Big Huge

Big Huge Games is the studio behind Rise of Nations, proving that yes, you can make an RTS that’s both brainy and bombastic. Founded in 2000 by Brian Reynolds (of Civilization II fame), they came out swinging with Rise of Nations, which still lives rent-free in strategy gamers’ heads.

They followed it up with expansions, the underrated Rise of Legends, and later took a sharp left turn into action-RPG territory with Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning—because why not? After a few ups, downs, and respawns, Big Huge Games got revived and is still around today, probably cooking up something massive (and hopefully not mobile-only).

Basically, they made strategy cool, then vanished, then came back. Like a good general, never gone—just regrouping.