If there's one genre of video games that's best enjoyed on your computer, it's RTS (Real-Time Strategy). Since there are an embarrassment of riches when it comes to RTS games on Steam alone, this list curates the very best of the best by using criteria like sales and review scores, but the real beauty here is that votes from RTS enthusiasts like you actually shapes the rankings and determines the order. Think of it as the PC community's ranking of best Real-Time Strategy games. Since the genre can be hard to define, let's lay the groundwork before diving into the rankings. The Real-Time Strategy (RTS) genre is a category of video games where you manage resources, command units, and construct bases in real-time, almost always while competing against opponents or AI. The key features that define RTS games include real-time gameplay VS turn-based, resource management for building and maintaining units and structures, tactical unit control, and often base-building mechanics. While Steam does have many pure RTS games that really exemplify the genre, including Star Wars: Empire at War and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, there are other additions here that have been included because they have RTS elements that appeal to fans of the genre. The 2024 release Frostpunk 2 for example is not exactly a RTS game, but the city building and strategy elements of the game earn it a spot on the list. The same goes for Dyson Sphere Program - there is strategy employed in real time, but it doesn't carry all the elements of a traditional RTS. Editor Note: Since they're kind of obvious choices and this list is focusing on games available on Steam, Blizzard titles like Starcraft and Warcraft have been omitted. You can play them through Blizzard's game launcher provided you have an account with them.
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Editor Note: If you loved this game as a kid but haven't played the newer version that was released for the 20th anniversary, know that it has a lot of added content that really does make it worth revisiting.
Star Wars: Empire at War: Gold Pack includes both the original real-time strategy game set in the Star Wars universe and its expansion pack. Players can engage in battles across different planets and control iconic Star Wars units and characters.
Editor Note: Not quite a pure RTS, but if you want something tangentially related to the genre with a deemphasis on combat, this is a great choice.
Rusted Warfare - RTS is a real-time strategy game focused on large-scale, customizable warfare. It offers a variety of units and technologies for players to experiment with across different maps and game modes.
