Tempest Rising: The Veti's Wrath DLC Announced — 11-Mission Campaign, Free Multiplayer for All

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Veti’s Wrath: A DLC With Two Price Tags

The Veti were always coming to Tempest Rising. The public multiplayer beta ran from May 27 to June 10, 2026, on a simple promise: a third faction that every base game owner could play for free in multiplayer. The July 9, 2026 announcement confirms that the model holds, with a paid DLC next to it. What costs money is the solo campaign, not access to the faction in ranked or custom games.

Update, October 26, 2026: The Veti’s Wrath launched on Steam on September 29, 2026, at €19.99. The model described here held: the 11-mission campaign is paid, while the Veti in multiplayer and skirmish remain free for base game owners.

If you mostly play multiplayer, nothing changes. If you want a story reason to command the Veti, The Veti’s Wrath offers 11 missions, at a price Slipgate Ironworks had not announced at that point.

Who Are the Veti?

The Veti do not work like the GDF or the Tempest Dynasty. Their defining mechanic is conversion: fallen soldiers become “Enlightened”, which the faction then sacrifices to strengthen its units and structures. The loop is easy to state: kill, harvest, sacrifice, grow stronger.

The faction fields 9 buildings, 7 vehicles, 6 infantry units, 5 air units, 5 defensive structures, 5 specialists, 5 support powers and 1 superweapon: the Sanctifier Portal. It was already playable in the multiplayer beta, but without a campaign to give its story some context.

11 Missions to Tell Their Return

The Veti’s Wrath is an 11-mission solo campaign. Slipgate Ironworks describes the Veti as an ancient and brutal race fighting to turn the tide against humanity and reclaim its place in a world it once ruled. The campaign gives them a playable voice and a narrative arc that the multiplayer beta could not offer.

The studio opened a Steam demo on July 9, during TactiCon, the event organized by Hooded Horse and Firesquid. It contains the first 2 Veti missions, plus the first 2 missions of the GDF and the Tempest Dynasty. It also offers skirmishes against AI and custom games on 4 maps. The early Veti missions double as a tutorial for the faction, with tooltips explaining units, structures and mechanics.

Free Multiplayer: A Decision That Matters

Free Veti multiplayer is not a marketing detail, it protects the health of the game. In a competitive RTS, a faction locked behind a paid DLC splits the community and complicates matchups. Here, everyone can play the Veti in matchmaking, custom games and skirmish against AI, with no purchase required.

For solo players won over by the beta, the DLC adds what was missing: context, narrative progression and a reason to play through the 11 story missions. The real question right now is the price and the date.

What to Watch Now

Price and release date: Slipgate Ironworks has said nothing about either. The only hint is that the expansion is due “later this year” according to the July 9 announcement. For an 11-mission DLC, you can expect pricing within the usual range for RTS expansions, though nothing is confirmed.

If the campaign matches the quality of the GDF and Dynasty ones, The Veti’s Wrath is likely to be the most significant Tempest Rising expansion since launch. If it falls short, the faction stays free to play in multiplayer, so the purchase risk is limited to your solo ambitions. The free demo also lets you judge the first two missions before spending anything.

Going further

Tempest Rising: Complete Guide RTS Factions & Strategies 2026

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Tempest Rising, released in 2024 by Slipgate Ironworks (published by 3D Realms), marks the grand return of classic RTS. Spiritual heir to Command & Conquer, it offers an old-school RTS experience with modern graphics. In 2026, it’s establishing itself in the RTS landscape with an active community.

Watch the official trailer:

Why Tempest Rising is anticipated

C&C heritage: gameplay directly inspired by Tiberian Sun, Red Alert 2
Modern graphics: 2024 visuals with nostalgic gameplay
3 asymmetric factions with distinct mechanics
Narrative solo campaigns: 2 main campaigns + DLC
Competitive multiplayer: ranked ladder, 1v1 to 4v4

The 3 factions

GDF (Global Defense Force) — beginner friendly

The classic military. Standard infantry, tanks, helicopters, supertank (MBT). Balanced. Ideal intro campaign for learning.

Strengths: versatile, all “classic” RTS units. Weakness: nothing exceptional, “neutral” style.

Tempest Dynasty — intermediate

The technologists. Use storm energy (central element of the lore). Faster, more mobile units, but more expensive.

Strengths: micro-management, constant harassment. Weakness: fragile if economy falters.

Veti (aliens — DLC)

The aliens come to exploit the storms. Units with teleportation, exotic technologies, unconventional combat.

Strengths: surprise, impossible maneuvers for other factions. Weakness: high complexity, not for beginners.

Basic strategies

Opening (first 5 minutes)

2 harvesters immediately on nearest crystal/tempest
Barracks + Production site in parallel
Infantry scout to map the terrain
Expand to 2nd mine ASAP

Mid-game (5-15 min)

Tech up: unlock tanks and aircraft
Light harassment: a few fast units in enemy economy
Secondary base: always have 2 economic points
Response to enemy scouts: if you see their tech, adapt yours

End-game (15+ min)

Supertank + elite infantry = main army
Air force for surgical strikes
Stable economy to replace losses
Base destruction: focus on production centers, not units

Popular competitive maps

Tempest Pass — balanced 1v1 map, classic
Ruins of Eldoria — multi-level elevation map
Shattered Desert — open 4v4, massive battles
The Storm Coast — coastal map with light naval

Pro tips

Micro-management

Unlike modern RTSes (AoE IV, StarCraft 2), Tempest Rising emphasizes macro (overall management) > micro. You can win without being a mouse virtuoso.

Constant scouting

Info = victory. Keep 1-2 light units in permanent reconnaissance. Knowing enemy composition > having the best army.

Don’t over-build

Beginner mistake #1: building too many defensive structures. 3-4 turrets + 1 wall = enough. Money wasted on defense = less army.

Army composition

Never mono-unit. Always: infantry (tank/harass) + vehicles (dps) + air/artillery (nuke). Specializations losing in 1v1 ranked.

Multiplayer and esports

Competitive scene growing. First official tournaments (2024-2025) had modest prize pools (5-10k€) but growth is real. Active casters:

Tempest Caster Pro (YouTube)
RTS Reborn (Twitch)
CNCStream C&C community reborn on TR

Mods and modding

Steam Workshop is accessible but limited vs AoE / StarCraft 2. Some mods:

Balance Mod Community — balance adjustments
New Maps Pack — additional player-made maps
Total Conversion: C&C Nostalgia — readapts Tempest to C&C Tiberian Sun visual style

Conclusion

Tempest Rising is exactly what RTS fans were waiting for for 15 years. Not a revolution, but excellent execution of classic RTS with modern graphics. If you loved C&C, Red Alert or StarCraft 2, Tempest Rising should be in your library.

For other RTSes, see our Age of Empires IV guide and our top 10 PC strategy games 2026.

Slipgate Ironworks — After Strategy