Best strategy games on PC Game Pass

Find the best strategy and tactics titles to play via Game Pass

Microsoft

The Xbox Game Pass continues to be fed with new releases and old classics in monthly line-up refreshes. How good of a deal the subscription service is very much depends on each individual and their personal tastes, but recent updates (and some that have been announced for later this year) have made Game Pass an undeniably strong choice for fans of strategy games.

Whether you want to relive the classic RTS games from your childhood or dive into cutting edge city-builders of today, the PC Game Pass apparently has them all.

Best strategy games on PC Game Pass

Ara: History Untold

A brand-new and innovative take on turn-based 4X strategy games, Ara: History Untold takes a game of Civilization and implements Anno-like production chains into it. Does that work? It sure does. While not nailing every aspect, Oxide Games and Microsoft have created something really unique and interesting with this one and will hopefully refine the formula over the years to come.

Find our Ara: History Untold review for more details and check out how to use its crafting system to help your civilization thrive.

Ara is the most visually stunning turn-based strategy game. / Oxide Games / Microsoft

Manor Lords

Selling over 2.5 million units since its release in April 2024, this indie city-builder is one of the year’s greatest success stories in the video game industry – and it’s been on Game Pass on Day 1. Manor Lords is the most authentic medieval city-builder you can think of, sporting pretty visuals, intuitive building systems and mechanics, and some RTS elements to provide action.

You can find out more in our Manor Lords Early Access impressions.

Against the Storm

Another indie hit from publisher Hooded Horse, Against the Storm combines the city-builder and roguelike genres. It’s been crowned our best city-builder of 2023 and provides a unique take on the category, focusing on the exciting thrill of establishing a city, making you do it again and again before the overwhelming late game comes in to drain your energy. A brilliant recipe!

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition

What do you want me to say about this one? It’s the classic you know and love, but with all the modern amenities, quality-of-life improvements, and tutorials you could ever want. Oh, and tons of additional content that we didn’t have back in the day. Microsoft’s treatment of Age of Empires has flown under the radar a little bit, to its own detriment – it’s a textbook example of how to pay respect to an iconic franchise and make a strong remaster.

Age of Empires 4

Let’s not forget the modern incarnation of the series, though. Yes, Age of Empires 4 started a bit slow and needed more work done, but that work did eventually get done – and ‘lo and behold, it’s a bloody great RTS game with a nice visual style and lots of content to play by yourself or online.

Age of Mythology: Retold

The newest modernization of an RTS icon is Age of Mythology: Retold and, by Zeus, it’s another good one. On top of many quality-of-life improvements the game has been rebalanced and new content has been added to pad out some factions that were rather difficult to play in the original. What’s more, DLCs like Immortal Pillars are set to add brand-new content to the game.

Frostpunk 2

It’s a rare thing for a sequel to competently continue the atmosphere and tone of its predecessor while completely changing the gameplay loop, but 11 bit Studios has done it with Frostpunk 2. In this city-builder and society simulation game, you lead a city through the battle for survival in an icy apocalypse. But what’s the greater enemy: The ice or human nature?

For more on this game, check out our Frostpunk 2 review.

Make sure the lights don't go out. It may be a frosty if they do. / 11 bit Studios

Wartales

An RPG with tactical combat elements, Wartales is somewhat comparable to Battle Brothers – it’s an in-depth mercenary simulation, which will see you take contracts and travel the world in a bid to survive the harsh adventurer’s life.

The Lamplighters League

Fans of tactical turn-based combat should absolutely not miss out on The Lamplighters League, a fun and quirky take on the XCOM formula. Set in a post-WW1 world with supernatural powers, this game puts you in charge of a group of mercenaries, misfits, and idealists who need to stop evil forces from taking control of the ultimate power source in the world. Expect Indiana Jones vibes and lots of fun.

Check out our The Lamplighters League review to learn more.

Jurassic World Evolution 2

Rawr! Do you love dinosaurs? Do you love building zoos, making sure even the smallest details are perfect and to your liking? Well, I’m sure I had you at dinosaurs. Frontier’s beautiful and richly detailed Jurassic World Evolution 2 is the apex when it comes to building a dino park. Send out expeditions to perfect the genetic material at your disposal and then get on with the cloning – just make sure you have enough helicopters and jeeps around to hunt down any escapees.

Dune Spice Wars

The spice must flow – and to keep the spice flowing, you must build up a strong presence that can withstand the sands of Arrakis and, more importantly, your rivals. This is a slower, casual hybrid of RTS and 4X that puts you into the stillsuits of one of the empire’s great houses or the planet’s natives. No matter who you play as, the goal is one and the same: dominate the dunes.

Crusader Kings 3

Speaking of great houses and intrigues: Crusader Kings 3, Paradox Interactive’s complex and fascinating hybrid between RPG and grand strategy is on the service as well. Take control over your character and navigate the fortunes of war, plague, and politics in the medieval world. Your goal? Survive, produce an heir, and make sure that you have something to pass down to them. From bloody murder weddings to crusades, this game has it all. 

Oh, and did I tell you about restoring the Roman Empire yet?

Your house's history is yours to write in Crusader Kings 3. / Paradox Interactive

Stellaris

Is being a genocidal maniac on Earth too boring and vanilla for you? Then add megalomania to your list of vices and throw an entire galaxy into chaos in Stellaris, the sci-fi grand strategy title so vast and complex you won’t have to touch any other game on this list for at least a year. It’s up to you what path your fully customizable species takes, just make sure you are prepared for everything that might lurk out there among the stars.

Rise of Nations: Extended Edition

We are going back to RTS classics with this one. Take Empire Earth and add a Risk-style turn-based strategy map to it and you basically have Rise of Nations, which sees you lead nations from antiquity all the way to the future as you conquer the world and amass bonus resources to make you stronger in the battles to come.

Command & Conquer: Remastered Collection

You thought we were at an end with the classics, didn’t you? EA certainly hasn’t done all too much with the Command & Conquer IP in recent times, but the Remastered Collection was something the community could be genuinely thankful for. While not going as far as Microsoft with Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, this version of the iconic RTS games makes them playable on modern systems and more accessible for today’s audience.

StarCraft: Remastered & StarCraft 2

Coming to the service on November 5, 2024, are two of Blizzard’s finest RTS games. SC:R has the thrilling story of StarCraft and StarCraft: Brood War bundled up into a neat package that you can not only play on modern systems, but also without getting carpal tunnel – new amenities like unlimited unit selection make it possible. Then we have StarCraft 2’s campaigns, which may not be on par with the original’s in terms of story, but blow everything in the genre out of the water in regards to mission variety and presentation.

Hell, it's about time. / Blizzard Entertainment / Microsoft

That’s almost 20 absolute strategy bangers you can get through PC Game Pass – and I know one or two Blizzard games that could make the list even better in the future.