Realtime Strategy

Real-time strategy (RTS) refers to a genre of strategy video games in which gameplay unfolds continuously rather than in discrete, alternating turns. All participants act simultaneously, directing units, managing resources, and developing bases in real time. This distinguishes RTS games from turn-based strategy formats, where players act in sequence. The genre’s evolution spans several decades and multiple regions, gradually consolidating into the modern RTS tradition recognised across the world.

Core Characteristics of RTS Games

RTS games revolve around indirect control of units and structures placed within a dynamic environment. Players typically begin with limited assets and expand their influence through strategic actions supported by real-time decision-making. Several core features have become characteristic of the genre:

• Resource Management: RTS titles usually feature resource gathering, with players acquiring materials from designated points, specialised units, or purpose-built structures. These resources enable the construction of buildings and military units.
• Base-Building: A central element of RTS gameplay involves establishing, expanding, and fortifying bases that support economic growth, unit production, upgrades, and tactical defence.
• Technological Development: Many games incorporate technology trees, allowing players to upgrade units, unlock new abilities, or access more advanced structures.
• Unit Control and Combat: Players command multiple units indirectly, issuing orders such as movement, attack, patrol, or defence. Combat typically occurs in real time across contested areas of the map.
• User Interface Mechanisms: The interfaces of RTS games have drawn inspiration from desktop computing, popularising mechanisms such as click-and-drag selection boxes, context-sensitive commands, and layered control systems to streamline complex group management.

Although other genres such as city-building simulations, construction management, and real-time tactics share certain conceptual or mechanical similarities, they are normally considered distinct because they lack some combination of core RTS features, such as base-building, unit production, or broader strategic control of economies and armies.

Early Development and Pre-RTS Precursors

The origins of RTS games are complex due to the absence of a unified genre label before the 1990s. Titles retrospectively classified as RTS precursors were often marketed under different categories or lacked several components now regarded as defining the genre.
During the early 1980s, experimental designs in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan laid groundwork for later developments. Early systems occasionally featured real-time decision-making, resource allocation, or rudimentary strategic combat, but even when such mechanics existed, these games were not formally recognised as RTS titles at the time.
In 1981, a multiplayer real-time strategy space game running on an IBM System/370 mainframe was described as sophisticated enough to compete with business software in organisational support. Though largely inaccessible to the public, it demonstrated early interest in real-time strategic simulation.
Several commercial video games from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s are frequently cited as formative:

• War of Nerves (1979): Sometimes referenced as an early 2D real-time strategy title.
• Utopia (1981): A pioneering hybrid of turn-based and real-time elements, often cited in discussions about the roots of RTS design. Although its simulation approach has strong similarities with later city-building games, its combination of timed cycles and strategic management influenced future developments.
• Cytron Masters (1982): A title that introduced real-time battlefield tactics, although it lacked construction systems and resource complexity.
• Cosmic Conquest (1982): An Apple II programme combining real-time action with long-term strategic planning.
• Stonkers (1983) and Nether Earth (1987) in the United Kingdom provided early examples of continuous control over units on a battlefield.

In North America, The Ancient Art of War (1984) and its 1987 sequel integrated tactical combat with strategic planning and later came to be retroactively labelled RTS because of their real-time execution of battlefield decisions.
In Japan, Bokosuka Wars (1983) and Gain Ground (1988) experimented with real-time battlefield movement and multi-unit control. Bokosuka Wars, in particular, demonstrated early forms of large-group movement, influencing later titles that emphasised army-level coordination.
During the late 1980s, innovations became more pronounced. Games such as Carrier Command (1988) offered resource management, territorial control, and real-time vehicle operations. SimAnt (1991) integrated resource collection and group-based combat mechanics.
One of the most significant precursors was Herzog Zwei (1989) for the Sega Mega Drive. It combined rapid action with resource-based unit production, territorial control, and base management. Players commanded a single transformable unit that deployed forces across the battlefield, foreshadowing the point-and-click mechanics later popularised on personal computers. Its real-time, continuous gameplay and emphasis on logistics made it a crucial link between earlier hybrids and fully developed RTS games.

Formation of the Modern RTS Template

The release of Dune II by Westwood Studios in 1992 is widely regarded as the moment the modern RTS genre crystallised. While earlier titles had introduced real-time elements, Dune II assembled the core systems into a cohesive model:

• mouse-driven interface with precise unit control;
• distinct factions with unique abilities;
• structured technology progression;
• resource harvesting through dedicated units;
• building construction with a clear architectural hierarchy.

The combination of these elements laid the groundwork for nearly all subsequent RTS design. The development team cited influences from Herzog Zwei and contemporary graphical interfaces, noting that the mouse and keyboard input system was instrumental in enabling fluid, responsive strategic management.
The success of Dune II encouraged developers to refine and expand the formula, leading to the emergence of seminal titles during the 1990s.

Seminal Titles of the 1990s

Between 1992 and 1998, several landmark games shaped public expectations of RTS design and popularised the genre globally:

• Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994): Introduced a distinctive fantasy theme, well-defined resource systems, and an expanded building roster. Its sequel, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (1995), achieved widespread acclaim and reinforced Blizzard’s standing as a premier RTS developer.
• Command & Conquer (1995) and Command & Conquer: Red Alert (1996): These titles emphasised fast-paced action, cinematic storytelling, and intuitive controls. Their success turned the Command & Conquer franchise into one of the most recognisable RTS series.
• Total Annihilation (1997): Distinguished by its advanced 3D terrain, automation systems, and enormous unit variety. It pushed the genre toward large-scale, physics-driven battles.
• StarCraft (1998): Renowned for asymmetrical faction design and intricate balance, StarCraft became one of the most influential titles in the history of competitive gaming, particularly in global esports cultures.