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'Command & Conquer Remastered' updates '90s RTS action for 4K monitors
Remastered versions of the first two Command & Conquer games are now available, so you can relive classic 90s RTS action with updated graphics and sound.
'Command & Conquer Remastered Collection' arrives on June 5th
Real-time strategy fans won't have to wait much longer to pit the GDI and Brotherhood of Nod against one another in 4K. EA will release Command & Conquer Remastered Collection on Steam and Origin on June 5th. The collection includes both Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn and Red Alert, as well as Covert Ops, Counterstrike and The Aftermath, their three expansion packs.
'Command & Conquer' remaster is shaping up to be a huge visual upgrade
Petroglyph, Lemon Sky and EA are finally ready to offer a glimpse at the Command & Conquer remaster, and it's evident the game won't veer far from its roots. A newly-posted first peek at the real-time strategy game shows that it really is just the original 2D title redone with high-resolution artwork. Lemon Sky re-modeled the visuals as closely as possible, and lined it up frame-by-frame with the original. You can even switch between the original and remastered graphics with a key press when you're playing campaign missions -- it's like taking your glasses off for a brief moment.
Envision Entertainment rises from the ashes of EA Phenomic
The recent cancellation of Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances also sank developer EA Phenomic, but from that mouldering corpse springs a new studio, Envision Entertainment. Don't confuse Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances with that other C&C game EA recently canceled. Though both scrapped projects caused their studios to collapse, Tiberium Alliances was slated for release as a free-to-play title, whereas the game in development at the now-defunct Victory Studios was a more traditional strategy game. Back to Envision: According to GI.biz, the fledgling company boasts a staff of 25, including former EA Phenomic vice president Dirk Ringe. While GI claims that Envision has "several" projects in the works, the nascent studio has yet to publicly reveal anything of substance.
Steam Weekend Sales include Darksiders, Command & Conquer, Flatout
If you managed to get through the Steam Summer Sale without taking out a loan, Steam's weekend sale has sizable discounts to move you closer to that reality help you celebrate. The Darksiders series is 80 percent off and can collectively be snatched up for less than $13. The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games are 75 percent off, meaning you can also binge on the entire series for $13. The modern portion of the Command & Conquer series is 70 percent off, leaving Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, Command & Conquer 4 and their expansions at $6 apiece. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars proves itself as a non-conformist and asks for $9. The Flatout series is 75 percent off and totals to $10. Lastly, first-person sci-fi puzzler Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals is a measly $1.25. Even if you splurge on everything involved, you should be in good shape. The real question is: Will you be able to say that after the onslaught of games coming later this year?
MMObility: Windows 8 and gaming in the Metro browser
So, you've heard about the recent Windows 8 release but aren't sure whether or not you should upgrade? How will the operating system affect your gaming, and are you going to go with any of the Microsoft Surface products? All of these questions can be answered in numerous ways, but I wanted to answer it from the standpoint of a mobile gaming fan. After all, it is my belief that mobile gaming will soon dominate gaming in the world... might as well be prepared! But how does Windows 8 affect a mobile MMO fan like yours truly? Well, Windows 8 does a heckuva lot. It offers a ton of flexibility and fun new ways to interact with your PC. But it can also be a very confusing new addition. I sat down to figure out some of these issues with the help of Ben Adams, CTO of Illyriad Games. He knows more about mobile tech than I do and was able to sort out the differences between the Windows 8 browsers for me. Let's get to it.
PlanetSide 2 Command Center brings a beta update and spotlight on Heavy Assaulters
Creative Director Matthew Higby and Senior Art Director Tramell Isaac are back with the sixth episode of PlanetSide 2 Command Center, everyone's favorite show about the adventures of a wacky MMO. On tap for this episode is an update on the beta, the reveal of Esamir, a video featuring the Heavy Assault class, some fan movies, an interview with a concept artist, news about SOE Live, and... fan spam. Higby says that the team just did a full wipe in the beta due to the sheer amount of changes and improvements that SOE made. He also said that the population cap has been increased for this next step. Isaac invites SOE Live attendees to participate in the $10,000 PlanetSide 2 tournament. While online registrations for it are closed, players can sign up in person at the event. Check out episode six after the break!
