The year 2023 brings another wave of exciting strategy games that will provide countless hours of fun and engaging gameplay. For strategy fans, both experienced and new to the genre, this year is packed with titles that are sure to capture your attention and offer a rich, varied experience. In this article, we’ll take a look at the most anticipated strategy games of 2023, both those that continue established series and those that innovate the genre.
- Minecraft Legends
- Diune: Spice Wars
- Age of Wonders 4
- War Hospital
- Men of War II
- Homeworld 3
- Stargate: Timekeepers
- Metal Slug Tactics
- Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance
Get ready for a thrilling journey through a world of virtual battles, cunning intrigue and tactical decisions that will affect the fate of entire civilisations.
Minecraft Legends
- Release date: 18 April 2023 (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5)
- Developer: Blackbird Interactive/Mojang Studios
- Publisher: Xbox Game Studios/Microsoft Studios
Minecraft Legends is an innovative game that combines elements of strategy and action in the popular Minecraft universe. Players embark on an extraordinary adventure to defend the land of Overworld from the deadly threat of the Piglins, invaders from the Nether who seek to bring chaos and destruction.
Throughout the game, players will be able to take on the roles of different characters, exploring the vast and varied world of Overworld, gathering resources and building fortifications from a third-person perspective (TPP). A key aspect of the game, however, is making friends, forming strategic alliances, recruiting powerful armies and participating in dynamic and spectacular battles.
Minecraft Legends is built around three main gameplay modes. The first is an expansive story campaign that immerses players in a compelling storyline and allows them to explore the mysteries of the world. The second mode is co-op, where players can team up with friends to overcome adversity together. The final mode is multiplayer, where players can go head-to-head and compete in strategy and combat.
Diune: Spice Wars
- Release date: Early Access – 26 April 2022, full launch expected in 2023 (PC)
- Developer: Shiro Games
- Publisher: Funcom
Dune: Spice Wars is an advanced real-time strategy game with distinct 4X elements, set in the iconic universe of Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel ‘Dune’. The game takes place on the distant planet of Arrakis, which is rich in the precious resource Spice, which allows interstellar travel and prolongs life.
Players lead one of the factions, taking on the role of Duke Leto Atreides, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen or other well-known characters, in an attempt to take control of the planet and its precious spice deposits. Gameplay focuses on exploration, mining the spice, upgrading headquarters, improving technology and recruiting powerful armies.
Dune: Spice Wars requires not only strategic thinking, but also diplomatic and political skills. Decisions made throughout the game will affect relationships with the Emperor and other factions. Players will also have to contend with the dangers of the Arrakis Desert, including titanic sand worms that threaten units and infrastructure.
Age of Wonders 4
- Release date: 2 May 2023 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)
- Developer: Triumph Studios
- Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Age of Wonders 4 continues the turn-based strategy series set in a fantasy world, offering both a story-driven campaign and an extensive builder that allows players to create their own stories. Players aim to build a powerful empire by exploring and conquering new territories, managing resources and fighting a variety of opponents.
Battles are turn-based, requiring tactical planning and the use of special unit skills. The story event system and unit morale add dynamism and variety to the gameplay. Age of Wonders 4 combines an immersive storyline, unlimited possibilities to create your own worlds, and elements of 4X strategy to create an unforgettable experience for genre fans.
War Hospital
- Release date: 31 August 2023 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)
- Developer: Brave Lamb Studio
- Publisher: Nacon/Bigben Interactive
War Hospital is a real-time strategy game with RPG elements set during the First World War. The player takes on the role of a doctor, Major Henry Well, who runs a field hospital on the French front. The gameplay focuses on rescuing wounded soldiers, making decisions about their treatment, managing resources and upgrading equipment. The player must also manage the morale of the rescuers and surviving soldiers, which affects the overall effectiveness of the hospital.
Choosing the right treatment methods, responding quickly to emergencies and making difficult moral decisions are key aspects of this game. War Hospital offers a gripping story campaign and the opportunity to experiment with different hospital management strategies in a challenging wartime environment.
Men of War II
- Release date: 2023 (PC)
- Developer: Best Way
- Publisher: Fulqrum Games/1C Entertainment
Men of War II is the second instalment in the World War II-set RTS series, developed by Best Way and published by 1C Entertainment. The game features two story campaigns, with players commanding the Allies on the Western Front or the Red Army on the Eastern Front. From a bird’s-eye view, you will command infantry, vehicles and air forces with 45 battalions and more than 300 machines.
Men of War II requires the development of individual tactics that take into account terrain, buildings and other factors. The game features advanced AI, frontline combat and Direct Vision, which allows you to take control of a single unit. Men of War II includes single player modes, fast-paced skirmishes, extensive multiplayer, modding tools and a level editor.
Homeworld 3
- Release date: 2023 (PC)
- Developer: Blackbird Interactive
- Publisher: Gearbox Publishing
Homeworld 3 is the third part of the space RTS series. The action takes place in space, where we have to create our own fleet and then manage it properly to conquer more areas of the galaxy. Picking up exactly 100 years after the events of Homeworld 2, the game continues some of the storylines left unresolved at the very end of the previous game, such as Karan S’jet unlocking the Great Network of Hyperspace Gates.
Crucial to the campaign is the skilful recruitment of your own army, which you use in three-dimensional battles. In addition to single-player, Homeworld 3 features full multiplayer, available exclusively over the Internet. Players will also appreciate the high-quality graphics and advanced physics engine.
Stargate: Timekeepers
- Release date: 2023 (PC)
- Developer: CreativeForge Games
- Publisher: Matrix Games/Slitherine
Stargate: Timekeepers is an RTS set in the Stargate universe. The game begins during the Battle of Antarctica, where a squad led by Eva McCain supports Earth’s forces against the armies of Lord Anubis. Players will lead their team as they travel through time and space, fighting system overlords, supporting humanity’s allies and helping civilians in need.
The game focuses on tactical missions across different planets and time periods. It is important to use the right strategies and tactics to defeat an increasing number of enemies. Players will also need to manage their units, taking into account their skills and equipment to get the most out of them on the battlefield.
Stargate: Timekeepers also features role-playing elements, such as developing character skills and upgrading equipment. Players will also have to make important decisions that will affect the game’s storyline and the fate of the characters they meet.
Metal Slug Tactics
- Release date: 2023 (PC, Nintendo Switch)
- Developer: Leikir Studio
- Publisher: Dotemu
Metal Slug Tactics is a tactical RPG with roguelike elements, a spin-off of the classic shooter. The plot of the game focuses on the fight against Donald Morden, a villain who is building up his power. Players lead a squad of familiar characters including Marco, Eri, Fio and Tarma in turn-based combat encounters.
Characters have different abilities and equipment, and gain experience by developing stats, skills and weapons. The game encourages simultaneous attacks on a single target and the use of the adrenaline bar for special techniques. During battle, you can call in support, such as artillery fire or a Metal Slug tank drop. The game features a single player mode.
Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance
- Release date: 2023 (PC)
- Developer: Cats Who Play/Matrix Games/Slitherine
- Publisher: Matrix Games/Slitherine
Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance is a real-time strategy game set in the world of the Terminator movies. The game is a prequel to the Terminator: Dark Fate and tells the story of the beginnings of a resistance movement in a post-apocalyptic future. The player commands a group of human survivors, recruits new members and forms an army against the artificial intelligence Legion.
The game mechanics focus on fighting the main enemy and other factions using a variety of weapons, drones and vehicles. We develop soldiers, unlock equipment and use the destruction system of machines and the environment. The game offers a story campaign and a multiplayer mode with 1v1, 2v1 and 2v2 variants.