During Summer Game Fest, Frost Giant, a studio comprised of ex-Blizzard devs who worked on Starcraft 2, announced their new game — Stormgate.

The game will be coming to PC via steam as a free-to-play game without NFTs, as confirmed by the devs. There is no exact release date for the game yet, but a closed beta test is planned to be conducted in mid-2023.

Built in Unreal Engine 5, Stormgate will support high-resolution HD visuals in 4K and hundreds of unit models in epic, large-scale wars across a variety of maps and tilesets. Set in a sci-fi fantasy setting, the game attempts to present the RTS genre in a more accessible manner with easy controls, while also providing skill ladder matchmaking and tournaments,  ranging from the local grassroots level all the way up to professional esports.

“We are building Stormgate for the real-time strategy community–past, present, and future,” said Tim Morten, CEO and production director at Frost Giant Studios. “Our vision is to create a social experience that breaks down the barriers that have kept people away, to welcome back players who have been waiting for the next great RTS, and to prove that the RTS genre can thrive once again.”

Here is what players can expect from the game:

• Story-driven campaign missions, playable solo or with a friend
• Fully-integrated in-client esports, including 1v1 ranked matches on the competitive ladder and team-based 3v3 with unique win conditions
• A cooperative 3vE (three players vs. AI) mode, featuring meta-progression and ways to customize army abilities to create powerful synergies
• Freedom to express creativity and design skills with the in-game Editor
• Custom games created by other members of the community
• Spectate matches and level up IRL with enhanced learning tools

Whether you are a Starcraft vet or a newbie to RTS, visit the official Stormgate website to learn more or even sign up to join the beta test and be among the first to play.