Command & Conquer: Generals 2 gets single-player after EA backtracks
Command and Conquer: Generals 2 includes single-player, in response to fan feedback. Originally intended as a retail game, EA last month revealed Generals 2 is now the first 'universe' to be included in the 'Command and Conquer' free-to-play service. Shortly after, developer BioWare Victory said Generals 2 didn't include a single-player campaign, but today EA president Frank Gibeau told Polygon otherwise."Our intention with Command & Conquer is to create a triple-A experience, and by that I mean we're using Frostbite tech, we're using very high-end graphics," Gibeau said, "Does that mean it's not going to have single-player? No, that's something we've obviously heard loud and clear that is important to people. The beauty of free-to-play, is that we can adjust and adapt to what we're hearing as opposed to, 'I'm sorry, it's two months from ship and it is what it is.' It's a very different model because you don't have to build as much. You build in response to your audience."Command and Conquer is set to launch next year, with EA planning to incorporate universes from the Tiberium and Red Alert lines.
Command & Conquer The Ultimate Collection collects all of Command & Conquer
Before Command & Conquer becomes a nebulous free-to-play platform thing, EA is giving you the opportunity to just buy the classic games the traditional way – all at once.The Command & Conquer Ultimate Edition is a retail or downloadable bundle that includes Origin downloads of seventeen games (listed after the break) representing the full history of the series, from Command & Conquer to Tiberian Twilight, playable in Windows 7 and Vista.The retail version, which would be an enormous box if these games were on discs, also includes exclusive "commemorative art." Both versions include a "Best of Command & Conquer" music collection and early access to the new thing. Both the retail and download packages will command a $49.99 price when they arrive in October.
Command & Conquer: Generals 2 has no single-player campaign, could be added after launch
Another shift has come to the world of Command & Conquer: Generals 2, with BioWare Victory General Manager John Van Caneghem announcing the free-to-play game will not include a single-player campaign.Speaking with PC Gamer, Van Caneghem said the focus for BioWare Victory was to develop "co-operative and competitive" skirmishes as the core of the latest game to carry the C&C insignia. More modes – including a single-player campaign – could be added in the future, based on community demand, but the developer has yet to reveal how adding that content will work.BioWare Victory's aim is to bring Generals 2 "back to the roots of what made Command & Conquer great," letting you build a devastating number of units and kill off the competition in a dedicated online space.Originally announced as a new retail game during the 2011 Spike VGAs, Generals 2 has since been shifted to one part of EA's effort to create a free-to-play universe surrounding the Command & Conquer license. "We decided to choose Generals as the first set of games we build under the universe, but we'll be expanding after that, like Tiberium and Red Alert as well as some others as well. But Generals 2 was the first one, and it was one of the biggest sellers, as well as the fanbase has been asking for it for some time," Van Caneghem said.We're not sure that losing a campaign and shifting to a free-to-play model is exactly what C&C Generals fans had in mind when making those requests, though.
Command & Conquer Generals 2 launching as part of free-to-play C&C service
Command & Conquer Generals 2, originally announced at the VGAs as a new retail game by BioWare Victory, will now be released as the first "universe" of a free-to-play service called simply "Command & Conquer."Command & Conquer will launch next year as a platform for the delivery of new experiences in the strategy franchise, starting with the material originally planned as Generals 2. This move allows "gamers complete access to the cutting-edge visuals, sound and destruction of a full, AAA strategy game – for free," as EA puts it. Future "universes" will include Red Alert and Tiberium.We'll find out more about this sudden transition, and this new service, at Gamescom. Closed beta access will be given to some fans who sign up at the official site.
