Strategy Sessions Weekly – February 13, 2026

Mid-February just delivered a surprise shadow drop, a couple of big strategy launches, and one deal so absurd it almost feels like a mistake. Whether you’re planning your next turn-based campaign or scouting the PS5 lineup, there’s a lot to work through this week — so let’s get into it.

📋 This Week at a Glance — February 13, 2026

Game / News	Genre	Platform	Status	Action
MENACE	Strategy	PC (Steam)	Early Access — out now (~$22)	▶ Play now
XCOM 2	Strategy	PC	95% off — limited-time deal	▶ Grab it now
Disciples: Domination	Strategy	PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S	Released Feb 12	⏳ Wait for reviews
Age of Mythology: Retold — Expansion Pass	Strategy	PC, Xbox	Released Feb 10	⏳ Existing players only
God of War: Sons of Sparta	Platform	PS5	Shadow drop — out now	▶ Play now
The Sims 4: Royalty & Legacy	Simulation	PC, Console	Released Feb 12	⏳ Check bundle deals
MSFS Sim Update 5 Beta	Simulation	PC, Xbox	Public beta from Feb 13	⏳ Opt in if comfortable
Marathon Open Preview	Platform / Action	PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S	Preview: Feb 26 – Mar 2	👀 Mark your calendar

🎯 Quick Wins

MENACE hits Early Access on Steam The makers of Battle Brothers launched MENACE on February 5th, and XCOM fans are already raving. This sci-fi squad tactics game is playable right now at around $22 with a launch discount, and early Steam reviews are very positive. If careful squad planning and punishing missions are your thing, it’s worth loading up this weekend.

XCOM 2 is basically free right now A 95% discount on XCOM 2 showed up this week, making the complete edition nearly nothing. If you’ve somehow never played it — or want to hand it to a friend — this is the window to grab it before the promo ends. It’s also a great way to prepare your tactics instincts ahead of games like MENACE.

God of War: Sons of Sparta shadow-dropped on PS5 PlayStation’s State of Play on February 12th included an immediate release: a 2D action platformer spin-off built with Mega Cat Studios set in the classic God of War universe. It’s available on PS5 right now, so if you’re a platform game fan, this one’s worth checking for PS Plus tie-ins or launch promos before the day-one buzz fades.

🧠 Strategy Spotlight

A strong week for turn-based tactics — and the timing is no accident February 10–12 was stacked. Age of Mythology: Retold dropped its Expansion Pass (new gods, myth units, updated campaigns), Disciples: Domination launched on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, and MENACE had already been out for a week gathering momentum. That’s three turn-based or tactics-adjacent titles in a 48-hour window.

What this actually means for you: there’s a real budget decision to make here. MENACE is the safest bet if you enjoy XCOM-style squad management, since it’s already showing strong reception and the launch discount makes it low-risk. Disciples: Domination is the more narrative-driven choice — it’s grim, dark fantasy, and aimed at players who want campaign depth alongside their tactics. Age of Mythology: Retold’s expansion is best suited to players who bounced off the base remaster and want fresh content before committing more time.

If you’ve ever debated whether turn-based or real-time strategy suits your playstyle, our breakdown of turn-based vs. real-time strategy games lays out exactly what separates the two — and this week’s lineup is a perfect case study in why the turn-based side of that argument is thriving right now.

👀 Worth Watching

Microsoft Flight Simulator Sim Update 5 public beta — The beta opened February 13th across Xbox, PC, and Steam. If you play MSFS and can tolerate some instability, it’s worth opting in to test the changes early. Standard beta branch process through the platform or in-game menu.

The Sims 4: Royalty & Legacy expansion — Released February 12th with an African-inspired royalty and legacy theme. If you’re a regular Sims 4 player, check for bundle deals around launch week before the day-one pricing holds.

Marathon open preview (Feb 26–Mar 2) — Also announced at PlayStation’s State of Play, this multiplayer title gets an open preview window across PlayStation, Windows, and Xbox Series X|S. Not a strategy game, but worth a note if you want something different between sessions.

💬 Community Corner

The Disciples: Domination launch has kicked off early discussion about which older dark-fantasy tactics games are worth revisiting while waiting for more reviews to land. Community threads this week have been pointing back to Disciples II as a reference point for what made the series click. If you’re new to simulation and strategy genres and want context for where titles like this sit, our beginner’s guide to simulation games is a good starting point for building your genre vocabulary before jumping in.

⏭️ Next Week’s Prep

The Marathon preview window opens February 26th, giving strategy and sim players a breather to finish evaluating this week’s releases before the next wave. Watch for early Disciples: Domination reviews to land next week — they’ll shape whether this one earns a longer look or gets filed under “wait for a sale.” And if the God of War shadow drop sparked your interest in platform games, we’ve got a beginner’s guide to platform games ready when you are.