Former Age of Empires developer says the RTS genre's stuck in a rut

A lot of games are trying to clone each other’s success without bringing new mechanics or IP to the table. In a way, I get it because once you have games which essentially form cults and a lifestyle around them, then to any humble developer that’s a tough act to follow.

But developers and studios should go back to basics, what made them want to play games? What was fun? How to have fun while strategizing? The definition of fun gameplay is different for everyone, which is part of the challenge. Mass appeal shouldn’t be the goal anyway, the goal is to create a core fan base which loves you, and attracts other players who join because of FOMO.