Starcraft style Stormgate reaches big 1.0 milestone, and launches first campaign

I've heard a lot of good things about Stormgate, despite its rocky start in early access. The free-to-play RTS not only comes from a studio helmed by ex-Starcraft devs, but it has a science fantasy universe and worldbuilding assisted by Blizzard legend Chris Metzen, as well as some sick looking graphics. I'm usually the kind of person who waits for a game to leave early access before I take the plunge, so luckily for me, Stormgate is hitting 1.0 today. Even better, you can play its much-anticipated debut campaign right now.

A spiritual successor to Starcraft 2, Stormgate showed all the promise of being one of the best RTS games when it launched into early access last year. Although there's been plenty of kinks that have needed to be smoothed out, the game has seen a lot of improvements, and even more are set to arrive with this new 1.0 launch.

The 1.0 update also comes with a whole host of fixes, tweaks, and a balance update for all three factions: the human Vanguard, the demonic Infernal Host, and the angelic Celestial Armada. The latter also receives a complete revamp, with a massive mechanical overhaul arriving in 1.0 for the heavenly cohort.

That's not all. From today, players can experience Stormgate's debut paid campaign, Ashes of Earth - a 12-mission affair that focuses on the Vanguard, packed with a narrative that'll kick Stormgate's universe into a higher gear. Three missions will be available for free for all players, alongside Stormgate's lineup of free game modes.

The campaign launch will be aided by the game's star-studded cast, including videogame favorite Matthew Mercer and Marvel's Shang-Chi (and my favorite from Kim's Convenience Store) Simu Liu. There will also be new unlockable pets and 36 all-new Steam achievements. If Simu Liu is not enough to convince you to play Stormgate, then the Fuzzy Moth definitely should. I mean, just look at this cute little guy.

There's also an all-new Sigma Labs experimental hub, which allows you to playtest three player co-op modes and the Terrain Editor, which will open the doors to full community map-making and custom games support.

That's just the tip of the iceberg - you can check out the full 1.0 release notes on Steam here.

Stormgate's 1.0 update launches today, August 5. You can buy the new Ashes of Earth campaign for $24.99, or the Ultimate Edition bundle at $64.99, which includes all six purchasable heroes, the full Ashes of Earth campaign, an adorable chicken pet (not as cute as Fuzzy Moth though), and the Firestorm fog of war shader.

If Stormgate doesn't quite hit the spot for you, delve into other worlds with our guide to the best fantasy games. Or cut your teeth on these best strategy games to hone your skills.

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