In the world of real-time-strategy PC games, one of the most promising upcoming titles is Stormgate by Frost Giant Studios. A melding of classic games like SC2 and WC3, the upcoming free-to-play RTS was fueled by community passion and is shaping up to be a shining beacon of light in what otherwise feels like a dark cavern that once was a strong RTS gaming scene. Led by former game developers, producers, and directors from all the best RTS titles of the past, Stormgate‘s beta will be playable for everyone for the first time ever next month.
This isn’t the first time the RTS community has been teased with promises of something that could compare to RTS games of the past, but it’s perhaps the most earnest attempt at doing so. Involvement with professional Starcraft 2 players and the hardcore RTS community forecasts the potential for a thriving competitive scene, and the recent revelation of stars like Simu Liu voicing key characters is even more reason to pay attention to the upcoming game.
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Stormgate Beta Details
The Stormgate beta will be available to play during Steam Next Fest from February 5-12, 2024. During this time, access to the game’s 1v1 and 3-player co-op vs AI modes will be available to the public. This period will mark the first time the game will be available for anyone to try, though the title has been available to a limited number of people in closed beta since the summer of 2023. To participate, people can head to the Stormgate page on Steam to gain access to the beta when Steam Next Fest starts.
In addition to the announcement that the game will be available to play, the developers also announced that Stormgate would be partnering with the Elite Gaming Channel (EGC) to create its first-ever prize tournament open to the public with a $10,000 prize pool. Additional details and a signup page will be provided by Frost Giant soon.
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Stormgate Is Tapping A Hollywood Actor For Its Single-Player Campaign
The developers of the game recently revealed behind-the-scenes footage with one of the game’s main characters, voiced by Simu Liu, famous for his roles as Shang-Chi in the MCU and as (the best) Ken from the recent Barbie movie. In Stormgate, Simu Liu will be voicing Warz, a demonic, otherworldly demon with wings from the Infernal Host faction. More than being just a recognizable actor, Liu also expressed his love for the RTS genre and games like Starcraft 2, Warcraft 3, Age of Empires, and Command & Conquer.
Though Stormgate has so far put an emphasis on balanced multiplayer, it will also have a single-player campaign. Stormgate‘s single-player campaign was written in partnership with NYT best-selling author Micky Neilson, famous for his books World of Warcraft: Ashbringer and World of Warcraft: Pearl of Pandaria. Blizzard’s Chris Metzen, who worked on the Warcraft, Diablo, and Starcraft franchises, has also helped in its development.
So far, there have been two factions announced for Stormgate, with a third mystery faction yet to be revealed. One playable race is the Human Vanguard, Earth’s defenders, equipped with high-tech weaponry and mechs. The other faction, the Infernal Host, are demonic invaders who use magic to threaten all life on the planet. Though the single-player campaign won’t be available during the beta, it looks like it’s in great hands and will be one of the better single-player experiences in an RTS for some time.
Stormgate 3-Player Co-Op Takes Cues From Starcraft 2
Stormgate‘s 3 player co-op mode is a lot more than just a comp stomp with normal Stormgate gameplay. Inspired by Starcraft 2, Stormgate will take cues from the co-op mode once known as Allied Commanders in SC2 and set players against the AI in unique missions with powerful specialized heroes. The developers are aiming to create more variable missions rather than linear ones, with unique map effects, win conditions, and a variety of different enemies.
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Stormgate heroes will be stronger than standard units and come with global map abilities and different types of units to add variety to gameplay. The first hero announced for Stormgate‘s 3-player co-op mode is Blockade, part of the Human Vanguard faction. A support and tank, he’s able to provide heals and buffs to allied units to make them more formidable in combat. He also comes with a leap and whirlwind ability, providing some offensive prowess to one of Stormgate‘s first featured heroes.
Stormgate Is Fueled By The RTS Community
Though Blizzard has seemingly made no attempts to revive the RTS genre of games, it seems like the desire for a new real-time-strategy game is here. Partially funded with the help of a Kickstarter, Stormgate shattered its original $100,000 goal by generating over $1.8 million in backer funding since the campaign was started. According to Frost Giant, the Kickstarter was required for two key reasons. One is the frequent request for physical Collectors Editions from fans, and the other is to help the game enter beta access and fund the scaling of the multiplayer portion of the game.
Though other RTS games have tried to make a splash in the last few years, including titles that received middling reviews like COH3, nothing has arguably gotten even close to the nearly-perfect gameplay that was featured in Warcraft 3 and Starcraft 2, or the distinct personality of games like the Command & Conquer franchise.
Though the height of the genre’s popularity undeniably peaked in the 90s and early 2000s, re-introducing RTS to a new generation that grew up on similar MOBA titles like League of Legends might give Stormgate the player-base boost they need to last in the long run. Regardless, anyone who enjoys the high-paced and strategic action of real-time-strategy should certainly check out Stormgate for themselves when it becomes available for free on February 5 on Steam.
