Summary
Because strategy games usually have a wide perspective without in-depth 3D graphics, they’re a great basis for modding communities to build on what the developers have laid down, to spin off in wild directions without needing full dev teams to support new mods.
That means strategy games have some of the best mods around, extending the lifespan of already massive and complex games. This list is ranked not just by the number of mods that each game has, but by the quality of the most high-profile mods — and how much they add to the core game.
Though theTotal Warfranchise has been going strong since the early 2000s, it has never reached a bigger audience than withTotal War: Warhammer 3, the culmination of the Warhammer trilogy that covered all the previous games together into one of the most massive strategy games ever made witha staggering number of playable factions.
Luckily, the modding scene is just as vibrant. There are numerous quality of life, overhaul, and content mods. Legendary Lore fills in the backstory of the key characters, SFO Overhaul gives the game a much-needed set of balance changes, and the Better Camera mod is a must for players who want to get cinematic shots as they play.
Though it’s hard to choose just one game to represent theCivilizationfranchise on this list,Civilization 5is a great happy medium between the older hardcore games and the newer, more casual-focused games. It also has a thriving mod scene that’s still active to this day.
Of course, as with anyCivilizationgame, there are a massive number of custom civilizations added on top ofthe already great leader pool, as well as mods that change the game’s central mechanics, but there are also gameplay overhauls and even mods that change the entire setting to sci-fi or a more specific historical period. ‘Just one more turn’ has never been said more than in a modded version ofCivilization 5.
XCOM 2has acquired a massive presence since its release. Though slightly controversial for its initial turn-timer mission types, theWar of the Chosenexpansion eliminated most of them, resulting in one of the bestXCOMgames ever made. Luckily, the modding scene makes it even better.
Between The Eyes is a much-needed QOL life improvement regarding The Lost zombie enemies, Capnbubs' Accessories Pack is a must for players who love new cosmetics, and Long War 2 is a massive gameplay overhaul that vastly extends the timescale of the game, becoming the default playstyle for most hardcore fans.
By the mid-2010s, Paradox was well known as the premier company of historical grand strategy games.Stellarisfelt like a natural evolution, putting the trademark Paradox board-gaming mechanical design into a far-future setting that’s enjoyeda whole host of brilliant DLC. That setting has also provided one of the most lively modding communities around.
Of course, there are the massive overhaul mods that change theStellarisversion of the future to be a Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica setting, but there’s also countless cosmetic mods, event packs, and graphical adjustments that make the game’s universe more beautiful than ever before.
Hearts of Iron 4is undoubtedly the best digital representation of WW2, particularly its scale, and it’s become a beloved part of the Paradox canon, even if some newer expansions have disappointed. The basis is fundamentally strong.
That means the modding scene can have an absolute ball with the game. Not only are there a host of new unit types, cosmetics, and UI adjustments,but total overhaul modslike Kaiserreich, The New Order, and Millenium Dawn provide hundreds of hours of new content. These mods are like new games in themselves.
In the world of real-time strategy games,Starcraft 2may be the game to end all games. While still being friendly to beginners,Starcraft 2’s skill ceiling is infamously high, with competitive players putting in a mind-boggling amount of inputs every second.
That competitive popularity has also laid the seeds for some great mods. Of course, there are general QOL improvements and cosmetic items, but the best mods aretailor-made custom campaignswith fully written stories, missions, and new units. There are games of free content just waiting to be played.
Though Paradox games in general are pretty popular, there’s little doubt thatCrusader Kings 3is not only the most popular Paradox game at the moment, but also the game with the most mainstream crossover appeal. That large fanbase means only one thing: lots of mods to play with.
More than other Paradox games, the QOL mods forCrusader Kings 3are a life-saver, making the somewhat cumbersome information system a little more readable. While there are still plenty of cosmetics, overhauls, and new formables, the star of the show here is the Game of Thrones overhaul mod that converts the entire game into a simulator for the ASOIAF books. It’s one of the best Game of Thrones games ever made and almost had as much hype as the originalCrusader Kings 3when it finally launched.
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellionis the OG strategy game of choice for many grand strategy fans, setting the groundwork for real-time, 4X, and grand strategy games far into the future. Its fans are passionate, and there’s a lot of nostalgia for its addictive 3D space-combat gameplay.
But the mod scene is truly special. The total overhaul mods — particularly the Warhammer, Star Trek, and Battlestar Galactica conversion mods — are truly stellar, becoming the very best games in those franchises, and they’re completely free.Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion’s mod scene shows just how beneficial a passionate fanbase can be for the long-term health of a game.
