Whether you are controlling entire nations or dynasties in grand strategy games, or just constructing a town in city builders, or maybe even just commanding a squad of troops, strategy games truly have something for everybody.
Since strategy games are based on careful and tactical approaches, there is no greater feeling than destroying another player in an online match.
With that in mind here are 15 of the best online strategy games if you want to destroy other people with your strategic skills.
15. Age of Empires IV (PC)
Age of Empires IV brings back the classic RTS gameplay to modern times. It’s surprisingly simple on the surface but difficult to master. Gather resources, build a base, build an army, attack the other players, a basic yet engaging gameplay loop that will keep you occupied for hundreds of hours.
14. Age of Empires II Definitive (PC)
Age of Empires II Definitive edition is an updated version of a 20-year-old game, but don't let that fool you, it still plays great, now it just looks great as well. Like in AoE IV, you gather resources, build a base, an army, and destroy the enemy. The multiplayer component is still very active and fun, which makes it a perfect choice for someone who wants something similar to Age of Empire IV, but at a lower price.
13. StarCraft 2 (PC / MacOS)
Starcraft 2 is the essential RTS game. What more needs to be said about Starcraft 2 other than the fact that the game's multiplayer mode spawned an entire esports scene. StarCraft 2 competitions are proof of just how good its gameplay is. Take control of one of three races and take on your friends in 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, or 4v4 in spectacular fun sci-fi combat, and the best part is that StarCraft 2 multiplayer is free since 2017.
12. Total War: Warhammer 2 (PC / macOS)
Total War: Warhammer 2 is a turn-based strategy game and a real-time tactics game set in the Warhammer fantasy world. You take control of a faction and guide it to victory by taking over territories, managing your economy, and fulfilling objectives in turns, similar to the Civilisation series. The best part is you get to play the actual battles in real-time, controlling regiments and using superior tactics to beat your enemies, and you can do all of that in multiplayer. This game is essentially a must-have if you're a fan of both strategy and fantasy.
11. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (PC / MacOS / iOS / Android / PS4 / Xbox One / Switch)
Civilization VI is the latest game in the acclaimed 4x series. Take control of a civilization and guide it through the ages, from the stone age to the space race, one turn at a time. Achieve victory in a variety of ways; by focusing on science, culture, diplomacy, or conquest. The best thing I can say about Civilization VI is that it's one of a few games that let you drop a nuke on your friends' capital and watch them rage over it.
10. Foxhole (PC)
Foxhole is a massively multiplayer game featuring a persistent online war. You will work with hundreds of other players to win battles that can last up to a month of real-world time. Literally, every soldier is a player, every aspect of battle from gathering resources, base building, planning and logistics, reconnaissance, and so on are controlled by players. This makes the game extremely unique and one of the best war simulations out there.
9. Iron Harvest (PC / PS5 / Xbox Series X/S)
Iron Harvest is an RTS game heavily inspired by Company of Heroes. The game is set in a 1920 alternative history universe, with giant dieselpunk mechs, because if there is one thing we know it’s that giant mechs make everything better. Iron Harvest features three campaigns, co-op, and multiplayer modes. Iron Harvest is perfect for people interested in strategy and alternative history.
8. Town of Salem (PC / macOS / iOS / Android)
Town of Salem is inspired by party games such as Mafia and Werewolf. Players are secretly assigned roles belonging to teams, a smaller group of players “the guilty”, and a larger group of players “the innocent”. Both teams seek to eliminate the other for control of the town using different methods. Town of Salem is a social game, which means that most of the gameplay is talking and, usually, deceiving other players. This game is great if you want to showcase your lying and manipulation skills to your friends.
7. Northgard (PC / Xbox One / PS4 / Switch)
If you’re a fan of Norse mythology and are looking for an RTS set in that world, then Northgard is just the game for you. In Northgard you take control of one of six Viking clans who are fighting for control of a mysterious new land. Collect resources, survive the winter and lead your clan to victory, either in singleplayer or online multiplayer against your friends.
6. Colony Survival (PC)
Colony Survival is a unique first-person strategy game, where you build your base, command units, and defend your colony against hordes of enemies every night, alone or with a friend in co-op multiplayer. It’s basically what would happen if you made Minecraft into an RTS, even the voxel-based art style is very reminiscent of Minecraft.
5. Factorio (PC / macOS)
Factorio is a factory construction and management simulation. You play as a person stuck on an alien planet after a crash landing and your main goal is to escape. To do that you need a lot of resources, you start by manually collecting basic resources, but by the end, you will have a planet-spanning factory, all the while increasingly powerful aliens attack you. The game can be played in multiplayer, either PvE or PvP.
4. Humankind (PC / macOS)
Humankind is a 4X strategy game, very similar to the Civilization series, but with a few unique ideas. The biggest difference is that you don’t control a single civilization, but rather you create your own through mixing different cultures. This system makes the game more dynamic since you get to keep the bonuses and penalties of all the different cultures. The battle system is also different from Civilization since each battle plays out like a mini turn-based game. You can also play Humankind in an extremely fun 8 player multiplayer mode.
3. MTG Arena (PC / MacOS / iOS / Android)
Magi: The Gathering Arena is a digital adaptation of the card game Magic: The Gathering. Since MTG Arena is based on the physical card game the goals are the same, collect cards, build out your deck, and battle other players using that deck. You can get cards through booster packs, in-game achievements, or microtransactions, the game is free to play after all. It’s definitely one of the better digital card games out there right now.
2. Total War: Three Kingdoms (PC / macOS)
If you're a fan of Total War games, with their mix of turn-based strategy and real-time battles, but you don't enjoy too much fantasy, then Total War: Three Kingdoms is the perfect game for you. It's set in China during the Three Kingdoms period, where you take control of one of the warlords from that period and shape the future of China. As is standard for Total War games it features multiplayer, so you can play the campaign with a friend.
1. Call to Arms (PC)
Call to Arms is a mix of an RTS game and an FPS game. I know, if you’re reading this article it’s basically a dream come true. In Call to Arms, you take control of a squad of troops and position them on the map in an RTS style, but also you can control every soldier or vehicle in first-person mode. The multiplayer is fun as well and when you win you get to brag that you’re not just a better strategy game player, but also a better FPS player than your friends.
