Massively multiplayer online real-time strategy

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Shattered Galaxy

Massively multiplayer online real-time strategy (MMORTS) is a category for computer games that combines real-time strategy (RTS) with a large number of simultaneous players over the Internet. It is a type of massively multiplayer online game.

Example MMORTS games include Shattered Galaxy and Mankind. Project Visitor combines overhead army control of RTS with first-person combat (for example, for defensive/offensive respectively). Majorem's Ballerium tries to generate a closer RTS experience for the MMO category. Other games that have been called MMORTS include DarkSpace, Time of Defiance and Eschaton: Chain of Command. Visual Utopia is a turn based 2D MMORTS that is played through a javascript-enabled web browser.

In 2002, Dune Generations, potentially innovative but with technical issues, was canceled following Cryo Interactive' judiciary problems with its creditors. Again, two notable MMORTS were cancelled in early 2003: Trade Wars: Dark Millennium and Sony Online Entertainment's Sovereign. Majorem's Ballerium was in development for several years, suspended in October 2004, and then reported to be back in development in December 2004 after signing a publishing deal with Interplay Entertainment. Ballerium was finally cancelled on June 15, 2005 after Interplay failed to provide additional funds for further production, only to be brought back online by its core developing team, supported by the community. In 2005, Stardock also announced the development of their highly innovative Society, which should have a free version and an enhanced version with bonus for such as modern RTS graphics. In that same year Typhoon Games launched the public beta of Infinity Empire, a mecha-style 3D MMORTS. Another MMORTS that is more true to the RTS genre is Boundless Planet. It is currently in closed beta and make great progress towards the final goal of the game.