Real-Time Strategy Games With The Best PvP Multiplayer

Real-time strategy games are known for often having dense, in-depth mechanics and gameplay loops that challenge players to maintain efficiency, optimize an army, or otherwise use the mechanics at hand to rally some considerable foes. Sometimes, however, the considerable foe in question isn't an AI controlled opponent; they are another player, utilizing the same tools and trying to come out as the victor.

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By  Will Buckley

Whether gamers are real-time strategy veterans or newcomers to the genre looking to get a start somewhere, plenty of real-time strategy games offer PVP experiences for those who want to test their tactics and management skills against someone else. Of the many games that offer PVP for players to go head-to-head, or even compete in large-scale formats, these stand out as some of the best titles that RTS and PVP fans should keep an eye out for.

8 Stellaris

Forge Galactic Rivalries And Alliances

Stellaris is a game filled with tremendous customization possibilities, allowing players to fuse two from a huge number of civics together in order to create the galactic empire of their dreams, then send them out into the galaxy to forge an empire among the stars.

But heading out across the stars is a surefire way to encounter other species with empires of their own, and Stellaris gives players the option to not play nice with one another, should they instead desire to wage war on an interstellar scale in the fight for supremacy.

7 Wargame: Red Dragon

Twenty Players Can Compete With One Another At Once In This Title

Wargame: Red Dragon sees Western and Communist forces clashing in a gritty war simulator RTS, capable of holding a whopping 20 players at once on the same map, all in competition with one another.

It's a fantastic game that lets players engage in PVP on a colossal scale without losing sight of the individual minutae that goes into planning, managing, and commanding contemporary armies with many units all working together.

6 Beyond All Reason

RTS Battles On A Truly Huge Scale

• Platforms: PC
• Released: 2019
• Genre: Real-Time Strategy

Like many RTS games with real-time combat, Beyond All Reason is a game that compels the player to plan ahead and prepare thoroughly, juggling through a myriad of units that all serve a unique purpose on a grand scale of war.

Battles in this game encompass a huge number of units at once, each firing weapons based on realistic projectile physics and aspects of the environment such as terrain and elevation. Especially considering that this is a free, open source game, Beyond All Reason is an incredibly impressive PVP RTS.

5 Age Of Empires 4

A Title Immersed In The Historical Epics Of The Past

Considered by many to be the best Age of Empires game, with the most depth and tactical strategy behind it, Age of Empires 4 is a title that shines as a tactical PVP RTS, with players utilizing the unique mechanics of their chosen culture to try and achieve total dominance.

There are many strategies that can make victory in this game viable no matter the odds, and for players well-versed in AOE4's mechanics, they will never run out of new methods to try in multiplayer.

4 Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War 2

Fast-Paced PVP Skirmishes

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 focuses on tight, baseless real-time gameplay, keeping players in charge of a close-knit squadron of units from their chosen faction, as well as vehicles and artillery to further supplement their ranks.

Like a lot of things in the grim darkness of the future, PVP combat in this game is relentless and brutal. Players will opt for blitzkrieg tactics or shell slower moving units with projectiles, and those who fail to adapt will perish quickly.

3 Company Of Heroes 2

Engage In A Highly Tactical PVP Experience

Few games can match the prestige and renowned of Company of Heroes 2, easily considered one of the best action RTS games within the genre. There are plenty of factors at play for this reputation, from the attention to historical authenticity to the brutal gameplay.

For those looking to take on the theater of war in PVP, they would be hard-pressed to find a WW2 game that does it better than Company of Heroes 2 or its recent sequel.

2 Warno

Experience A Third World War With Other Gamers

Warno is matched by few other games in terms of its attention to detail and the need for multiple battalions to be working together at once. It's a game with a colossal sense of scale, and it sees both the NATO aligned and Communist Bloc forces fleshed out like never before.

Players who engage in PVP in this title need to have robust land and air doctrines, able to mesh them together at will to lend support to their slower moving units like tanks and capture enemy targets quickly and efficiently.

1 Starcraft 2

The Preeminent Multiplayer RTS

Starcraft 2 has flourished for over ten years as a mainstay among those looking for an RTS experience, supporting wide-scale co-op as well as fast-paced PVP action. It's a title with an almost impossible level of depth to master, but discovering good synergy between units is immensely satisfying.

New players looking to pick this up should expect some time-hardened veterans in the PVP scene, which is still active today, but commanding entire fleets of starships at once is a uniquely addicting experience sure to keep people of all proficiency levels coming back.

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