MMObility: Command and Conquer's new twist on the MMORTS
I've had my fill of MMORTS games. I love them, and I mean love them, but after being asked to look at the 567,386th title from the genre, I am getting a wicked case of tunnel vision. Sometimes I wish I could hit a switch and see these games with the eyes of a brand-new player, to truly judge their quality without any preconceptions. That's not possible, unfortunately. Luckily, once in a while there comes along a title that feels fresh or does enough with design to seem new and clever. Command and Conquer Tiberium Alliances stands out from the crowd with its interesting combat and a casual approach to hardcore gaming. I have to admit that, at first, I was a bit bummed at having to take a look at yet another epic strategy game that would probably not feel that epic, but my mind was changed after a solid week of playing.
Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliance browser title launches today
Command & Conquer fans, today's a banner day. The latest entry in the long-running franchise is Tiberium Alliances, a free-to-play browser-based title that's now available. You can pick from either the Global Defense Initiative or Nod factions, then harvest resources, build giant armies, and foster strategic alliances as you will your side to ultimate victory. Players can take on the AI or each other, and TA's integrated status and news feeds makes it easier than ever to keep abreast of both in-game happenings and development rumblings. The game can be played on your desktop, your smartphone, or your tablet. Head to the official website to sign up and get started. Don't forget to check out the launch trailer after the break, and look for Massively's impressions on the game later this week in MMObility. [Source: Electronic Arts press release]
Command & Conquer browser MMO enters open beta
Another beloved IP, another browser-based MMO. This time it's not the gritty fantasy of George R.R. Martin but the sci-fi battlefield of Command & Conquer that is receiving the MMO-lite treatment. Gamasutra reports that Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances "is not a Facebook game" like previous Electronic Arts browser titles, which include Lord of Ultima and Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online. Command & Conquer is "hosted on a stand-alone site," marking the first time the storied franchise has tried its hand at the free-to-play model. The game has been in closed beta since December and is now available to a global audience via its public open beta.
Hands-on with End of Nations
Real-time strategy games aren't exactly in vogue at the moment. The genre is far from dead, but modern RTS games, with the notable exception of StarCraft, don't tend to appeal to as broad an audience as do MMOs. Trion Worlds and Petroglyph's proposed answer to genre stagnation is the upcoming MMORTS End of Nations. In fact, Trion thinks that what's really lacking in the RTS genre is a persistent world, one filled with robots and post-apocalyptic fascism. The team behind End of Nations has some serious industry cred. Publisher Trion Worlds is notable for its remarkably smooth-launching MMO, RIFT. Developer Petroglyph's pedigree is no less respectable (if a little dated), with titles like 1992's Dune II (widely credited for having inspired the Warcraft series of RTS games) and the original 1995 Command and Conquer under its belt. My time with this game was spent during the alpha testing phase, and many things might change between now and launch. Still, the bones of the game were there, and I'm happy to share my findings with you, discerning readers. From what I saw and experienced, End of Nations just might have what it takes to become the first "triple-A" MMORTS.%Gallery-96732%
C&C: Renegade remake Renegade X: Black Dawn deploys tomorrow
Here at Joystiq, we pride ourselves on being inside your mind, knowing what it wants, knowing what it thinks. We're like a somewhat creepier, less linguistic Babel Fish. The one thing your brain has been demanding is an updated version of 2002's Command & Conquer: Renegade.We'd like to bring to your attention Renengade X: Black Dawn, a "spiritual successor" created by fans at Totem Arts. Tomorrow, the group will release the full single-player "mini-campaign," which was built in the Unreal Development Kit, and later Totem Arts plans to release a new multiplayer installment using the UDK.In its current form, Renegade X is an updated version of the original game's multiplayer, made in Unreal Tournament 3, and has been playable for some time. If you want to partake, you'll need to own a copy of Unreal Tournament 3 with the latest updates.Or, you know, just wait a day.[Thanks, ssjChris!]
