RTS is a "dying market": Ironclad director talks genre decline

Sins of a Solar Empire developer Ironclad Games believes that the RTS genre has become niche and is now dying out. That's the sentiment of studio co-owner and director Blair Fraser.

In an interview with RPS, Fraser stated, "RTSes, to my mind, are very niche now. And that’s unfortunate, because that’s what I love, and that’s what I grew up playing, and that’s what I make. Or made, anyway. I just think the demographics have changed. Company of Heroes may be profitable, and StarCraft II is an anomaly. But most of them aren’t gonna get big numbers. It’s a dying market.”

On the subject of the studio's own RTS, Sins of a Solar Empire, Fraser admits that while it's still "thriving", it has now "kind of diverged from classic RTS, so it still has a place. It still has a very specific community that wants more. There are games like Total War as well, but they broke away from classic base-building, because that’s done. It’s sad for me to say, but that’s done.”

Fraser's statement comes as EA is gearing up its Command & Conquer project, a game that looks to capture all of the base-building and resource management of class RTS titles. What do you think about its chances at market? Let us know below.