The Rut of Real-Time Strategy
In a world where video games evolve at the speed of light, former Age of Empires developer Dave Pottinger has a thought-provoking insight: the RTS genre is ‘stuck in a rut.’ Reflecting on his extensive experience with franchises like Age of Empires and Halo Wars, Pottinger emphasizes that despite the gaming landscape changing dramatically over the last two decades, RTS games have largely remained unchanged. He mentions, “you’re still playing the same game we’re playing 20 years ago.” It’s a bold statement that resonates with gamers craving innovation.
Innovation vs. Tradition
According to Pottinger, the golden rules that defined early RTS games still work, making them tempting for developers to rely on a tried-and-true formula. However, he wants to stretch those boundaries with his upcoming project, Citadel. “We want to do something new,” he declares, echoing the sentiments of many who feel that the genre’s reluctance to innovate has led to stagnation.
Breaking the Chains of Fear
Pottinger candidly shares his experiences at Age of Empires, where innovation was sometimes stifled by fear of alienating the fanbase. Interestingly, he recounts how formation-based combat was scrapped from Age of Empires 3 after demos showed it might be too radical. This hesitation to experiment raises an important question: is the fear of losing players holding RTS back from reaching its full potential?
As Pottinger and his team at Last Keep forge ahead with Project Citadel, many are left wondering: will the next wave of RTS games finally venture into uncharted territory and revive a seemingly dormant genre? Only time will tell, but the call for change has never been more urgent.
