When Developers Quit, Players Keep Games Alive (Ep.45)

Community supported games are the reason classics like Age of Empires 2, Company of Heroes, and Heroes of Might and Magic 3 are still played decades after release. In this episode of the Critical Moves Podcast, we look at abandoned strategy games, how modding scenes keep them alive, and why some titles survive long after developers stop updating them.

We cover Dawn of War and its Definitive Edition, the ongoing debate of Civilization 6 vs Civilization 7, and the communities behind Command & Conquer and StarCraft 2. We also talk about forgotten strategy gems like Bungie’s Myth and how total conversion mods can grow into full games, such as Beyond All Reason.

From mods that improve graphics and add factions, to community servers that replace official ones, this discussion explores what makes certain strategy games timeless. If you’re interested in RTS history, fan-driven projects, or the debate around when a game is truly abandoned, this episode is for you.

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