8-Bit Armies
Released Apr 2016
8-Bit Armies is a retro Real-Time Strategy game. With a colorful, blocky voxel art style, 8-Bit Armies is Petroglyph's most fast-paced, friendly, and accessible RTS game to date. Featuring a campaign of 25 single-player missions, 12 co-op missions, multiplayer and skirmish modes.
81% positive · 2,467 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to buy
Steam Lowest $7.49 $14.99 −50% Green Man Gaming Steam key $14.99
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Evaluation
8-Bit Armies launched on April 22, 2016 as a finished RTS game with a 25-mission campaign, co-op missions, and multiplayer modes. Following launch, Petroglyph supported the game with a steady stream of feature patches and bug fixes through 2017, including adding observer mode, replays, a free Metaverse mode, and balance updates. A single campaign DLC — the Guardians Campaign — shipped on June 3, 2016, and both DLCs are fully released with nothing outstanding.
Developer activity on 8-Bit Armies slowed significantly after 2017, with only occasional maintenance patches. A notable update on October 6, 2020 brought engine improvements and a new music track, and on November 14, 2023, Petroglyph pushed what appears to be a final round of bug fixes, balance changes, and three new music tracks — the most recent developer communication for this game.
In October 2023, Petroglyph announced 9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far, a full sequel to 8-Bit Armies, which entered Early Access in February 2024 and reached full release on October 16, 2024. The sequel's announcement and the November 2023 update — which updated in-game news to point players toward the sequel — together signal that 8-Bit Armies itself has reached the end of its content lifecycle. All DLC is released, no future content has been announced for 8-Bit Armies, and the developer's focus has clearly shifted to the sequel.
Evidence
Final patch for the 8-Bit series: bug fixes, balance changes, three new music tracks, and in-game news updated to point players toward the sequel 9-Bit Armies. Most recent developer communication for this game.
Petroglyph announced 9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far, a direct sequel to 8-Bit Armies, signaling a shift in development focus away from the original game.
Content
2 of 2 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Petroglyph
Achievements
29
Platform
Windows
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player · Multiplayer · Co-op · PvP · Local/Split Screen
About this game
A Blast From the Past!
8-Bit Armies is a retro Real-Time Strategy game for the PC. With a colorful, blocky voxel art style, 8-Bit Armies is Petroglyph's most fast-paced, friendly, and accessible RTS game to date. Collect resources, build up and defend your base, amass your army of military units, and ultimately crush your opponents! 8-Bit Armies features offline single-player missions, two-player cooperative missions, AI skirmish mode, and Player-vs-Player Multiplayer modes running on dedicated game servers.
Initial release includes:
8-Bit Armies is for anyone that enjoys RTS games, or felt overwhelmed by more serious games. With hours of solo and co-op gameplay included, there's something here for everyone!
"Its biggest offering to the RTS genre is its brilliant retro design and vivid, colourful graphics coupled with easy-to-learn gameplay. For those intimidated by the complexity of RTS games, 8-Bit Armies is a great place to start."
- CGMagazine
"Simple and balanced game play make 8-bit Armies an indie game gem! I wasn’t kidding when I said that I can’t stop playing this game, it is that good!"
- Just Press Start
"I love the the game, and it is definitely worth buying." and... "It's a fun, fun game and I'm absolutely, absolutely loving it!"
- Worth A Buy (YouTube)
8-Bit Armies is a retro Real-Time Strategy game for the PC. With a colorful, blocky voxel art style, 8-Bit Armies is Petroglyph's most fast-paced, friendly, and accessible RTS game to date. Collect resources, build up and defend your base, amass your army of military units, and ultimately crush your opponents! 8-Bit Armies features offline single-player missions, two-player cooperative missions, AI skirmish mode, and Player-vs-Player Multiplayer modes running on dedicated game servers.
Initial release includes:
- 25 offline campaign missions
- 12 co-op missions to play with your friends
- 10 multiplayer/skirmish maps that support up to 8 players online
- AI with multiple difficulty options to play with cooperatively or fight against
- Classic Base-Building mechanics let you construct the ultimate HQ from which to launch attacks against your foes
- Destructible environments on maps ranging from small to very large
- Easy to understand modern military units and structures lets RTS beginners jump right in
- From the same team that brought you RTS classics such as Star Wars: Empire at War, Universe at War, and Grey Goo
8-Bit Armies is for anyone that enjoys RTS games, or felt overwhelmed by more serious games. With hours of solo and co-op gameplay included, there's something here for everyone!
More reviews from game journalists...
"Its biggest offering to the RTS genre is its brilliant retro design and vivid, colourful graphics coupled with easy-to-learn gameplay. For those intimidated by the complexity of RTS games, 8-Bit Armies is a great place to start."
- CGMagazine
"Simple and balanced game play make 8-bit Armies an indie game gem! I wasn’t kidding when I said that I can’t stop playing this game, it is that good!"
- Just Press Start
"I love the the game, and it is definitely worth buying." and... "It's a fun, fun game and I'm absolutely, absolutely loving it!"
- Worth A Buy (YouTube)
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 27, 2026
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