# **Earth vs Mars: Relic Entertainment’s Upcoming Strategy Game Unveils Eccentric Hybrid Warfare**
Relic Entertainment, the distinguished studio known for real-time strategy (RTS) masterpieces such as *Company of Heroes*, *Dawn of War*, and *Age of Empires IV*, is setting out on a new adventure. Now an independent entity following its separation from Sega in 2024, the studio is aiming its sights on smaller, innovative projects. Their newest endeavor, *Earth vs Mars*, is a turn-based strategy game that pledges an extraordinary and eccentric combat experience. Scheduled to debut on PC in the summer of 2025, gamers can already add it to their wishlist on Steam.
## **A Clash of Civilizations: The Concept of Earth vs Mars**
As implied by its title, *Earth vs Mars* tells the story of an alien incursion. For decades, Martians have been capturing Earth’s creatures, conducting horrific experiments to engineer hybrid abominations. These peculiar beings—combinations of various animal species—are now poised to invade Earth.
Nevertheless, humanity stands ready to fight back. With the **Splice-O-Tron**, a formidable genetic alteration device, players have the ability to craft their own hybrid warriors for the defense. This feature adds an innovative twist to turn-based strategy gameplay, allowing players to play around with myriad animal traits to forge the ultimate fighting force.
## **Gameplay: Strategic Combat with Hybrid Entities**
In *Earth vs Mars*, players partake in turn-based skirmishes where cleverness and inventiveness play crucial roles. The game includes a **single-player campaign featuring 30 missions**, during which players will unlock new creature combinations and abilities progressively. Some of the wild hybrid units players can utilize include:
– **Cheetah Flies** – Nimble beings capable of showering acid from above.
– **Rhino Warriors** – Sturdy tanks that charge through enemy defenses.
– **Squirrel Cows** – Erratic and chaotic units adept at disarraying enemy formations.
As players advance, their units develop fresh abilities, and they can recruit distinct commanders, each possessing special skills to sway the tide of battle.
## **Multiplayer and Customization Options**
Besides the single-player experience, *Earth vs Mars* will offer **online multiplayer for head-to-head combat**, enabling players to pit their hybrid armies against one another. Moreover, a **map editor** will be part of the package, allowing players to create their own battlefields and scenarios, further enhancing the game’s replay value.
## **Relic Entertainment’s New Path**
In the wake of its exit from Sega, Relic Entertainment is embracing a daring new strategy. While the studio continues to develop traditional strategy titles such as *Company of Heroes 3*, it is also concentrating on **smaller, indie-style endeavors**. The aim is to produce and launch more games reflecting the distinctive **Relic DNA**, but within a condensed development timeframe of about two years.
This transformation could herald an exhilarating new chapter for the studio, allowing it to chase unconventional concepts like *Earth vs Mars*, which fuses profound strategy with a whimsical, creative narrative.
## **Release Date and Access**
*Earth vs Mars* is scheduled for release in **summer 2025** on PC. Interested players can **add the game to their wishlist on Steam** to keep abreast of its developments.
With its innovative hybrid-creation mechanics, turn-based confrontations, and a blend of single-player and multiplayer experiences, *Earth vs Mars* promises to be an intriguing addition to the strategy gaming landscape. Whether you’re a devoted Relic supporter or new to their creations, this unusual conflict between Earth and Mars is shaping up to be an essential play.