I was lucky enough to get an interview with EPO Games, the developer behind Empire Eternal, a spiritual successor to the classic Empire Earth, being published by MicroProse, and one of the most anticipated strategy games of the year. It is a massive-scale real-time strategy (RTS) game that allows players to command a civilization through 20 different eras, spanning from the prehistoric Stone Age to a distant future dominated by AI and digital warfare.

Can you tell us about the team: who you are, your experiences, and what brought you together to create Empire Eternal?

EPO: I’m from Brazil, and I’ve been passionate about strategy games since I was a child. I’ve always enjoyed many types of games, like racing and other genres, but strategy has always been what impacted me the most. It’s the type of game that truly engages and inspires me to this day.

My journey in strategy games started with Chess, and on the computer it began with SimCity on the Super Nintendo (emulator), then Age of Empires 1 and 2 (demos), and in 2001 I discovered Empire Earth 1, which I completely fell in love with. As a creator, I started with modding. I made many mods for Empire Earth 1, and that’s where I truly began to understand how games work internally, how systems connect, and how gameplay is built. This had a huge influence on everything I do today.

What brought us together to create Empire Eternal was exactly this shared passion for Empire Earth and strategy games in general. We connected through this passion and naturally started dreaming about creating something that felt like Empire Earth, something with the same soul as the games that shaped our history.

Today, the official team consists of two people. I handle multiple areas of the project, such as 3D modeling, animation, programming, audio, and effects. We also have a voice actor from Sweden, who is very talented and also passionate about strategy games, and has worked on other projects. Even though we’re a small team, we put a lot of heart into what we do, and Empire Eternal is, above all, a project made with love.

I imagine Empire Earth was a big inspiration for Empire Eternal, but I’m sure you had many others. What were some of the main inspirations that helped shape the core vision of Empire Eternal?

EPO: Without a doubt, Empire Earth 1 was the biggest inspiration of all. It’s the game I’ve played the most in my life and the one that impacted me the most. It is literally the emotional and creative foundation of Empire Eternal. The way it spans across eras, the freedom it gives to the player, and the sense of evolution always fascinated me.

Age of Empires also played a very important role. It was one of the first strategy games I played, and it influenced the design side a lot, especially its more realistic and grounded tone, which I really like. However, in terms of mechanics and gameplay style, I’ve always identified more with Empire Earth.

Another game that influenced me a lot was Total War, especially in how units move, positioning, and the tactical freedom it offers. I really enjoy that sense of control and open-field strategy.

Age of Mythology also left a strong impression on me, mainly because of the god system. It’s amazing how it completely changes the gameplay and how the player thinks and acts.

And finally, Civilization, especially Civilization V, fascinated me with its progression system and tech tree. The way they handle long-term development really opened my mind and helped me think about how to create something deep and interesting in Empire Eternal.

In the end, Empire Eternal is born from a mix of all of this: the heart of Empire Earth, the design of Age of Empires, the freedom of Total War, the creativity of Age of Mythology, and the depth of Civilization.

It seems every RTS needs something new to stand out, so I have to ask: what will Empire Eternal bring that’s new? Can we expect new mechanics, or are you aiming for a more traditional RTS experience?

EPO: Empire Eternal will have a traditional RTS foundation. The idea is that anyone who has played an RTS before can pick up the game and feel at home. I don’t want something confusing or hard to understand at first. I want it to be familiar, intuitive, and easy to learn.

At the same time, I want to bring mechanics that already exist in other games, but in a more flexible and easier-to-control way. A good example is naval combat. It exists in many RTS games, but it’s often rigid, limited, and not very intuitive. In Empire Eternal, the idea is to give more freedom, more control, and more fluidity.

Total War is also a big reference for me. It has very interesting unit movement and a strong sense of freedom, but it can also be difficult to master. What I want is to take that kind of freedom and make it more accessible and easier to understand.

So overall, the idea of Empire Eternal is this: a traditional RTS at its core, but with mechanics that expand gameplay variety, provide more strategic possibilities, and truly make the player think. Whether through unit positioning, terrain, environment, or the way they choose to attack or defend.

These are simple mechanics that are easy to understand but make a big difference in practice. It’s not about memorizing commands; it’s about thinking, observing, and making better decisions than your opponent, who has the exact same opportunities.

What historical (or future) periods will players experience in Empire Eternal, and how did you decide which eras and civilizations to focus on?

