Blizzard Vets' New RTS steals top fighting game feature

The highly-anticipated upcoming RTS title Stormgate, developed by Frost Giant Studios, has successfully launched a Kickstarter campaign, reaching its funding goal rapidly and surpassing several stretch goals. Created by veteran developers known for their work on Warcraft and Starcraft, Frost Giant aims to refresh the RTS genre with Stormgate's innovative gameplay and advanced features. Stormgate will feature an evolving sci-fi fantasy storyline with key heroes and promises a gameplay experience built around the four Cs: campaign, co-op, custom games, and competitive gameplay.

While the core game will be free-to-play, additional content will be available for purchase. Stormgate is wielding breakthrough technology coined SnowPlay, based on Unreal Engine 5, capable of rendering thousands of on-screen units without performance loss, thanks to its powerful simulation speed. Notably, the game employs rollback netcode, a technique praised in fighting games for its ability to maintain smooth online play even in high latency situations. Additionally, Stormgate supports features like hot join, reconnect, and mass spectating, and allows for up to 32 players in a single game. Contributors to the Kickstarter campaign will gain access to the beta version and various rewards. Currently, an early access release date has yet to be disclosed, leaving RTS fans eager for more news on when they can dive into Stormgate's immersive gameplay.

Rollback netcode is a technology used in online gaming that provides a smoother experience by predicting player inputs and rolling back to correct any discrepancies when actual inputs arrive, particularly important in games requiring swift reactions and precision. Its application in Stormgate is significant as it showcases the game's commitment to providing a robust and responsive online multiplayer experience, borrowing successful features from the fighting game community to enhance the RTS genre.

The details regarding the duration and current status of Stormgate's Kickstarter campaign were not mentioned in the summary. Interested parties should check the Kickstarter website or follow Stormgate's official updates for the most recent information on backing the project and potential rewards.