Tempest Rising

Tempest Rising is a 2025 real-time strategy (RTS) game developed by Slipgate Ironworks and 2B Games, and published by 3D Realms and Knights Peak. Widely hailed as the “spiritual successor” to the Command & Conquer franchise, it was designed specifically to recapture the magic of the 90s and early 2000s “Golden Age” of RTS.

As of May 2026, Tempest Rising has just celebrated its one-year anniversary. It stands as a cornerstone of the modern RTS revival, successfully blending old-school base building with modern Unreal Engine 5 visuals. Following a major “Anniversary Update” in late April 2026, the game has stabilized its competitive scene and expanded its lore, cementing itself as the premier choice for fans who miss the “Base Crawl” and “Tank Rush” of the classic era.

The Premise: An Alternate 1997

The game is set in an alternate history where the Cuban Missile Crisis escalated into a catastrophic nuclear World War III. Decades later, the world has partially recovered, but a mysterious, radioactive, and highly volatile plant-like substance known as Tempest has begun spreading across the globe. Part energy source, part biological hazard, Tempest has become the most valuable resource on the planet, sparking a new global conflict between the world’s remaining superpowers and a desperate insurgent empire.

Gameplay

Tempest Rising is a love letter to the mechanics of Command & Conquer. It ignores the “squad-cap” trends of modern strategy to focus on massive, base-centric warfare.

• Classic Base Building: Players start with a Mobile Construction Vehicle (MCV) that must be unpacked to establish a base. Structures are placed on a grid, and base layout is critical for defending your power plants and refineries.
• Dual-Resource Economy: The economy revolves around harvesting Tempest from fields using Harvesters. Additionally, players manage Intel, a secondary resource earned through combat and specialized structures, which can be spent on high-tier support powers like orbital strikes and specialized unit abilities.
• Tactical Command: The game features “Doctrines”—customizable loadouts chosen before a mission that alter your unit stats and support powers. This allows players to specialize in air superiority, heavy armor, or guerrilla tactics, adding a layer of modern “deck-building” strategy to the classic RTS loop.
• Legendary Soundscape: In a major coup for the developers, the soundtrack was composed by Frank Klepacki, the man behind the music of the original C&C and Red Alert. The driving industrial rock and synth-heavy beats are instrumental in making the game feel like a true successor to the classics.

The Factions

The game features three asymmetrical factions, each with its own approach to the Tempest war:

• Global Defense Force (GDF): A high-tech, peacekeeping organization reminiscent of GDI. They rely on “quality over quantity,” utilizing versatile infantry, heavily armored tanks, and superior air support. Their technology is clean, precise, and focused on maintaining global order through overwhelming force.
• Tempest Dynasty: A desperate, hard-hitting coalition of survivors and nations from the radioactive “Wastelands.” Mirroring the Brotherhood of Nod, they utilize cheaper, faster units, flamethrowers, and specialized “Salvage” mechanics to repurpose debris on the battlefield. They view the Tempest as a gift to be embraced, rather than a threat to be managed.
• The Veti: A mysterious third faction (added to multiplayer as part of the 2026 roadmap) that utilizes advanced, almost alien technology. They operate differently from the human factions, focusing on biological manipulation and reality-warping weaponry, serving as the “wild card” in the global conflict.

Key Features:

• True C&C Successor — Experience the classic “select all, attack move” gameplay modernized with fluid pathfinding and Unreal Engine 5 graphics.
• Story-Driven Campaigns — Two full 15-mission campaigns (GDF and Dynasty) featuring high-quality cinematics and a deep branching narrative.
• Asymmetrical Warfare — Three distinct factions with entirely unique economies, unit rosters, and base-building mechanics.
• Competitive Multiplayer — Built-in ranked matchmaking, leaderboards, and an integrated tournament system that has been active throughout 2025 and 2026.
• Deep Customization — Tailor your army before every match with specialized “Armory” and “Doctrine” upgrades that suit your tactical preference.

Release Platforms:

• Microsoft Windows (PC) — Released on Steam on April 17, 2025.
• Steam Deck — Fully “Verified” status as of early 2026, with a dedicated “Touch-RTS” control scheme.
• Consoles — As of May 2026, the game remains a PC-exclusive, with the developers focusing on the precision of mouse-and-keyboard gameplay.