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Alliances MMORTS announced
"I gotta present for ya!" What RTS fan doesn't remember the classic Command & Conquer franchise with extreme fondness? If you're one of the legions of supporters, then this is a good time to be alive. It seems as though C&C is slated for a revival soon, with BioWare working on Command & Conquers Generals 2 and EA prepping Command & Conquer: Tiberian Alliances. The recently announced Tiberian Alliances is being shaped as a free-to-play MMORTS in which players can choose one of three factions (The Forgotten, GDI, and NOD) and duke it out over a war-torn battlefield. Developed by German studio Phenomic, Tiberian Alliances will be playable in a browser and is currently accepting applications for its beta testing program. Will this be the MMORTS for you or will you call in an orbital strike on its prospects? Hit the jump to see the announcement trailer for your first taste of the latest chapter in C&C history.
EA registers a battalion of domains for Command and Conquer Alliances
Either the next Command and Conquer title is called Alliances, or EA is in the process of establishing a proposal for the U.N. Security Council's consideration. We're banking on the former -- EA has registered a slew of domain names for Command and Conquer Alliances, including for Red Alert, Generals and Tiberium Alliances. EA registered all of these on Dec. 2, so here's a list of the domains you could have purchased on Dec. 1 to get rich off of EA as it bought them back: alliances-commandandconquer.com alliancescommandandconquer.com candcalliances.com candctiberiumalliances.com commandandconquer-alliances.com commandandconqueralliance.com commandandconqueralliances.com commandandconquertiberiumalliances.com generalsalliance.com generalsalliances.com redalertalliance.com redalertalliances.com tiberianalliances.com tiberiumalliance.com tiberiumalliances.com
New game from new BioWare studio could be Command & Conquer by Victory Games
In August, EA brass restructured the company putting Peter Moore in the role of COO and converting the illustrious BioWare brand from developer to "label," joining the ranks of EA Games (DICE, Visceral, Criterion, EA Partners, etc.), EA Sports (Madden, FIFA, Fight Night) and EA Play (Maxis, The Sims, MySims). With this new understanding of "BioWare" we bring you the latest scuttlebutt from internet scuttlebutter Superannuation, who spotted a LinkedIn resume (since edited) that described the Marina del Rey-based Victory Games as a BioWare studio. Victory Games, you might recall, is a new "strategy studio" announced by EA last February, as an offshoot of its EA Los Angeles location. Like Danger Close and Visceral Games, Victory is more of a "rebranding" than an entirely new studio; Victory was set up as the EALA shop handling all things Command & Conquer, much like Danger Close was established to handle all things Medal of Honor. Now, onto the new "BioWare" game being revealed on December 10 at the Spike Video Game Awards. With the latest teaser promising "a new direction, a new game, from a new BioWare studio," that sounds vague enough to contain a new Command & Conquer installment. New direction? That sounds like Victory's mandate for the franchise. New game? Well, yeah. A new BioWare studio? We're not sure what makes Victory a BioWare studio (per the above LinkedIn resume) instead of an EA Games studio, but there you have it. We'll find out on the 10th!
Fan remake of Command & Conquer: Renegade nearing completion
Remember Command & Conquer: Renegade, the first-person shooter set in the C&C universe that came out back in 2002? One group of fans apparently remembers it so fondly that they're remaking the title as a game called Renegade X, going so far as to not only recreate settings and levels from the title in a more modern graphics engine, but also create new content for the mix of real-time strategy and FPS action gameplay. The fanmade game actually looks like it's coming along well, and there's a version available for download right now (though it requires an updated copy of Unreal Tournament 3 to play). The full final game won't be out until "when its [sic] done" according to the video above, but hopefully that will be right on schedule. We wouldn't want these guys to have to remake the infamous "Havoc takes on Westwood" video, too, for releasing as late as the original team. [Thanks, Daniel]