EPO: From the beginning, the idea of Empire Eternal has always been to show the evolution of humanity over time. The player starts in prehistory, goes through the Neolithic era, enters classical times, moves through medieval periods, and eventually reaches more modern eras like the industrial, technological, digital, artificial intelligence, and even the future.

The goal is to have around 20 different ages, clearly showing this progression, so the player truly feels the evolution of their empire over time.

Regarding civilizations, we decided not to work with fixed nations. Instead, we focus on cultural groups, such as Western, Eastern, African, Middle Eastern, and so on. The idea is to represent broader influences and characteristics rather than limiting the player to a single specific country.

This gives us more creative freedom and allows us to create interesting variations in architecture, units, visual style, and gameplay, without being tied to one nation. The goal is for each culture to have its identity while still being part of this large evolutionary timeline.

What’s your favorite period so far? And will long-range archers be able to shoot down B-1 bombers?

EPO: That’s a great question, because I’ve always loved the later eras, especially the more technologically advanced ones. In Empire Earth 1, age 12 is one of my favorites because it opens up many new strategic possibilities: aircraft carriers, submarines, planes, bombers, modern artillery… all of this completely changes how you play.

But unlike Empire Earth 1, we will work with clearer and more realistic rules. For example, in Empire Earth, you could have submarines destroyed by Bronze Age ships, or prehistoric units fighting modern technology on equal terms. That won’t happen in Empire Eternal. Modern units will have significantly greater power and resistance.

So, directly answering: no, archers will not shoot down bombers, and arrows will not sink submarines. The idea is to better respect historical and technological logic, while still maintaining balance and fun.

In some tests we’ve done, for example, a few modern artillery units can hold off thousands of Bronze Age units, depending on terrain and positioning. This creates more interesting and coherent strategic situations.

Even though I love advanced eras, my favorite periods are still medieval and modern. The medieval era has a strong charm and identity, and the modern era (similar to the atomic age in Empire Earth 1) opens space for creativity and different strategies.

Can we expect a campaign?

EPO: Yes, Empire Eternal will have campaigns. The idea is to release them continuously, adding new ones with major updates. We want to work in cycles, adding a new campaign every four eras, so content grows alongside the game.

The campaign format will be inspired by Empire Earth 1, especially in mission structure, with clear objectives and progression. We won’t copy the original campaigns, but we’ll use that classic mission-based structure.

Will the game have multiplayer, mod support, or new game modes?

EPO: Yes, definitely. Multiplayer is something we really want for Empire Eternal. It will be a major part of the game, but we’ll also have single-player for those who prefer a more relaxed experience.

Mod support is something I strongly believe in. I started as a modder, so I know how important it is. I want players to be able to create their own models, units, and campaigns in a simple and accessible way.

We also want to create tools to support this and give players full freedom to customize the game. One thing I find really exciting is allowing the community to share content within the game itself, like a hub where players can upload and download creations.

As for game modes, we’ll start with a more traditional RTS style, but I have many ideas for the future—more realistic and strategic modes where players need to plan and think more deeply.

Where do you see Empire Eternal fitting in the RTS genre in 2026?

EPO: I don’t see Empire Eternal as a return to the past or as trying to be “better” than other games. Each RTS has its own identity, time, and value.

What we want is to create something that blends the classic with the new. The key question we ask is: why would someone play Empire Eternal if Empire Earth still exists? The answer is offering that familiar feeling, but with new ideas, mechanics, and possibilities.

We want players to feel at home, recognize the spirit of classic RTS games, but also be surprised. We want to bring new forms of strategy and decision-making.

So Empire Eternal fits as a game that respects the past but isn’t stuck in it—a game that keeps what worked in classics while adding new elements to create a modern and unique experience.

If you could take only three games to a deserted island, which would they be?

EPO: First, without a doubt, Empire Earth 1. It’s the game I’ve played the most and the one that shaped my journey the most.

Second would be Civilization V. I love huge maps and the slower pace that makes you spend hours thinking and planning.

And third, not an RTS, but I couldn’t leave it out: Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012). I played it a lot, and it’s also part of my story.

Those three games are definitely the ones I’d take without hesitation.

Thank you so much, it has been an absolute pleasure!

It is clear that Empire Eternal is trying to be more than just a nostalgic throwback, and its trying to pave its way and its very own evolution of the genre, and its being done by those who know it best, and love the product that inspired it.

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