival, and tactical battles? Well, apparently, you get ERA ONE, a highly anticipated space RTS game with modular ship design, and set to come out in an Early Access release on PC via Steam on August 6, 2025. Developed by Team Complex LTD, known for the Homeworld: Complex mod, it allows players to construct and customize their warships, stations, and even space cities from individual modules, offering unparalleled strategic freedom and creativity, with “no limit to shape or size”, where the sole limitation is your logistical capability to make it work.
Alongside this novel idea, the game announced a very aspirational story-driven campaign of the rise and fall of the human empire and of starting anew. With a strong commitment to community-driven development, ERA ONE is poised to be a spiritual successor to Homeworld, making it a must-wishlist for fans seeking an innovative and immersive new PC RTS game in 2025.
13 – Master of Command
Another recent announcement, Master of Command, is poised to be a pivotal historical real-time strategy (RTS) game for PC by the end of 2025, offering a unique blend of roguelite grand strategy and intense real-time battles set in the turbulent 18th century. Developed and published by Armchair History Interactive, this game zeroes in on the brutal conflicts of the Seven Years’ War, placing you in command of a custom-tailored force from one of five historical powers within procedurally generated campaigns. It emphasizes the raw reality of army management, focusing on resource scarcity, supply lines, and the critical importance of preserving your regiments. In my announcement of the game, I said that I love the idea, and I’m truly excited to give it a go, but I’m still not sure how the whole procedural campaign thing is going to sit with its more historically driven crowd. But the fact that the game is trying something new is reason enough for me to be excited for it and to have one of the highest places in my wishlist for 2025.
12 – Age of Respair
While I love the Stronghold series of games, and while it has remained one of my personal favourites for ages, there’s no denying we could use a couple more medieval strategy games. Fortunately, in 2025, we have something to look out for and wishlist, as Age of Respair, a highly anticipated medieval strategy and castle-building game developed and published by Respair Games, is projected for release in December 2025 on PC (Steam). Positioned as a spiritual successor to the Stronghold series, it focuses on meticulous castle construction, deep resource management, and growing a thriving medieval kingdom. The game promises grand-scale siege warfare, challenging players to defend their fortresses against relentless assaults and to lead their own vast armies to conquer enemy castles. Utilizing modern technology like Unreal Engine 5 for larger maps and enhanced production chains, Age of Respair aims to blend classic RTS mechanics with contemporary improvements, making it a definitive must-wishlist for fans seeking an immersive new medieval RTS game. I truly want to see this one succeed and see a successful commercial release to see how it stacks up against the game that inspired it, and have in mind that Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition just made quite an impression!
11 – Strategos
After an April demo managed to impress me, I think that Strategos really earns this high a place in this list. Focused on ancient warfare real-time strategy, it’s being developed by Strategos Games and published by MicroProse Software, with a scheduled release for 2025 on PC (Steam). While it might be easier to make Total War comparisons, the developing team behind it would rather stay away from those, as their intention is to offer massive, ancient battles at an unprecedented scale and realism, but lack any kind of grand-strategic element. What they managed to do is something very impressive, allowing players to simulate massive battles with over 120 factions and 250+ unit types from classical antiquity, providing immense strategic depth and replayability. The game has deep mechanics seldom seen in other, less authentic games, such as unit cohesion, more, and chain of command. I’m excited to see how it turns out, because as it stands, Strategos is one of the most promising titles around, and it’s going to be the go-to alternative for those who want to experience pre-medieval warfare at a massive scale.
Leave a Reply