Best Value RTS Games Under $40

The RTS games on Steam games under $40 that deliver the most playtime per dollar: median reviewer hours divided by current price.

All Indie Action Adventure Simulation RPG Strategy Co-op Open World Story Rich Casual Funny Survival Difficult Pixel Graphics PvP Horror Anime Puzzle Rogue-like Relaxing Turn-Based Strategy Local Co-Op Psychological Horror Hack and Slash Platformer MMO RTS Immersive Sim Post-apocalyptic Action Roguelike City Builder Life Sim Zombies Sports Racing Survival Horror Stealth Bullet Hell Dungeon Crawler Visual Novel JRPG Deckbuilding Grand Strategy Cyberpunk Tower Defense Clicker Fighting Open World Survival Craft Boomer Shooter Colony Sim Farming Sim Cozy Auto Battler Cooking Twin Stick Shooter Metroidvania 4X Souls-like Dating Sim MMORPG

By price

Any priceUnder $5Under $10Under $20Under $40
Median reviewer playtime divided by price. Reviewers tend to sink more hours in than the average owner, so treat this as an optimistic estimate. Free games are excluded because there's no price to divide by.
  1. 1Hearts of Iron IV39 h/$
  2. 2Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition11 h/$
  3. 3Mechabellum9.9 h/$
  4. 4Survivalist: Invisible Strain8.9 h/$
  5. 5Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun6.7 h/$
  6. 6Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition6.6 h/$
  7. 7Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition6.5 h/$
  8. 8ENDLESS Space 26.4 h/$
  9. 9Total War: SHOGUN 26.4 h/$
  10. 10Victoria II6.4 h/$
  11. 11UBOAT6.3 h/$
  12. 12Dyson Sphere Program5.9 h/$
  13. 13Terra Invicta5.7 h/$
  14. 14Mindustry5.7 h/$
  15. 15Rise of Nations: Extended Edition5.3 h/$
  16. 16From the Depths5.3 h/$
  17. 17Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition5.1 h/$
  18. 18Halo Wars: Definitive Edition5.1 h/$
  19. 19Total War: NAPOLEON – Definitive Edition4.7 h/$
  20. 20Age of Empires: Definitive Edition4.7 h/$
  21. 21Rusted Warfare - RTS4.4 h/$
  22. 22Age of Empires II (Retired)4.4 h/$
  23. 23Tower Dominion4.2 h/$
  24. 24Brutal Legend4.0 h/$
  25. 25They Are Billions3.8 h/$
  26. 26Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance3.6 h/$
  27. 27Warpips3.4 h/$
  28. 28Natural Selection 23.4 h/$
  29. 29Stronghold HD (2012)3.3 h/$
  30. 30Total War: THREE KINGDOMS3.3 h/$
  31. 31Lobotomy Corporation | Monster Management Simulation3.2 h/$
  32. 32Age of History 33.2 h/$
  33. 33Clanfolk3.1 h/$
  34. 34Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)3.0 h/$
  35. 35Anno 1404 - History Edition3.0 h/$
  36. 36IXION3.0 h/$
  37. 37STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack3.0 h/$
  38. 38Supreme Commander 23.0 h/$
  39. 39Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront2.9 h/$
  40. 40Tropico 42.9 h/$
  41. 41Kingdoms Reborn2.9 h/$
  42. 42Company of Heroes2.8 h/$
  43. 43Kenshi2.8 h/$
  44. 44Wargame: Red Dragon2.8 h/$
  45. 45Age of Mythology: Retold2.8 h/$
  46. 46Infection Free Zone2.8 h/$
  47. 47Emberward2.6 h/$
  48. 48Banished2.5 h/$
  49. 49Diplomacy is Not an Option2.4 h/$
  50. 50Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic2.4 h/$
  51. 51Company of Heroes 22.4 h/$
  52. 52112 Operator2.3 h/$
  53. 53Sailing Era2.3 h/$
  54. 54Kingdom Rush Frontiers - Tower Defense2.2 h/$
  55. 55Aliens: Dark Descent2.2 h/$
  56. 56Master of Orion2.1 h/$
  57. 57Gladiator Guild Manager2.1 h/$
  58. 58Against the Storm2.1 h/$
  59. 59Stronghold Legends: Steam Edition2.0 h/$
  60. 60Going Medieval2.0 h/$
  61. 61Planetbase2.0 h/$
  62. 62Age of Mythology: Extended Edition2.0 h/$
  63. 63Northgard: Definitive Edition1.9 h/$
  64. 64Kingdoms and Castles1.9 h/$
  65. 65Call to Arms1.8 h/$
  66. 66Colony Survival1.8 h/$
  67. 67DG2: Defense Grid 21.8 h/$
  68. 68Command & Conquer Remastered Collection1.8 h/$
  69. 69Outpost: Infinity Siege1.8 h/$
  70. 70Castle Story1.8 h/$
  71. 71Total War: ROME REMASTERED1.8 h/$
  72. 72Dawn of Man1.8 h/$
  73. 73Stronghold 2: Steam Edition1.7 h/$
  74. 74The Crust1.7 h/$
  75. 75Farthest Frontier1.7 h/$
  76. 76ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS 8 REMAKE1.7 h/$
  77. 77WARNO1.7 h/$
  78. 78Sudden Strike 41.6 h/$
  79. 79The Wandering Village1.5 h/$
  80. 80Element TD 2 - Tower Defense1.5 h/$
  81. 81Tropico 51.5 h/$
  82. 82Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 21.4 h/$
  83. 83Dummynation1.3 h/$
  84. 84Men of War: Assault Squad 21.3 h/$
  85. 85Airships: Conquer the Skies1.3 h/$
  86. 86Creeper World 41.3 h/$
  87. 87Door Kickers 2: Task Force North1.3 h/$
  88. 88Ultimate General: Civil War1.3 h/$
  89. 89Empires of the Undergrowth1.2 h/$
  90. 90Age of Darkness: Final Stand1.2 h/$
  91. 91Starship Troopers: Terran Command1.2 h/$
  92. 92War Mongrels1.2 h/$
  93. 93Evil Genius 2: World Domination1.2 h/$
  94. 94Foundation1.1 h/$
  95. 95Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts1.1 h/$
  96. 96Stronghold: Definitive Edition1.1 h/$
  97. 97The Stronghold Collection1.0 h/$
  98. 98Border Pioneer1.0 h/$
  99. 99A Total War Saga: THRONES OF BRITANNIA1.0 h/$
  100. 100Cossacks 31.0 h/$

How the math works: we sample each game’s Steam reviewers, take the median of their total recorded playtime (lifetime hours, not hours at the time of review), and divide it by the game’s current price in your selected currency. Reviewers usually sink more hours in than the average owner, so the numbers run generous. Free games aren’t listed because there’s no price to divide by, and a game needs playtime data from at least 20 reviewers before it qualifies. All prices are Steam’s own regional prices, never exchange-rate conversions.