Blizzard didn’t “create” RTS with Warcraft. IIRC (and I might not, since it’s been a LONG time) Warcraft was pretty typical RTS of the time. It was StarCraft that really propelled Blizzard to top tier status in the industry. Before StarCraft, “THE” RTS game was C&C, if my memory hasn’t become completed corrupted with age. Blizzard just captured the title from the previous holder.
RTS has been around since almost the beginning of the consumer gaming industry. Heck, Bullfrog’s Populous was just a variation on the standard RTS of the day— and in doing that variation, created the “god” sims. Since it spawned its own genre (god games), most forget it was “THE” RTS game that moved RTS from the grognard’s “casual” play into what was then the mainstream of PC gaming.
Considering the number of successful game developers using the internet as their distribution channel, I’d say it is darn easy to get your game out there. With the internet developing strong distribution points, it isn’t that difficult for an indie developer to get his game distributed through one of the more established game portal sites and earn more potentional customers looking at their game then if they just have their own small site.
If your game proves successful at the internet level, then you can leverage that into retail (brick and mortor) sales. Look at Star Dock’s Galactic Civilizations series, or the popular casual games such as Bejeweled, Fish Tycoon, Virtual Villagers, or Cute Knight.
[ 11-24-2007, 03:33 AM: Message edited by: Darkstar ]