EA has confirmed the story MegaGames brought you yesterday and has made it official, Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is on its way and we have the details to prove it.
Electronic Arts announced that Command & Conquer, the franchise that put the Real-time Strategy (RTS) genre on the map, is returning in full force with Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars. This next chapter takes the popular series back to its roots in the Tiberium universe and features the fast, fluid gameplay that Command & Conquer is known for and a gripping story.
It is 2047 and the stakes could not be higher. Tiberium-a self-replicating alien substance that has infected the Earth-is spreading like a radioactive ice age. The GDI, a high-tech alliance of the world's most advanced nations, is fighting to contain Tiberium, but Kane, the megalomaniacal leader of The Brotherhood of NOD has other plans for Earth. Kane's secret society turned superpower is bent on using Tiberium to take control and transform humanity into his twisted vision of the future. All-out war rages over Tiberium and the fate of the planet rests in the balance.
Mike Verdu, Executive Producer at EA Los Angeles (EALA) claims, We're building a next generation Command & Conquer game that is true to the spirit of this classic franchise, but is updated with state-of-the-art visuals, added strategic depth, and gameplay innovations that will move the genre forward. I am very excited to be working on this amazing game.
We have been waiting to reveal this game for quite some time and are thrilled to bring the series back to where it all began, said Louis Castle, VP of Creative Development at EA Los Angeles (EALA) and co-founder of Westwood Studios, creator of the Command & Conquer series. The Tiberium universe is a personal favourite of mine, and this saga's new direction will prove to be a worthy addition to one of the most celebrated RTS franchises.
The single player campaign will reward you for your gameplay style while you will be able to build mobile bases, wield the power of terrifying Ion Storms on the battlefield, or customising your armies by combining units. Online battles will feature native voice-over IP, integrated clan support, and new spectator modes that let you play RTS games like a sport.
Currently in development at EALA, Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars will ship in 2007 for Windows PC.
The front page story of the June issue of PC Gamer magazine is reporting that Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is under development by EA-LA, featuring the most popular villain in the franchise.
C&C is one of those franchises that have shaped gaming over the years and has earned a devoted following which was recently appeased by EA with the release of C&C: The First Decade. This reward came as most fans of the series were disappointed by the departure from EA of most of the people that were involved in the creation of C&C. EA however, persisted and EA-LA is the new home for C&C and the presence of Westwood co-founder, Louis Castle, as studio VP of creative development is a positive omen for gamers everywhere.
The new game will follow the storyline of C&C: Tiberian Sun and will tell the tale of the struggle between the Brotherhood of NOD led by Kane, the man we love to hate, and Global Defense Initiative (GDI) the alliance created to stop NOD from carrying out its evil plans. According to PC Gamer, the game's developers have gone to extreme lengths to achieve authenticity and have even recruited MIT scientists in order to examine exactly how Tiberium, the toxic alien mineral infecting the Earth, works. The result is a scientific bible, created for the game, which describes exactly how Tiberium interacts with the human body and Earth's environment.
The article contains lots of interesting storyline information and hints at how Kane has managed to survive, yet again, but it is clear that the game is not well enough into development for any real gameplay information to be available. The expected release date is late 2007 and one piece of information revealed is that C&C 3: Tiberium Wars will use an updated version of the SAGE engine used for Battle of Middle Earth II, modified to provide particle effects for explosions, dust, smoke and weather effects.
It is likely that EA will offer E3 2006 visitors some C&C 3 content so stay with MegaGames for further news and make sure you read the full PC Gamer story.
