What you need to know
- Stormgate is an upcoming real-time strategy game being developed by Frost Giant Studios for Windows PC.
- During the Game Awards 2023, actor Simu Liu helped present a new trailer for Stormgate, as well as revealing that he voices Warz, the leader of the Infernal Host faction in-game.
- Stormgate will include a multiplayer, a custom games editing tool, and a "living campaign" which will have new missions added over time.
- Stormgate is currently slated to launch into early access at some point in summer 2024.
Big things are coming for strategy fans.
During the Game Awards 2023, actor Simu Liu — known for his roles in films like Barbie and Shang-Chi — presented a new trailer for upcoming real-time strategy (RTS) title Stormgate. Not content to merely present the trailer, Liu is also part of the game, being cast as Warz, the leader of the Infernal Host, one of three factions in Stormgate.
"When we heard that Stormgate was happening and that it was from so many of the same people who made the games that I loved growing up (and worshiped in a lot of ways), I got excited and wanted to see if I could be involved," said Simu Liu in a press release. "What's most exciting about Stormgate is that it was made by people who love RTS. This is a game that, in its DNA, is every bit the games that I loved growing up. I feel like it doesn't get more authentic than that."
In development at Frost Giant Studios, Stormgate features a campaign that's been co-written by author Micky Neilson and World of WarCraft executive creative director Chris Metzen, the latter of whom contributed to the game before his recent return to Blizzard Entertainment.
What is Frost Giant Studios?
Frost Giant Studios is a team founded back in 2020 and led by veterans of different game studios like Blizzard Entertainment and inXile Entertainment. When I spoke with Frost Giant Studios last year, the team mentioned that they wanted to create an "Elden Ring moment" for strategy games through Stormgate.
Frost Giant Studios recently launched a Kickstarter for Stormgate. While the game is fully-funded and its success not dependent on the fundraiser, this is being done to allow the community to fund different extras and get unique rewards as a result. Stormgate is currently slated to launch into Steam early access for Windows PC in Summer 2024.
Analysis: Filling a much-needed niche
With Starcraft seemingly languishing without any new entries (though it's possible that could change in the future) it's nice to see a similar type of RTS on the way. We need more fast-paced strategy games, not less.
I love titles like the Total War and Age of Empires franchises or even 4X hybrids like Dune: Spice Wars, but Starcraft was fairly unique as far as RTS games go, so seeing something like Stormgate trying to fill that gap warms my heart. This is definitely one I'll be continuing to keep a close eye on.
Be sure you don't miss out on any of the other gaming news coming out tonight with our The Game Awards 2023 live blog!
