Shorter match times, starter packs, and suicide bombers will fuel the upcoming RTS.
A classic brand like Command and Conquer carries a certain cache. Just reading the name has a good chance to trigger Hell March playing on repeat in your head all day (you’re welcome). So, when Command and Conquer 4 tanked, EA decided to take a step back and rethink the franchise. The result is the awkwardly-titled Command and Conquer, a F2P reboot that rewires C&C Generals with shorter match times, new units, and starter packs.
“We’ve been noticing since the original Generals, the preferred play session has gone done from an hour plus to 30 to 45 minutes,” Victory Games General Manager Jon Van Caneghem told Polygon. “So we’ve changed the pacing to deal with that.” Game length isn’t the only thing changing. While C&C will be heavily based off of 2003’s Generals, a lot will be new. A third of the units will be brand new, a third will be carried over from the original, and the final third will be reimagined, according to Van Caneghem. Given the nature of the game, I’m also willing to bet that a third of those units explode on contact.
Of course, the largest change is the F2P model. More World of Tanks than Clash of Clans, players won’t be able to purchase anything inside a match and everything can be unlocked through play. Van Caneghem said that it’s experimenting around with the idea of starter packs, bundles that include unlocks and in-game currency for around “$30 to $40”. EA also plans to include a premium subscription that, just as in World of Tanks, grants players extra rewards and bonus unlocks.
Expect Command and Conquer to roll out in some form later this year.
Source: Polygon
Published: Aug 23, 2013 05:25 pm