'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABbAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAYQAAIBBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEETEFBgcBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYHEQEAAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAIDQaH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/ALue9l7ODyN5BczJHbRRyJbkqUKOBkMSMlgdVn5fa+1ySu63ciqzEgY0CdbpSp5THJoLQeeEfG2pZC0//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Strategy games have seen a massive decline in creativity in the last couple of years. Very few genre-defining 4x or grand-strategy game titles spawned in recent memory. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, primarily a role-playing action-adventure title with tactical turn-based elements, won the best strategy game award at the Game Awards 2022, which pretty much sums up the dark ages of strategy games. Well, all of that is about to change from 2023 onwards. Some tantalizing strategy games and possibly a few genre-defining games are coming down the pipeline.
The year started well with the release of the Company of Heroes 3 in February. Featuring a beautifully crafted world, the Company of Heroes 3 takes players into a less-talked Italian campaign in World War 2 in a detailed turn-based format that will put your brain to the test to fight for every inch of land.
The strategic RTS map stands out in the latest Company of Heroes iteration that showcases every city, town, lake, and village in the vast Mediterranean region in style similar to Total War games.
February saw more action on the strategy game front. The company of Heroes 3 was accompanied by an enormous recreation of the legendary city-builder cum strategy title Pharaoh: A New Era.
If that wasn't enough to quench your thirst, then the first quarter of 2023 also witnessed the release of Ubisoft's popular city-builder title Settlers: New Allies and a pleasant surprise in the form of a Total War: Warhammer spin-off.
A few more exciting strategy games are cooking up in the oven.
A few more strategy games are on the brink of release and are already playable in an early-access format. This includes the Dune: Spice Wars with its unique real-time 4x combat system, which is expected to be out next week. Also included on the list of early access games is The Iron Oath, which is similar to Shiro Games' RPG title Wartales, but has a tactical turn-based combat mechanic. Expect these games to hit the markets anytime soon.
As we proceed towards May, strategy game enthusiasts have plenty to look forward to as the fantasy kingdom-building title Age of Wonders 4 is also set for an expected release. Age of Wonders 3 has an excellent mix of city-building, 4x exploitation, and tactical combat, and we hope the upcoming sequel builds even more on its predecessor.
As we enter summer 2023, the road ahead gets murkier for strategy games. However, one thing is sure: more genre-defining games are guaranteed to spawn by the time we enter 2024.
Some genre-defining strategy games are on their way
Given the history of inevitable delays and unpredictability, the strategy game genre showcases, without official dates, it becomes difficult to pinpoint the exact release window for future titles. However, the most notable upcoming strategy games have to be Homeworld 3 and Manor Lords.
The upcoming Homeworld sequel appears to maintain the series' exceptional ambiance while incorporating new elements, such as space terrain, adding an extra layer of excitement to the already immersive 3D battles. Originally intended to be out on June 2022 itself, Homeworld 3's launch was delayed up to the first half of 2023; we expect it to hit the markets by June –July 2023 finally.
Manor Lords, on the other hand, is an overly ambitious strategy game project that aims to thoroughly saturate city-building, RPG, and real-time strategy combat into one single genre. At Manor Lords, you will be in charge of a small tribal village in the initial phases. As the Lord or Chief of your tribe, every minor decision you make regarding agricultural production in trade relations will significantly impact the overall growth of your settlement. For instance, you can decide how many eggs you can produce for consumption, trade, and so on.
You will be pitted against other Lords vying for supremacy like you, and often, diplomacy won't be enough. In that scenario, you'd have to duke it out on the battlegrounds in true Total War fashion, where you get to be the commander of your troops and decide where to place or hide them, what formations to use, and much more.
However, it is on the tactical aspect where things get even crazier with Manor Lords. As the Lord, you will also get to choose whom among your townsfolk you put on the frontlines of a mainly pitched battle. Hence, every move you make will impact the village more. Imagine losing your sole town Blacksmith because you put him on the frontlines of your formations. This is how deep Manor Lords promises to take you.
Whether the developers pull off all these gameplay aspects into one coherent title is debatable. Still, Manor Lords is certainly a genre-defining strategy game in the making. We expect Manor Lords to be released and may stretch to 2024.
Final Thoughts
Plenty of other strategy games are expected this year, including something for old-school Xcom fans in the form of the much-anticipated Xenonauts 2, a long-awaited sequel to Men of War 2, popular strategic arcade games like Metal Slug Tactics, and more.
The two genres, horror games, and strategy games, seem promising from 2023. While we don't expect any strategy game to be released this year to become the Best Game of the Year, one thing is sure: 2023 is the comeback year of strategy games.
