Relic Announces Turn-Based Strategy Game ‘Earth vs Mars’
Relic Entertainment—the Vancouver-based studio known for the original Homeworld series, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, Company of Heroes, and Age of Empires IV—officially left SEGA last year to become an independent developer once again. Earlier this month, the studio revealed a roadmap outlining ongoing support for existing games like Company of Heroes 3, as well as plans to develop smaller, experimental titles under a new “Relic Labs” initiative.
Relic unveiled Earth vs Mars, one of the first entries in this fresh line of indie-style projects. According to the announcement, these Relic Labs titles aim to let the team branch out and explore different sub-genres—experiencing faster development cycles while remaining unafraid to take creative risks. Earth vs Mars itself is a single player turn-based strategy game focusing on humanity’s desperate attempt to repel a high-tech Martian invasion. Players step into the shoes of human commanders forced to unite Earth’s armed forces against invading alien saucers, grav tanks, and powerful extraterrestrial warriors threatening to overrun the planet.
In the fight against Mars, players can research ways to create human/creature “hybrids,” effectively combining volunteer soldiers with Earth’s wildlife to develop super soldiers capable of turning the tide. As you progress through the campaign, you’ll unlock new creatures to splice, unit upgrades, and impactful commander abilities—but the Martians won’t sit idle. They’ll deploy advanced tech and mysterious biological threats, including “The Creep,” a terrifying sentient weapon, and their own mutated abominations, ensuring the conflict remains dynamic and intense.
Many units in Earth vs Mars boast unique abilities, which Relic hopes will provide significant replayability and strategic depth. Multiple commanders are confirmed to be in the game; each one arrives with their own unique passive and active bonuses designed to synergize with various playstyles. According to Relic, the story-driven campaign will span over thirty handcrafted missions, weaving an expansive narrative of desperation and cunning as Earth’s forces rally under mounting pressure.
Beyond single-player content, there’s a VS mode for those who want to battle AI opponents on custom-designed battlefields, and an online multiplayer component allowing users to fight as either Earth or the Martian invaders—testing their strategic mettle against real human adversaries. Notably, the game includes a full-featured map editor intended to fuel creativity and community engagement, letting players craft their own maps and scenarios. There’s no specific release date yet, but interested players can wishlist the game on Steam, signaling the project’s active development and upcoming launch window.
What do you think about Relic’s bold move into turn-based strategy with Earth vs Mars—does the hybrid-soldier system and Martian threat pique your interest? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
