7 – Company of Heroes
Two Relic Entertainment titles in a row, how about that? It’s like these guys were making awesome games in the late 90s and early 2000s! Company of Heroes revolutionized the RTS genre by shifting the focus from large armies and economic management to intimate, squad-based tactical combat. Its innovative cover system made terrain a critical strategic element, rewarding players for carefully positioning their units behind walls and sandbags to reduce incoming fire, just like actual people did in World War 2. This emphasis on small-scale tactics, combined with a dynamic battlefield and a resource system tied to territorial control, created a deeply immersive and realistic wargame experience that set it apart from its peers. I still think that the best way to experience Company of Heroes is by playing the first, because I personally consider it the best game, but if you want to give Company of Heroes 3 a go, the game is in a very good place right now.
6 – Supreme Commander
I think one could make a strong case for Total Annihilation, the 1997 classic, to be here, but I believe that Supreme Commander has a larger impact in 2026 than its inspiration. Supreme Commander revolutionized the RTS genre by scaling it to a level previously thought impossible. It introduced the concept of “strategic zoom,” allowing players to seamlessly transition from a close-up, unit-by-unit view to a full-map strategic overview, a feature that redefined how large-scale conflicts could be managed in a real-time setting. By removing the limitations of a traditional mini-map and focusing on a continuous, flow-based economy, it perfected the art of macro-management and cemented its legacy as a masterpiece of grand-scale warfare. A title so beloved by its fan base that whenever I write something about real-time strategy games, if its absence is noted, they’ll swarm the comments saying that one must not dare to ignore their beloved game. If this article were written a couple of years ago, I wouldn’t place it that high, but looking at some of the most exciting games of 2026, it’s easy to see that Supreme Commander’s influence is being heavily felt.
5 – Warcraft 3
I think that people give this one a lot more credit than it deserves, but there’s no denying that Warcraft 3 left a lasting impact on the RTS genre by introducing hero units, RPG-style progression, and narrative-driven campaigns that added long-term strategic depth beyond traditional base-building. This was all made during a time when Blizzard was at the top of their game. Blizzard’s emphasis on distinct factions, powerful abilities, and small-scale tactical engagements transformed how players approached real-time combat and multiplayer balance. Its modding tools famously gave rise to entire new genres, including MOBAs, cementing its historical importance. The main reason the game is this high on the list is that Warcraft 3 went on to inspire some major franchises, led to the creation of the MOBA genre, and gave us Hearthstone, too. I would say that the best way to play Warcraft 3 in 2026 would be to play DotA or League of Legends, but… No. I’m joking (even if I like MOBAs), because between the Warcraft 3: Reforged Edition that was just disappointing, you can very well go with the original if you have a copy of it in your attic, or can pick it up for cheap at a local store.
Leave a Reply