The real-time strategy (RTS) genre has been very scarce these days. Back then, giant names like Warcraft, StarCraft, and Command and Conquer’s Red Alert series were kings. Now, Stormgate, a recently released RTS, is facing some troubles as its online mode is about to be taken off.
What’s happening with Stormgate?
First of all, Stormgate is a free RTS game that you can download and play. You can pretty much queue for matches online against other people. It’s the usual RTS game with building bases, commanding troops, and your goal is to destroy all enemy players on the field. The problem here now is that the game is going to lose its online mode on April 30, 2026.
Why is it losing its online mode?
According to the developers, their server partner Hathora got bought out by an AI company. This means that Hathora just kicked them to the curb. That’s pretty much it; they have to find a new server host for them to get the online mode back. It’s a sad state, but not entirely unsalvageable, since they just need to get new servers.
How does it affect the game?
First of all, when the game loses its online mode, it’s pretty much dead. You can’t play it with other people. However, the devs did say that they are making it available for offline mode. You can play with other AI enemies, but where’s the fun in that? They are also saying that they will be finding funding or partners to get the servers back online.
History of Stormgate
The game was officially revealed in 2022, drawing immediate attention from fans of classic RTS games. Set in a science-fantasy universe, Stormgate features a conflict between futuristic human resistance forces and demonic invaders known as the Infernal Host. The developers emphasized a “next-generation RTS” experience, highlighting features such as free-to-play access, strong cooperative modes, and a focus on long-term support through regular updates. The announcement signaled an effort to bring RTS games back into the mainstream after years of declining visibility.
Development of Stormgate has been closely followed by the community, with Frost Giant Studios actively engaging players through testing phases and early previews. The game entered early access as part of its ongoing development strategy, allowing players to experience its evolving mechanics and provide feedback. Built using modern technology such as Unreal Engine, Stormgate aims to deliver smoother performance, large-scale battles, and improved tools for custom content creation, including map editors and modding support.
Reception and present day
The game has a lot of negative reviews. Some say that the game is just alright and not worth the time and effort to play through. What’s worse for some is that this game was crowdfunded, so a lot of the people who backed it didn’t feel that they got their money’s worth. Would people even download the offline mode, knowing how abysmal or such a let-down the game is? Hopefully, Stormgate does get back on its feet because we could use a lot of new RTS games that are good.
