We’ve taken a fresh look at Stormgate, the upcoming free-to-play RTS from a team of former StarCraft 2 veterans, as developer Frost Giant has released its first update to the game.
First revealed during the Summer Game Fest 2022 main showcase, Stormgate received a follow-up preview during the summer. PC game program (opens in new tab). In a short video, Frost Giant walks through the ins and outs of the upcoming RTS, picking out some of its newer aspects and showing off a – very, very brief – snippet of gameplay.
Billed as the “next evolution” of the RTS genre, Stormgate appears to draw heavily from StarCraft 2. It will see a technologically advanced human race facing off against an invading alien species, featuring three playable factions at launch, leaning heavily towards competitive multiplayer. , be free to play and have an in-game editor to create custom levels and game modes. All of these features will be familiar to anyone who has experienced Blizzard’s classic sci-fi RTS.
Set in a post-apocalyptic distant future where humanity must defend Earth from demonic aliens – the Infernals – Frost Giant says that Stormgate mixes fantasy with science fiction. The story appears to be central to the game and will be told through an ongoing series of campaign missions that expand its storyline. This sounds like a live service model, where seasonal updates are used to extend a game’s content and lore through ever-increasing DLC.
New story chapters will be released “regularly”, bringing new maps to battle, additional units to command, and modes to compete. -op mode will allow you to command customizable hero units against AI opponents.
Check out the video update below.
Frost Giant hopes these co-op elements will make Stormgate a “social RTS”, spawning dedicated communities like those that surround the most popular MOBAs. It’s also likely to expect to emulate the eSports success that StarCraft 2 has achieved, with both amateur and professional multiplayer tournaments set up at Stormgate at launch. They will span multiple leagues for different experience levels.
Stormgate will be completely free to play, but as the video emphasizes, it wants to present itself as unpaid to win. The beta test starts in the middle of next year, and you can sign up for access on the website. Stormgate website (opens in new tab).