Warzone 2100
Warzone 2100 is a free and open-source 3D real-time strategy game with a strong tactical edge. It was originally developed by Pumpkin Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in 1999 for Windows and the PlayStation, and was released as open source in 2004 — first the source code and most of the game data under the GPL-2.0-or-later, with the remaining data following in 2008. A volunteer team has maintained and modernised it ever since. Command the forces of The Project after a nuclear catastrophe has nearly destroyed mankind: seize territory and resources, build extensive bases, and expand your production and research to rebuild the world.
Key Features
- Design your own units — assemble vehicles from researched components: chassis, drive system (wheels or tracks) and a mounted weapon or support tool, then upgrade them as new technology arrives.
- Real-time strategy and tactics — manage production, power and research across a deep, incremental technology tree while fighting on a fully 3D battlefield where hills and buildings realistically block line of fire.
- Sensors, radar and counter-battery warfare — sensor towers and counter-battery sensors trace incoming artillery back to its source, so you can answer enemy bombardments with your own.
- Artillery-centred combat — long-range artillery, VTOL aircraft and anti-air defences dominate assaults on fortified bases and outposts.
- Three-act story campaign — the original 1999 campaign, from the deserts of Arizona to Chicago and the Gamma base, rebalanced and playable at modern resolutions.
- Online and LAN multiplayer — skirmish and team battles with up to 10 players, with dedicated-server support for long-running games.
- Veteran unit progression — surviving units earn experience and rank up from Rookie to Trained and Professional, so keeping them alive pays off.
- Oil derrick economy — income comes from scarce, fixed oil derrick sites that produce a slow, steady rate, which discourages turtling and rewards map control.
Why Use Warzone 2100?
It is one of the deepest free strategy games available: a complete, fully 3D commercial-era RTS that has been patched, rebalanced and modernised for over twenty years. There are no ads, no in-app purchases, no DRM and no account required, and the same build runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. The current stable release is 4.7.0 (April 2026).
Use Cases
- Playing a long, story-driven RTS campaign with unit design and base management.
- Multiplayer skirmishes and team games over LAN or the internet.
- Learning RTS theory: sensor warfare, counter-battery tactics and a trickle-income resource economy.
- A classic strategy game that still runs — and is still maintained — on modern hardware.
Platforms
Windows (7 and later, 32-bit, 64-bit and ARM64), macOS (Universal binary for Intel and Apple Silicon) and Linux (Flatpak, Snap and .deb packages). Source builds and community ports also cover FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, AmigaOS 4, AROS and MorphOS, and recent releases include a WebAssembly build that runs in a web browser.
Licence
Free and open source — the source code and game data are licensed under the GNU General Public License v2.0 or later. A 100% free game with no ads, no in-app purchases and no DRM.
Similar Tools
- 0 A.D. — free and open source, another full 3D historical real-time strategy game in the directory.
- OpenTTD — free and open source strategy and simulation, still maintained two decades after release.