Sudden Strike 5 brings back the WW2 RTS game for the first time in eight years

Another classic name in the WW2 RTS space has made a surprise return, as developer Kite Games and publisher Kalypso Media announce Sudden Strike 5. 25 years on from the first entry and eight since the launch of Sudden Strike 4, a new installment in the iconic wartime tactics series is coming. If that's tickled your tastebuds amid the mixed responses to Company of Heroes 3 and Broken Arrow, you can sign up now for a chance to take part in the Sudden Strike 5 closed beta.

Sudden Strike 5 will take us back to the World War II frontlines across Europe and North Africa in a 25-mission campaign. Boasting over 300 playable units including 190 vehicles and 110 infantry types, it promises to make a serious challenge for spots on both our best WW2 games and best RTS games lists. With a focus on authenticity, you can expect everything from the Sherman tank and Soviet T-34 to the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter. There's also support for custom PvP skirmishes against either computer-controlled opponents or real players.

To help you shape your strategy, you'll be able to bring your own selection of these forces to the battlefield, allowing you to adapt your tactics to suit the goals at hand. Stepping this up further is the ability to employ and customize Commanders that offer unique, tide-turning abilities such as deployable equipment, ways to disrupt your foe, or stat boosts such as increased artillery accuracy.

While we'll be waiting a while longer for the full launch, closed beta registration is live now. "We're looking for you," Kite Games writes. "The closed beta of Sudden Strike 5 is your chance to be one of the first players to try the game early and help us make sure it's ready for deployment." If you want to take part, simply fill out the form accessible via the official website; you'll be notified if you're selected to join.

Sudden Strike 5 is set to launch in 2026. You can wishlist it on Steam now if you're eager to stay up to date with it in the meantime. Additionally, a special sale means you can grab Sudden Strike 4 at $4.99 / £4.24 until Wednesday July 23, while the SS4 complete collection is also discounted to $12.89 / £10.77.

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