At the New Game+ Showcase 2026 held on the 9th, a new title that blends the nostalgia of classic RTS with modern quality-of-life features—IMMORTAL: Gates of Pyre—was revealed. Developer SunSpear Games presented a new RTS rulebook in which strategic decision-making matters more than high-speed mechanical execution—what Korean players often call “physical” play (피지컬)—in other words, where sharp game sense and strategic thinking—“brain” play (뇌지컬)—take precedence.

The system that drew the most attention during the showcase was Simulated APM. Traditional RTS games often demand hundreds of clicks per minute (APM) to precisely control units, but IMMORTAL provides systemic assistance for this.

Because the AI supports unit pathing and micro, players can focus less on obsessing over individual unit movement and more on overall army management and tactical planning. The developers explained, “We’ve dramatically lowered the control difficulty that has long been RTS’s biggest barrier to entry.”

Another key feature is the Unified Command Card system. Much like the UI design in MOBA genres such as League of Legends or Dota 2, the interface is built so players can use skills for both heroes and their entire army in a clear, intuitive way.

The developers said, “A lot of users tell us that our game looks like an RTS, but once they actually play it, they feel like they’re commanding an army the way you do in a MOBA,” adding, “Our goal is to delicately mix RTS’s macro-level strategy with the fun of MOBA-style hero control.”

Panelists also highlighted the team’s background. SunSpear Games was founded by veteran modders who created well-known mods for titles like StarCraft II, Skyrim, and Oblivion. Panelists voiced confidence, saying it’s “a game made by people who love RTS more than anyone—and truly understand it.”

Panelist Jake commented, “I’ve been desperately hoping RTS would make a real comeback, and this feels like it could be the answer,” and praised it as “a dream combination—StarCraft II’s unit handling fused with Warcraft III’s hero system.” IMMORTAL: Gates of Pyre will be offered under a free-to-play model and is scheduled for official release in the second half of this year.

This article was translated from the original that appeared on INVEN.