I’m sorry to do this to you, but XCOM 2 came out nine years ago. The world was young, my passport said “European Union” on it, and I had a full head of hair (I still do, but I also did then).

Not only did XCOM 2 come out nearly a decade ago, but it was really good. So good that a sequel seems like a total no-brainer. But here we are, collectively lost as we wait for an XCOM 3 that may never come. No, Chimera Squad doesn’t count.

But you and I aren’t the only ones waiting. The actual creator of the original XCOM, Julian Gollop, is just as keen to play it and just as perplexed by its absence. In a discussion about his new game, Chip ’n Clawz vs The Brainioids, Gollop mentioned, although there’s been “A resurgence of RTS games” recently, he doesn’t know what’s happened to XCOM 3.

“I’m sure there’s an audience for it,” Gollop noted, “but, you know, you have to accept the reality that strategy games are still a niche.” It’s a “pretty big niche”, but still a niche, and even a game like XCOM 3 might struggle to find its footing.

Referring to the recent mixed response to Civ 7’s myriad changes, Gollop remarked that even established names like Firaxis can face challenges in meeting player expectations.

Rather than only relying on giants like Firaxis, he’s observed that much innovation in strategy games is now coming from smaller indie titles, highlighting games like Factorio and Tactical Breach Wizards as recent success stories that have innovated within the genre.

Still, no XCOM 3 has been announced, only titles that incorporate familiar XCOM mechanics into varied genres. According to Gollop, games like Jagged Alliance 3 and the Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader game provide good examples of similar gameplay styles thriving in the current gaming landscape. However, the long-awaited XCOM 3 remains elusive.