Editing Real-time strategy (section)

===2004–2012: Specialization and evolution===
A few games have experimented with diversifying map design, which continues to be largely two-dimensional even in 3D engines. ''[[Earth 2150]]'' (2000) allowed units to tunnel underground, effectively creating a dual-layer map; three-layer (orbit-surface-underground) maps were introduced in ''[[Metal Fatigue (video game)|Metal Fatigue]]''. In addition, units could even be transported to entirely separate maps, with each map having its own window in the user interface. ''[[Three Kingdoms: Fate of the Dragon]]'' (2001) offered a simpler model: the main map contains locations that expand into their own maps. In these examples, however, the gameplay was essentially identical regardless of the map layer in question. ''[[Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard|Dragonshard]]'' (2005) emphasized its dual-layer maps by placing one of the game's two main resources in each map, making exploration and control of both maps fundamentally valuable.

Relatively few genres have emerged from or in competition with real-time strategy games, although [[real-time tactics]] (RTT), a superficially similar genre, emerged around 1995. In 1998, [[Activision]] attempted to combine the real-time strategy and [[first-person shooter]] genres in ''[[Battlezone (1998 video game)|Battlezone]]'' (1998), while in 2002 [[Rage Games Limited]] attempted this with the ''[[Hostile Waters (game)|Hostile Waters]]'' games. Later variants have included [[Natural Selection (video game)|''Natural Selection'' (2002)]], a game modification based on the Half-Life engine, and the [[free software]] ''[[Tremulous]]''/''[[Unvanquished (video game)|Unvanquished]]''. ''[[Savage: The Battle for Newerth]]'' (2003) combined the RPG and RTS elements in an online game.

Some games, borrowing from the [[real-time tactics]] (RTT) template, have moved toward an increased focus on tactics while downplaying traditional resource management, in which designated units collect the resources used for producing further units or buildings. Titles like ''[[Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War]]'' (2004), ''[[Star Wars: Empire at War]]'' (2006), and ''[[Company of Heroes]]'' (2006) replace the traditional resource gathering model with a strategic control-point system, in which control over strategic points yields construction/reinforcement points. ''[[Ground Control (video game)|Ground Control]]'' (2000) was the first such game to replace individual units with "squads".

Others are moving away from the traditional real-time strategy game model with the addition of other genre elements. One example is ''[[Sins of a Solar Empire]]'' (2008), released by [[Ironclad Games]], which mixes elements of grand-scale stellar empire building games like ''[[Master of Orion]]'' with real-time strategy elements. Another example is indie game ''[[Achron]]'' (2011), which incorporates time travel as a game mechanic, allowing a player to send units forward or backward in time.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[Spiegel Online]] | last=Fahrenbach | first=Achim | title =Dancing on the timeline | language=de | url=http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/games/0,1518,690063,00.html | date=April 25, 2010 | access-date=August 30, 2011}}</ref>

[[Multiplayer online battle arena]] games (MOBA) have originated as a subgenre of real-time strategy games, however this fusion of real-time strategy, [[Role-playing video game|role-playing]], and [[action game]]s has lost many traditional RTS elements. These type of games moved away from constructing additional structures, base management, army building, and controlling additional units. Map and the main structures for each team are still present, and destroying enemy main structure will secure victory as the ultimate victory condition.<ref>{{Cite arXiv|last1=Silva|first1=Victor do Nascimento|last2=Chaimowicz|first2=Luiz|date=2017-05-30|title=MOBA: a New Arena for Game AI|eprint=1705.10443|class=cs.AI|language=en}}</ref> Unlike in RTS, a player has control over the only one single powerful unit, called "hero" or "champion", who advances in level, learns new abilities, and grows in power over the course of a match.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last1=Cannizzo|first1=Alejandro|last2=Ramírez|first2=Esmitt|title=Towards Procedural Map and Character Generation for the MOBA Game Genre|journal=Ingeniería y Ciencia|year=2015|volume=11|issue=22|pages=95–119|doi=10.17230/ingciencia.11.22.5|issn=1794-9165|doi-access=free|hdl=10784/7884|hdl-access=free}}</ref> Players can find various friendly and enemy units on the map at any given time assisting each team, however, these units are computer-controlled and players usually don't have direct control over their movement and [[Spawning (gaming)|creation]]; instead, they march forward along set paths.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-08-01|title=How MOBAs Took Over Gaming|url=https://me.ign.com/en/pc/70142/feature/how-mobas-took-over-gaming|access-date=2020-09-14|website=IGN Middle East|language=en-ae}}</ref> ''[[Defense of the Ancients]]'' (''DotA''), a ''[[Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos|Warcraft III]]'' [[Mod (video gaming)|mod]] from 2003, and its standalone sequel ''[[Dota 2]]'' (2013), as well as ''[[League of Legends]]'' (2009), and ''[[Heroes of the Storm]]'' (2015), are the typical representatives of the new [[Strategy video game|strategy]] subgenre.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-09-01|title=The history of MOBAs: From mod to sensation|url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/09/01/the-history-of-mobas-from-mod-to-sensation/|access-date=2020-09-15|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.progamerreview.com/best-moba-games/|title=Best Modern MOBA Games - LoL, Dota 2, HotS & Smite Compared|last1=Amstrup|first1=Johannes|last2=ersen|date=2017-09-15|website=Pro Gamer Reviews|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref> Former game journalist [[Luke Smith (writer)|Luke Smith]] called ''DotA'' "the ultimate RTS".<ref>{{cite web|last1=O'Connor|first1=Frank|last2=Smith|first2=Luke|date=February 19, 2008|title=The Official Bungie Podcast|url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/8/5/d85ce76f-0cb2-41df-aaae-a8c96790332b/Bungie_Podcast_021908.mp3|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411182931/http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/8/5/d85ce76f-0cb2-41df-aaae-a8c96790332b/Bungie_Podcast_021908.mp3|archive-date=April 11, 2008|access-date=February 27, 2008|publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref>