Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Sonic

Rumour: Are EA Planning to Revive Command & Conquer?

Recommended Posts

WqwX8R2.jpg

 

Do EA have plans to revive the Command & Conquer project that was cancelled way back in October 2013? According this poorly written article from the most unlikely source, The Gospel Herald, the author alludes to this fact, EA could be planning a Command & Conquer resurrection sometime soon. The more likely scenario here, based on the quality of the entire article, the author doesn't have a clue. So I'll have to file this under the "rumour" category. Here's the most interesting part....

Command & Conquer Generals 2 (now known as "Command & Conquer," and also called by the moniker "C&C" or "CnC"), the infamous strategy video game that was scrapped in 2013, is said to be in the process of revival according to its first producer, Electronic Arts (EA).

 

So it's not the strongest of stories to go by. But it would be cool if it turned out to be true. We have not heard anything official from EA about the future of Command & Conquer since October/November 2013. I'll leave it to you guys to decide if there is any truth to this. I know which way I'm leaning. Full article can be found here.

Share this post


Link to post

 

Command & Conquer Generals 2 (now known as "Command & Conquer," and also called by the moniker "C&C" or "CnC"), the infamous strategy video game that was scrapped in 2013, is said to be in the process of revival according to its first producer, Electronic Arts (EA).

 

I'd bet you anything that's only based on EA's claim of "looking at alternatives".

Share this post


Link to post

I believe two things:

  • The author knows nothing
  • EA is working on something anyway
While a new C&C may not be under full production mode, I doubt they've just left it alone all this time.

Share this post


Link to post

If EA were to revive C&C, they need to look into playing with a new engine other than SAGE and the unmoddable Frostbite 3+ engine. If there's any purpose left just to make profit and better innovation, they need to make it epic, but C&C has never been epic, not since C&C Generals.... and C&C can never compete with other top RTS games such as Starcraft, DoW, CoH and Civilization.

Edited by PurpleGaga27
  • Downvote 2

Share this post


Link to post

If EA were to revive C&C, they need to look into playing with a new engine other than SAGE and the unmoddable Frostbite 3+ engine. If there's any purpose left just to make profit and better innovation, they need to make it epic, but C&C has never been epic, not since C&C Generals.... and C&C can never compete with other top RTS games such as Starcraft, DoW, CoH and Civilization.

Any engine is basicly modable, if you can relay the workings to the community or supply a user friendly sdk for it. Modding is rarely included in the development budget so it is never a priority. Saying you can't mod an engine means either 2 things: "We don't want to make our engine accessable to the public"or "there isnt any profit in this to waste time for a sdk on it"

 

Generals wasnt epic it was a quick cash grab on the c&c franchise rehashing a aging sage engine. Wich is basicly the idea behind most c&c games released after tiberian dawn imo. All released to soon with to little content to be fixed in overpriced patches misslabled as expansion packs.

 

Civ isn't a rts, it is still turn-based the last time i checked.

DoW and CoH are also not comparable to any c&c game (besides TT wich is a whole rant on its own worth), They rely on different mechanics for managing units.

SC survives on 2 things: it's cult folowing and lack of compitition. Imo the only good and innovative change come to SC2 are maybe the Nova missions but imo both campaigns after wings of liberty were disapointing.

 

You might aswell have said: "c&c needs to be 20% cooler" That would've made about as much sense as calling it Epic.

 

And i will only believe there is a new c&c game the moment i find it on origin or steam....no amount of press (and i use that word verry lightly) coverage will convince me other wise.

  • Upvote 1

Share this post


Link to post

I would like to see a C&C Battlefield... I want my 2143...

Share this post


Link to post

Generals wasnt epic it was a quick cash grab on the c&c franchise rehashing a aging sage engine. Wich is basicly the idea behind most c&c games released after tiberian dawn imo. All released to soon with to little content to be fixed in overpriced patches misslabled as expansion packs.

 

Generals was not a "quick cash grab" and neither was the SAGE engine aging at the time of release as the engine was made for Generals.

 

The only C&C game that was released in a poor state was Tiberian Sun which initial version was buggy and the following patches fixed a lot, but not everything.

 

All C&C games, save for Sole Survivor and C&C4, have released with an amount of content similar to the competition of the time and this includes expansion packs. In Westwood games all fixes introduced in expansions, save for YR, where also available as free patches.

  • Upvote 3

Share this post


Link to post

 

I believe two things:

  • The author knows nothing
  • EA is working on something anyway
While a new C&C may not be under full production mode, I doubt they've just left it alone all this time.

Former for most likely

Share this post


Link to post

I would like to see a C&C Battlefield... I want my 2143...

 

As much as I want that I'm terrified if they could mesh well. But I'm all for another C&C FPS!

Share this post


Link to post

I'll take this with huge HUGE grains of salt. But I will say this to EA if they are planning to do another C&C, and I'll make it simple:

Do not make it free to play
Do not make it free to play
Do not make it free to play
DO NOOOOOT MAKKKE IT FREEE TOOOO PLAYYY!!!!

You got that, EA?!

As much as I want that I'm terrified if they could mesh well. But I'm all for another C&C FPS!



I wouldn't be so much against this either. Hell pretty much Battlefield 2 is C&C Generals. Edited by Sonic
Merged 2 back to back posts here. Also no giant font sizes please.

Share this post


Link to post

Another C&C FPS would need to be Renegade styled though, in order to have something unique to offer amid the 999 other FPSs out there, so it can compete against them to turn a profit and keep the C&C name afloat. Nevertheless, even with Renegade mechanics to set it apart, the FPS competition is simply too numerous and well-established and EA too incompetent for me to have much faith of a successful C&C FPS.

 

Personally, while I would like to see a new Renegade-type C&C, I do not think making a C&C FPS is wise business decision or good for the future of C&C and would strongly recommend EA not further risk killing the franchise by attempting it.

 

C&C needs to earn its name back by living up to its own foundation as a classic RTS. Trying to be something it's not is what has been killing it. I am not opposed to experimenting with new things, but when your series is on a steep downswing is not the time for it unless total franchise death is considered an acceptable outcome (and despite what many would say, C&C is not dead yet, the fact news sites still report dubious stories about EA maybe working on something is proof of that).

Share this post


Link to post

If EA was looking for alternatives, there's only one way..... a C&C reboot. Period. The same goes for Generals.

 

Besides I am getting sick of this discussion already...... been reading C&C rumors and revivals over and over again and in the end comes out to be falsified and nonsense.

Share this post


Link to post

If EA was looking for alternatives, there's only one way..... a C&C reboot. Period. The same goes for Generals.

 

Says who?

Share this post


Link to post

Generals was not a "quick cash grab" and neither was the SAGE engine aging at the time of release as the engine was made for Generals.

 

The only C&C game that was released in a poor state was Tiberian Sun which initial version was buggy and the following patches fixed a lot, but not everything.

 

All C&C games, save for Sole Survivor and C&C4, have released with an amount of content similar to the competition of the time and this includes expansion packs. In Westwood games all fixes introduced in expansions, save for YR, where also available as free patches.

They basicly overhauled the w3d engine from westwood they allread used in renegade. Gen. was just the first to use it in its revamped form renamed to sage. After Gen they basicly kept chopping and butchering at it for bfme, tw and more.

Even ra3 and tt use sage, but atleast they completely overhauled its renderer. A much needed overhaul long overdue.

Sage is still a good engine today,specialy the sage2 when it comes to the rts format. It is everything that is build arround it is to crappy EA standards. Maybe RA3 being the exception if you disregard the artistic choices.

 

It will be highly unlikely that EA releases another FPS even with rts components. At the moment they allready have the Battlefield series and titanfall series. Both took a hit on sales this years and didnt meet the expected quota. The popular idea is even that EA released Titanfall2 to soon after BF1 this year and basicly was competing with itself (Cod:IW basicly sank itself long before it could even be released due to negative fanboyism so it wasnt even considered a competitor this year). So it seems unlikely EA will introduce another FPS into its line up, as it is basicly just competing with itself at this point.

Share this post


Link to post

They basicly overhauled the w3d engine from westwood they allread used in renegade. Gen. was just the first to use it in its revamped form renamed to sage. After Gen they basicly kept chopping and butchering at it for bfme, tw and more.

Even ra3 and tt use sage, but atleast they completely overhauled its renderer. A much needed overhaul long overdue.

Sage is still a good engine today,specialy the sage2 when it comes to the rts format. It is everything that is build arround it is to crappy EA standards. Maybe RA3 being the exception if you disregard the artistic choices.

 

Self-contradiction?

Share this post


Link to post

If EA were to revive C&C, they need to look into playing with a new engine other than SAGE and the unmoddable Frostbite 3+ engine. If there's any purpose left just to make profit and better innovation, they need to make it epic, but C&C has never been epic, not since C&C Generals.... and C&C can never compete with other top RTS games such as Starcraft, DoW, CoH and Civilization.

 

I disagree. Any engine can be refactored and made ready for the current generation of games if it is fit for purpose. the SAGe engine does RTS very well, so upgrading it wouldn't be a problem for a team at EA if they had a couple of years to bring it up to date. The SAGE engine a powerful AAA classic RTS engine for modders which is evident by the amount of great total-conversion and gameplay mods out there for games such as Generals, C&C3 and RA3. Starcraft II's editor is powerful, but it is limited because players cannot import their own content. The original Dawn of War had a wide array of modding tools, but both DoW2 and CoH are heavily lacking in any kind of mod support. This is why great mods like Rise of the Reds and Shockwave win moddb awards, because C&C is one of the only franchises that has truly embraced modding. Tiberium Wars was a fantastic game in my opinion, but everything after Kane's Wrath seem to slip downhill very quickly.

 

Also, your point about Civilization is wrong. Civ is a turn-based strategy game (TBS) not a real-time strategy game (RTS). Comparing C&C to Civ is like comparing Fifa to Football Manger. The games are similar in what they do, but the execution is completely different.

 

Personally, while I would like to see a new Renegade-type C&C, I do not think making a C&C FPS is wise business decision or good for the future of C&C and would strongly recommend EA not further risk killing the franchise by attempting it.

 

I totally agree. In the current state of gaming, we see a season of FPS games that oversaturate the market. Battleifled 1, CoD: Infinite Warfare and TitanFall 2 are all AAA shooters that have been released this year, with two of them being made by EA. With that, I'd say that another C&C FPS is highly unlikely, but we can dream!

  • Upvote 1

Share this post


Link to post
Guest Stevie_K

As far as I am concerned, much of the negativity surrounding C&C4 has gotten old and it is time to bring back C&C.

I want a proper no-nonsense RTS with classic base building, harvesting and unit spam, taking place somewhere between the Tiberian Dawn and Tiberian Sun storylines.

EA should stop doubting themselves and stay open to the potential in what could be a fantastic comeback in the RTS scene.

Share this post


Link to post

Self-contradiction?

Not really, or not intentionally atleast...maybe i botched my syntax if it reads like that?

 

My train of thoughts was :

 

Gen/ZH uses a aging modified w3d engine used in renegade (and emperor:battle for dune iirc?) -> They could've done more with it at that time but whent with a "good enough for now"aproach.

Then they kept slapping revisions and extra's and removing other parts for bfme1/2 and tw/kw to it respectively. When i said butcher i was having more of a sloppy plastic surgeon-butcher work in mind if that makes more sense syntax and expression wise.

From my time and experience modding Sage1 comes across as a constant patchwork, with even alot of anotations stating things like:"left over from x-game, doesnt work anymore" or "Temporary fix thill john/bill/joe fixes this module" and alot of barely working modules. Where as Sage2 feels like alot cleaner version code and function wise, it feels more intentional in its design.

So when i claim Sage is still a good engine, i'm leaning towards the sage2 with that sentiment.

Does that make more sense?

Share this post


Link to post

It's not a rumour, it's click bait.

.

.

.

I'm wondering how I would feel if C&C came back as a console exclusive. Sad, I guess.

Share this post


Link to post

I think Halo Wars 2 will be (relatively) successful and it will kick EA's ass to put C&C back in business.

But, I have said the same thing one year ago, referring to Deserts of Kharak instead.

If they would reboot, starting by CnC95/C&C1/TD and if we could "import" SP missions and MP maps into the new system, than the hype would skyrocket (IMO).

Share this post


Link to post

I will definitely be getting Halo Wars when it comes out, and I shudder to say it, but EA should just make hurry up and make a C&C mobile game.

(hehe... can you see it... a C&C endless runner... tanya-ka-ching-baby!... or the evil paytowin microtransactions to build sandbag wall... game!)

Share this post


Link to post

I didn't click the link because it's just a rumour.

 

One thing I'll add to this conversation is that I doubt Generals 2 will be "revived" (depending on how you define it). The studio was fired, so if they revived the game then I think they'd throw out much of the code and re-do it, as opposed to continuing on the existing code and game.

Share this post


Link to post
Guest Rabbit

I didn't click the link because it's just a rumour.

 

One thing I'll add to this conversation is that I doubt Generals 2 will be "revived" (depending on how you define it). The studio was fired, so if they revived the game then I think they'd throw out much of the code and re-do it, as opposed to continuing on the existing code and game.

 

There's not really any merit to any of these rumors anyway, but EA can re-use all the existing code they want. The engineers who built most of the core of the game were based at Bioware in Austin, and were not fired as a result of the Victory Games shutdown. The guys in LA were basically doing art, story, and basic gameplay mechanics while Bioware did the work of converting the frostbite engine to function as an RTS.

 

Honestly, though, rumor mill has been spilling "possible" C&C games for years, before and after the Generals 2 cancellation. Before Generals 2 was even announced, supposedly EA was fiddling with a re-attempt at a Red Alert styled FPS. After Generals 2 was cancelled, there were more rumors, and there was even that fake "leaked" show schedule that said EA was going to present a new C&C game at one of the more recent gaming conventions. Rumors will always be around.

 

One thing to keep in mind though, for anyone who is hopeful: even if EA comes out tomorrow and announces a new game, take it with a grain of salt. Generals 2 made it all the way to the Alpha stages where VG actually allowed players to test it, and the game even got to the point where they actually announced a full release date. A week later, the game was cancelled and everybody was fired.

 

C&C is as good as done unless a new game actually makes it to distribution.

 

Final note: If they are working on a new game, I hope it's an FPS. It'll be much more successful anyway.

Share this post


Link to post

I would speculate that the cancelling of the previous project was related to 3 things:

- politics - EA's CEO was new at the time and needed to show he was serious about recovering the company;

- finance - the product was about to be released without a solid proposition about how it would make money in the marketplace;

- quality - if the CEO was needing reputation, the game was still needing one year of development to have an acceptable quality.

 

By now, maybe only the finance issue might be pending.

Share this post


Link to post

Gen/ZH uses a aging modified w3d engine used in renegade (and emperor:battle for dune iirc?)

 

The SAGE engine might have parts of W3D in it as Westwood used a common library across many games and some of it seems to have stuck with Generals (which they started the initial development on).

 

Emperor Battle for Dune uses a completely different engine with no resemblance to the engines made by Westwood as it was developed by Intelligent Games, it like Dune 2000 does have certain parts of Westwood libraries in them for WOL and playing VQA files for example.

 

Calling an engine aging because it uses some parts of previous engines is a bit of a stretch by that logic engines such as Id Tech 6 are ancient as they may have code from the late 80's in them.

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×