The 10 Best Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Games Still Worth Playing in 2027
Homeworld Remastered Collection ($34.99) is the best RTS to play, with the top Metacritic score shown on Steam at 86. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition ($34.99, score 84) is #2, and Command & Conquer Remastered Collection ($19.99, score 82) is #3.
At a glance
| # | Pick | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Homeworld Remastered Collection | $34.99 list price on Steam (US store, USD); it was on sale at $5.24 (85% off) when checked on Oct 18, 2026 | Commanding fleets in full 3D space |
| 2 | Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition | $34.99 on Steam (US store, USD) | A historical empire-builder with a deep campaign library |
| 3 | Command & Conquer Remastered Collection | $19.99 on Steam (US store, USD) | The 1990s RTS classics, remastered |
| 4 | Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance | $12.99 on Steam (US store, USD) | Huge-scale land, sea and air battles |
| 5 | Northgard | $34.99 on Steam (US store, USD), Definitive Edition | A Viking clan builder on Windows, Mac and Linux |
| 6 | Age of Empires IV | $39.99 on Steam (US store, USD), Anniversary Edition | A modern historical RTS with distinct civilizations |
| 7 | Company of Heroes 3 | $59.99 on Steam (US store, USD) | Squad-based World War II battles |
| 8 | They Are Billions | $29.99 list price on Steam (US store, USD); it was on sale at $23.99 (20% off) when checked on Oct 18, 2026 | Defending a steampunk colony from zombie hordes |
| 9 | StarCraft II | Free to play ($0) on Battle.net | The esport-grade RTS, free to start |
| 10 | Homeworld 3 | $59.99 list price on Steam (US store, USD); it was on sale at $19.79 (67% off) when checked on Oct 18, 2026 | The newest 3D space fleet command game |
Pick by what you want
The ranking
Homeworld Remastered Collection
Homeworld Remastered Collection is $34.99 on Steam from Gearbox Software, released Feb 25, 2015, on Windows and Mac, with a Metacritic score of 86 on Steam. It was on sale at $5.24 when checked.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is $34.99 on Steam, released Nov 14, 2019, on Windows and Mac, with a score of 84.
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is $19.99 on Steam from Petroglyph and Lemon Sky Studios, released Jun 5, 2020, on Windows, with a score of 82.
Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance is $12.99 on Steam from Gas Powered Games, released Sep 28, 2011, on Windows, with a score of 81.
Northgard
Northgard - Definitive Edition is $34.99 on Steam from Shiro Games, released Mar 7, 2018, on Windows, Mac and Linux, with a score of 81.
Age of Empires IV
Age of Empires IV - Anniversary Edition is $39.99 on Steam, released Oct 28, 2021, on Windows, with a score of 81.
Company of Heroes 3
Company of Heroes 3 is $59.99 on Steam from Relic Entertainment, released Feb 23, 2023, on Windows, with a score of 81.
They Are Billions
They Are Billions is $29.99 on Steam from Numantian Games, released Jun 18, 2019, on Windows, with a score of 77; it was on sale at $23.99 when checked.
StarCraft II
StarCraft II is free to play on Battle.net from Blizzard Entertainment, on Windows and Mac. It is not sold on Steam, so no Steam score is shown.
Homeworld 3
Homeworld 3 is $59.99 on Steam from Blackbird Interactive, released May 13, 2024, on Windows; it was on sale at $19.79 when checked, and Steam showed no Metacritic score.
How we ranked these
Questions people ask
What is the best RTS game to play in 2027?
Homeworld Remastered Collection has the top Metacritic score shown on Steam, 86, with a $34.99 list price; Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition follows at 84 and $34.99.
Is there a free RTS on this list?
StarCraft II is free to play on Battle.net, on Windows and Mac.
What is the cheapest paid RTS on this list?
Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance has a $12.99 list price on Steam; Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is next at $19.99.
Which of these RTS games run on Mac?
On Steam, Homeworld Remastered Collection, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Northgard list Mac support; StarCraft II lists Windows and Mac on its official site.
List price (USD, US store) at a glance
Official sites
- Homeworld Remastered Collection · store.steampowered.com
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition · store.steampowered.com
- Command & Conquer Remastered Collection · store.steampowered.com
- Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance · store.steampowered.com
- Northgard · store.steampowered.com
- Age of Empires IV · store.steampowered.com
- Company of Heroes 3 · store.steampowered.com
- They Are Billions · store.steampowered.com
- StarCraft II · starcraft2.blizzard.com
- Homeworld 3 · store.steampowered.com
Sources
Prices, specs and availability change; confirm on the official site before you buy.